Maryland State Police Tackling Underage Drinking, Impaired Driving With ‘Lose the Booze’ Initiative

Caroline Cecil Dorchester Kent, MD Police Queen Anne's Talbot

As high school graduates are heading down to Ocean City for Senior Week and more people are planning summer vacations, Maryland State Police are ready for an expected increase in underage drinking, along with impaired, aggressive and distracted drivers on the Eastern Shore.

Under the “Lose the Booze” campaign, Maryland State Police, along with assistance from the Easton Police Department, Talbot County Sheriff’s Office and the Caroline County Sheriff’s Office, conducted over 900 traffic stops and issued 301 citations, 634 warnings, 25 civil citations and five citations for underage drinking between June 1-3, 2018 in Dorchester, Talbot and Caroline counties. Troopers also made 11 DUI arrests and seven CDS arrests during that span in the same area.

Among the Maryland State Police units that participated in the campaign were the Easton Barrack, the State Police Impaired Driving Effort (SPIDRE) team, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, Motor Unit and K-9 Unit. The initiative will continue throughout the summer.

According to state law, those under 21 cited for possession of alcohol could be fined up to $500. Those cited for supplying alcohol to those under 21 could be fined up to $2,500 in Maryland.

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~ MD State Police