The Sacramento Police Department would like everyone to enjoy celebrating St. Patrick's Day but we want to remind the community to do so in a safe manner and to designate a sober driver. In an effort to address drinking-related issues, the Sacramento Police Department has planned several enforcement events during this upcoming week.

The first enforcement operation focuses on alcohol use by minors. The Sacramento Police Department will be partnering with the California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control, addressing underage drinking and those individuals who provide alcohol to minors.

During this week, officers will also be assisting the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office in a county-wide warrant sweep.  The focus of the sweep will be targeting those individuals who failed to heed the many warnings to not drink and drive and now have DUI warrants for their arrest.

"AVOID the 17" will be participating in this week's alcohol-related enforcement. The California AVOID campaign is a grant funded, statewide program that publicizes the combined DUI enforcement efforts of participating law enforcement agencies. The goal is to raise awareness of the increasing problems associated with drinking and driving. Seventeen agencies are involved in the local portion of the statewide campaign, appropriately named "AVOID the 17". Together, many of these agencies will be working in the City of Sacramento in the form of roving DUI patrols.

The enforcement efforts this week will end with a sobriety and drivers license checkpoint. The purpose of the checkpoint is to promote public safety and serves as a deterrent to potentially impaired and unlicensed drivers. 

The Police Department wants to remind you that Sacramento is a great place to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but we ask that everyone do so in a responsible manner. 

The Sacramento Police Department appreciates the continued partnership and funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control.