Police Remind Residents to Drive Safely During the Holidays

are cracking down on drunken drivers this holiday season and are adding an extra patrol unit in the city to help keep the streets safe.

Normally there are three officers and a sergeant on duty in Belmont, but the Police Department expects to add a motorcycle officer to the day shift.

"All of those officers are out looking for DUI [offenders]," Belmont police Lt. Pat Halleran said. "Over the holidays it seems to be a particular problem."

The Belmont Police Department has joined forces with other San Mateo County law enforcement agencies to target drunken drivers in the Avoid the 23 Task Force, which includes Peninsula police as well as the California Highway Patrol, BART police and other authorities, Halleran said.

Last year, San Mateo County authorities arrested 214 alleged drunken drivers during the holiday enforcement period from Dec. 18, 2009, to Jan. 3, 2010. There were no fatalities related to DUI last year in San Mateo County during the holidays.

So far in this year's holiday enforcement period, there have been 43 DUI arrests in San Mateo County from Dec. 17 through Thursday, and no fatalities.

For those who know they will be celebrating on New Year's Eve and want to avoid drinking and getting behind the wheel, on the last night of 2010 and will add four extra post-midnight trains as well.