Flagler County, FL – Labor Day weekend usually results in extra traffic, boating and beach activities during the last federal holiday of the summer, so the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) will be out in force to ensure public safety during the long holiday weekend.
FCSO deputies and our law enforcement partners will participate in safety and enforcement operations starting today (September 1, 2022) and ending on Labor Day (September 5, 2022). Known as Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over, Operation DRIVE and the CARE Patrol Operation, all of them are designed to ensure traffic safety during the holiday weekend, including the beachside communities.
FCSO’s Taxi/Patrol vehicle will be deployed alongside roadside message boards in various locations county-wide as part of that effort. An ATV-riding deputy will also be dedicated to patrolling Flagler’s beaches and its various parking lots for suspicious persons, vehicles or activities.
“Labor Day is a celebration of the hard-working spirit that makes America the great country it is,” stated Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly. “Our deputies will be using that spirit to monitor traffic on our roadways and waterways to ensure everyone can enjoy the holiday safely. We hope those who are enjoying the holiday weekend consume their spirits in moderation and have a designated driver. Drive sober or get pulled over and win a free courtesy ride to the Green Roof Inn!”
The Florida Wildlife Commission (FWC) and FCSO’s Marine Unit will team up for high-visibility patrols along the Intracoastal Waterway and canals throughout the Labor Day weekend, monitoring for boaters under the influence and those who are not operating marine vessels in a safe manner.
Operation DRIVE will focus on distracted driving and reckless driving in high-traffic areas with our partners from the Florida Highway Patrol, the Flagler Beach Police Department and the Bunnell Police Department.
Operation CARE (Crash Awareness & Reduction Effort) is a multi-jurisdictional effort where FCSO and other law enforcement agencies across the country have a more visible presence on major roadways such as Interstate 95, U.S. 1 and State Road A1A to reduce traffic crashes. FCSO deputies will focus in particular on reducing impaired driving and aggressive driving. As part of that effort, an FCSO deputy will be dressed like a construction worker.
“Slow down in work zones,” Sheriff Staly noted. “The person dressed as a construction worker might just be a Deputy Sheriff with a radar gun.”
