St. Clair County Sheriff's Department

DUI Holiday Press Conference

Illinois You Drink and Drive. You Lose. Impaired Driving Crackdown

December 19^th, 2007

Richard Allan - Illinois Department of Transportation

Commander Jay Keeven - Illinois State Police

Lt. Joan Willenborg SOS

MADD Kristi Hosea, Victim Services Specialist

Sheriff Mearl J. Justus

· Unfortunately, the holiday season can be one of the deadliest and most dangerous times of the year on Illinois roads because of an increase in drunk driving.

· During the month of December 2006 alone, 1,076 people were killed in crashes on America’s roadways that involved a drunk driver or motorcycle rider. That’s why local law enforcement will again this holiday season be out in force cracking down on drunk driving.

· Last year in Illinois, NHTSA estimates 594 people died in alcohol-related crashes. That’s an astounding 47% of all fatalities on Illinois roads last year.

· This represents an improvement of only one over 2005 data that estimated 595 people died in alcohol-related crashes.

· In addition, during Christmas and New Year’s last year in Illinois, 14 of 23, or 61% of all motor vehicle crash fatalities involved alcohol.

· We are here today to keep that from happening this year.

· The fact remains that far too many people die each year on Illinois roads…during the holidays and throughout the year.

· All too often, they die at the hands of an impaired driver. Impaired driving remains a problem of epidemic proportions.

· Fatalities in alcohol-related crashes are no better on the national level. Preliminary figures indicate alcohol related fatalities increased from 17,590 in 2005 to 17,602 in 2006.

· And, in Illinois, alcohol-involved traffic fatalities have also not shown improvement, hovering around 44% for the last decade.

· According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates, in 1994, 687 or 44% of the 1,554 fatalities on Illinois roads involved a driver with alcohol in his or her system. In 2006, that number was 47%.

We must do better.

· For this reason, we are here today in the county jail to let people know we are serious and to announce the start of the holiday You Drink and Drive. You Lose. impaired driving crackdown.

· During this two-week campaign, state, county and local law enforcement will conduct hundreds of roadside safety checks across the state.

· The goal is simple…to save lives!

· Studies show that the majority of Americans consider drunk driving one of the nation's most important social issues, ahead of healthcare, poverty/hunger, racism and education.

· However, even with this perception, impaired driving remains one of our deadliest problems.

· So, this Labor Day impaired drivers will be shown zero tolerance. They will be arrested and removed from the road immediately.

· We are reminding everyone: Don't risk it--If you plan to drive, don't drink. Choose a sober designated driver before you go out. Take mass transit or a cab. Spend the night where the activity is being held. Report impaired drivers to law enforcement.

· Party hosts and businesses especially need to recognize their responsibilities and know that they can be held liable if their guests or patrons cause an alcohol-related crash.

· The key to stopping impaired drivers is taking a systematic approach with law enforcement, prosecutors, judicial officials and traffic safety partners, each doing our part to protect innocent victims from impaired drivers.

· Please celebrate responsibly and don’t take a chance--because chances are you will be caught. The choice is yours--designate a driver or one will be designated for you--straight to jail. And remember, You Drink and Drive. You Lose.

· Illinois motorists shouldn’t have to be vulnerable to impaired drivers. Impaired driving is a problem that must go way…completely, and the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department is committed to making that happen.

· Law enforcement agencies all around St. Clair County are warning everyone - driving impaired will get you arrested. Violators will lose their license, time from their job, money in high fines and court costs and possibly their freedom.

· And worst of all, impaired drivers may face charges for vehicular manslaughter or homicide.

· This behavior can put you hear, behind bars and that’s a really senseless way to spend your holiday.

· During this holiday season we, will focus efforts on those roads that are historically problematic for impaired driving.

· We will be conducting roadside safety checks; we will be doing saturation patrols looking for impaired drivers; And we will introduce you to a new set of bars.

· Every corner of our region will be covered…if you drive impaired, we will find you and arrest you.

· I can assure you there is no greater tragedy for a law enforcement officer than knocking on the door of a victim's family to tell them that they have lost a loved one to this senseless crime.

Hate Crimes

On December 13^th, 2007 St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern requested the Sheriff’s Department investigate a possible hate crime in the 2200 block of Deer Springs Trail in unincorporated Shiloh. Chairman Kern received a flyer which was left on the front lawn (near a mailbox) of a residence. Chairman Kern received the information from a local Pastor. The flyer is called “The Klansmen’s Voice.” The inside depicts KKK members with burning crosses and articles about “Proud to be White” and “Racist Klansmen? Or Racist America.” The flyer does not mention any local connections.

