Local police plan DWI crackdown BY DAN NEWMAN Staff Writer MIDDLETOWN — In an effort to curb drinking and driving during the holiday season, local police departments will be participating in the “You Drink and Drive, You Lose 2006 Year End Crackdown.” Holmdel, Aberdeen and Middletown townships are three of the 54 police departments statewide that have been issued $5,000 grants by the state Division of Highway Traffic Safety. The grants will be used to beef up patrols during one of the deadliest times of the year. From Dec. 4 through Jan. 2, law enforcement officers throughout the Bayshore area will be out in force, with the goals of raising awareness about the dangers of driving drunk through high-visibility enforcement and to arrest motorists who drive while impaired by drugs or alcohol. Among the recommendations that are being offered by local authorities: if you plan to drink, choose a designated driver before going out, take mass transit, a taxicab, or ask a sober friend to drive you home; spend the night where the activity is held; and report impaired drivers to law enforcement officials. “The end of the year and New Year’s celebrations are a time for fun with friends and family, not tragedy,” Holmdel Police Chief Raymond Wilson said in a press release. “The law enforcement community and safety organizations of the state are committed to eliminating impaired driving from our roads.” Last year alone, there were 263 alcohol-related fatalities in New Jersey. “Even one fatality is one too many. This crackdown is designed to lessen alcohol-related deaths with high-visibility enforcement right through the New Year’s holiday weekend,” said Roberto Rodriguez, director of the Division of Highway Traffic Safety.