Salem Police Taking Extra Steps to Ensure Safe, Trouble Free New Year`s Eve

A number of area towing companies and taxis will be offering cheap alternatives to being a drunk driver. Get a ride.

Salem-News.com

(SALEM) - The Salem Police Department has taken a number of steps to ensure New Year's eve is safe and trouble free.

"We want to make sure that excessive revelry by a few will not ruin the celebration for other people," said Salem police spokesman Lt. Bill Kohlmeyer. The department will have extra staffing on duty, focusing not only on calls for service but on visiting drinking establishments and large parties.

Officers will be conducting walk-throughs of bars and nightclubs, particularly in the downtown area, Kohlmeyer said.

Officers will be working in uniform as well as plainclothes in conjunction with OLCC.

"Our intent is to ensure that people celebrate responsibly, not become intoxicated in public and interfere with other peoples rights. Officers have already been working with OLCC making contact with liquor establishments to ensure the evening's festivities go smoothly and safely," said Kohlmeyer. "DUII enforcement will also be a priority and we will have extra officers on duty focusing specifically on the drunk driver."

A number of area towing companies and taxis will be offering cheap alternatives to being a drunk driver. Get a ride.

"Better yet," Kohlmeyer said, "utilize a designated driver. Don't ruin the New Year's celebration. No one wants to come get you out of jail, or visit you in the hospital or the mortuary." Another area of concern is firearms safety.

"Each year on New Year's eve we respond to calls of shots being fired," Kohlmeyer said. "These usually turn out to be people celebrating by firing guns into the air."

Think again: That bullet has to come back down, and the potential is there for someone to be hit by the falling bullet. It does happen. It can kill.

Not only would such an event put your safety and others in jeopardy, you could face a number of criminal charges from reckless endangerment to negligent homicide.