The United States Postal Service Inspectors Office was initially contacted but the incident does not fall under their jurisdiction since the flyer was not left in the mail box. The Sheriff’s Department has also enlisted the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigations Civil Crimes Section. Several residents in Shiloh also received the flyers in their yard. The Sheriff’s Department has been in communication with the Shiloh Police.

Investigators from the Sheriff’s Department have knocked on doors in the neighborhood to determine if anyone has information related to the flyers. Investigators also checked local convenience stores for anything suspicious.

Sgt. Dan Stockett, the Department’s Investigative Sergeant, is heading up the investigation. Anyone with any information is asked to contact him at 618-277-3505 x5734.

Should you have further questions please contact me at the below number.

- -

Lt. Steve Johnson
Chief Investigator
Criminal Investigation Section
St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department
700 North 5^th Street
Belleville, IL 62220
618-277-3505 x5715

Watch KSDK, Channel 5's story

Holiday Shopping Safety Tips!

MALL & SHOPPING SAFETY

Don't let criminals be your scrooge this holiday season. Take a few precautions when you shop and you'll be "taking a bite out of crime".

Personal Safety at Malls

The threat of physical assault does not necessarily increase along with the crowds during the holiday season. It's when you're far from the crowd, in distant reaches of parking lots or other isolated areas of the mall that you are most vulnerable.

To protect better yourself: Be Alert & Be Aware!

Always try to walk to and from your vehicle with another person. If you are shopping alone, consider walking near other shoppers in the parking lot.

If shopping alone and leaving at night -- particularly if you're carrying several bundles -- ask a security officer to accompany you to your car. Most malls will provide that service.

Inside a mall, avoid darkened hallways and other backroom areas, especially near closing time.

Avoid using bathrooms that are tucked away in a back area of a mall concourse or department. If you can, find a bathroom near the mall's food court or other well-trafficked area. And always accompany your child to the bathroom.

Never use a video arcade or toy store as a baby sitter; predators are on the prowl for unattended children. More then 100,000 children are abducted every year -- often in malls or department stores, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCME).

Find out whether the malls and stores you frequent have procedures to search for a missing child. Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Target are among retailers participating in a program developed by the NCME. The program, called "Code Adam," was named after Adam Walsh, a 6-year-old Florida boy who was killed after being abducted from a shopping mall in 1981. As soon as a child is reported missing, employees scour the aisles. If the child doesn't turn up after 10 minutes, the police are notified.

Pickpockets & Purse Theft Preventions

In crowded malls - Try these tips:

A man should carry his wallet in the front pocket of his pants, rather than in a back pocket or in his jacket. A woman should hold her purse close to her body, with the opening facing toward her; when walking with another person, the purse should be held between the two.

Consolidate purchases into one or two large shopping bags so you can keep track of everything. Never leave your purchases unattended, even for a few minutes.

Consider using a special fanny pack designed to foil pickpockets.

Parking Lot/Car Safety

As parking areas fill during the holiday season, shoppers are often forced to park far from mall exits, sometimes in poorly lighted areas. Now that there is less daylight, you're likely to find yourself entering the mall while the sun is up and leaving after dark, so make sure there are lights nearby before parking.

Other parking tips:

Park as close to entrances and exits as you can. No one wants to circle the lot for an hour waiting for a good spot to open up, but give it a shot, at least for a few minutes. Please patient looking for a parking space. Always seek a spot that's well-lighted or near a well-traveled roadway.

Stow your purchases in the trunk. When you're weighed down with packages, you may be tempted to throw them in the back seat and return to the mall to continue shopping.

If your purchases are in plain view, you may return to find your car windows smashed and your presents stolen. Save your most expensive purchases for last, so you can head straight home.

Have your keys ready when you approach your vehicle. Before entering, check that no one is hiding in the back seat.

ATM Safety

To protect yourself, handle your bank card with the same prudence you would cash or credit cards and keep it in a safe place. Memorize your PIN code so you won't have to write it on your card or a piece of paper, and carry it in your purse or wallet. And keep your PIN to yourself -- if others are nearby waiting to use the ATM, don't let them see which buttons you press.

More ATM advice:

Choose a bank with an ATM located in a highly visible, well-lighted area.

If you must withdraw money from an ATM after dark, have someone accompany you. Also, try not to make large cash withdrawals.

If you see anyone loitering near the machine who looks or acts suspicious, walk away.

Minimize time spent at the ATM by having your card in your hand and resisting the temptation to count the money after it has been dispensed.

While using an ATM, look around from time to time and be aware of what's going on around you. If anything suspicious happens, immediately cancel your transaction and leave.

Please be aware of your surroundings - be a alert and safe!