Increased DUI Patrols Planned for Cinco de Mayo

Riverside County sheriff’s deputies and other local officers plan extra anti-DUI patrols across the county on Tuesday, May 5, for Cinco de Mayo. (kesq.com) (mynewsla.com) The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said the deployments will run all day and will focus on saturation patrols, a tactic that puts extra officers in areas where impaired driving is expected. (kesq.com) (riversidesheriff.org) The sheriff’s office identified Jurupa Valley, Eastvale and Norco in one announcement, and Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells in another. KESQ and MyNewsLA also reported enforcement in the greater Riverside area. (riversidesheriff.org 1) (riversidesheriff.org 2) (kesq.com) (mynewsla.com) Cinco de Mayo often brings larger crowds to bars, restaurants and house parties, and Southern California agencies routinely pair the holiday with DUI enforcement campaigns. The sheriff’s office told residents to plan a sober ride before drinking or using drugs. (spectrumnews1.com) (riversidesheriff.org) The department’s public guidance was specific: use a designated sober driver, a taxi, rideshare or public transit, and never let an impaired friend get behind the wheel. It also urged party hosts to offer alcohol-free drinks and watch how guests get home. (riversidesheriff.org 1) (riversidesheriff.org 2) California treats alcohol and drugs the same way when they impair driving, and the sheriff’s office warned that prescription medications can also lead to a DUI arrest. The agency said drivers should read labels and talk with doctors or pharmacists before driving after taking medicine. (riversidesheriff.org) (riversidesheriff.org) The Palm Desert station said its enforcement detail is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That funding structure is standard for many holiday DUI patrols in California. (riversidesheriff.org) The message from local agencies is simple ahead of May 5: celebrate Cinco de Mayo, but arrange the ride home before the first drink. (kesq.com) (riversidesheriff.org)