Sheriff’s office to increase patrols during Labor Day weekend

The Denton County Sheriff’s will increase traffic patrols around the county to crack down on speeders from Friday, Aug. 31, through Monday, Sept. 3.

The overtime hours for the patrol deputies is paid for by a state grant from the Texas Department of Transportation’s Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP), a program designed to decrease crashes, injuries and fatalities during peak traffic seasons by concentrated enforcement of the speed limit laws.

The Sheriff’s Office received the grant to pay the overtime costs for deputies to patrol roads with the highest percentages of speeders, which in Denton County have been identified as Hwy 377, FM 455, U.S. 380, State Highways 121 and 114, I-35, as well as other Farm-to-Market Roads.

“Studies have shown that increased speeds contribute to more fatalities and more severe injuries when traffic accidents occur, and accidents always increase during holiday weekends,” said Sheriff’s Office Patrol Captain Mike Caley.

“This Labor Day we want to prevent as many accidents as possible, so we want to put all drivers on notice that we will be out in force this weekend.”