Crime & Safety

Macomb's Top Law Enforcers Partner to Reduce Drunk Driving

Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham, Prosecutor Eric Smith and Macomb Traffic Safety Association work together to reduce the number drunk drivers on the road this holiday season.

Macomb County's top law enforcement officials are urging motorists to call 911 if they see a drunk drivers on the road.

Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith and Sheriff Anthony Wickersham came together Monday to kick off the "Call 911" campaign to report drunk drivers.

"It is incumbent on all of us to help law enforcement find drunk drivers," Smith said. "If you see somebody that is  all over the roads, endangering other citizens, please pick up your phone and call 911. When we all work together, we can make our streets a safter palce to be."

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Smith and Wickersham teamed up with the nonprofit Traffic Safety Association of Macomb County to place 16 billboards around the county promoting the "Call 911" message. The signs will also be placed on buses in the county.

No taxpayers funds are used for the campaign, and part of the funding comes from fines levied against repeat drunken drivers.

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The campaign with the signs that included photos of the sheriff and prosecutor, with the text "Call 911 Report Drunk Drivers," began in 2009. The Macomb County Sheriff's Office had 59 drunken driving arrests over the holidays in 2009. The following year, when there was no campaign, the Sheriff's Office had 37 arrests.

"We want the public to involved," said Wickersham, who urged motorists to call with 911 with information about vehicle description, license plate and direction it was traveling. "We want our road ways to be safe ... we don't want any tragedies."

Gail Peterson, executive director of the Traffic Safety Association of Macomb County, said of 39 fatal crashes in 2010, 10 involved alcohol.

"Every drunk driver that is allowed to contine driving unchecked risks the lives of every man, woman and child on our roadways," Peterson said. "By dialing 911 people are engaging the resources that are able to stop a potential deadly situation."


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