SOUTHERN COLORADO (KOAA) — Southern Colorado law enforcement is warning drivers of next week's 'Blackout Wednesday.' Next Wednesday, officers and deputies from agencies across Fort Carson and El Paso and Pueblo Counties, are all adding extra patrols to handle traffic issues, which include the following:
- speeding
- reckless driving
- DUI
The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is considered one of the heaviest drinking nights of the year. Law enforcement is fine with celebrating the holiday, but they'll have zero tolerance for drinking and driving.
"To say... 'Everywhere I go in this county, there's gonna be law enforcement looking for me, whether that's speeding, whether that's impaired driving,'... it's so important to have it, to put that message out that we are a unified front in this effort," said Sgt. Jason Haag with the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.
Depending on the size of the agency, there will be as many as a dozen extra officers during enforcement. An added focus on stopping drunk drivers will continue through the holiday season.
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Department of Local Affairs designates four cities as Main Street Communities
Cripple Creek and Woodland Park join more than 30 cities statewide with the "Main Street community" designation.
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