Sheriff’s Office 2009 - 4th of July Operations & Public Advisories
4th of JULY HOLIDAY DWI ENFORCEMENT 2009:
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office in coordination with the Texas Department of Transportation will be utilizing a Impaired Driving Mobilization Grant for additional patrols for traffic enforcement. The purpose of this program is aimed at getting speeding & impaired drivers off the roadways. Extra Deputies Officers will be out on the streets during the Independence Day Holiday period. The push is to deter drunk driving. The enforcement program begins today Friday, June 26th, 2009 through Sunday, July 5th, 2009.
Statistics from the Texas Department of Transportation indicate Texas leads the nation when it comes to the number of traffic fatalities where the driver or motorcycle operator was legally drunk. Last year over 1,500 people died in alcohol-related crashes in Texas.
Penalties for a first-time DWI offense include : 
- Up to $2,000 fine
- 72 hours to 6 months in Jail
- Driver’s license suspension for up to one year
- $1,000 annual fee for 3 consecutive years to retain drivers license
We will also be focusing on other law enforcement issues:
- Possession of Alcohol by a Minor
- Purchase of Alcohol by a Minor
- Attempt to Purchase Alcohol by a Minor
- Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor
- Misrepresentation of Age by a Minor
- Driving Under Influence of Alcohol by a Minor
- Sale to a Minor
- Purchase of Alcohol for a Minor
- Furnishing Alcohol to a Minor
Montana Ave. Street Closures:
Just like last year for the 4th of July holiday, the El Paso County Sheriff's will be closing off several intersections along Montana Ave. Each intersection will have barricades & some will have a Sheriff Deputy assigned. The public will not be allowed to travel into these residential areas. Only residents of this community will be allowed to pass. 
The following streets will be blocked off:
- Flager St.
- Suwannee St.
- Vista del Este St.
- Las Casitas Ave.
- Krag St.
- Buntline Dr.
- Desert Meadows Rd.
- Oshea Dr.
- Acacia Dr.
- Century Dr.
- Edward Williams Dr.
- Snoqualmie Dr.
- O'Leary
A reminder to the public that parking is not allowed along Montana Avenue (Highway 62/180) or on the shoulders or medians. These areas must be cleared for traffic & emergency vehicles. ALL TRAFFIC LAWS & TRAFFIC SIGNS MUST BE OBEYED.
(Map below courtesy EPSO)
Montana Street Closures
Our Agency will patrol and arrest / ticket drivers who ignore traffic laws. We continue to enforce the zero tolerance on seat belt/child safety seat use and drinking and driving. We will also focus on aggressive driving, and those who fail to obey the speed limit.
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office reminds all drivers to change lanes or slow down when approaching emergency vehicles with emergency lights activated on the side of the roadway. According to Texas Transportation Code-Sec. 545.157: PASSING AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLE.
(a) On approaching a stationary authorized emergency vehicle using visual signals that 
meet the requirements of Sections 547.305 and 547.702, an operator, unless otherwise directed by a police officer, shall:
(1) vacate the lane closest to the emergency vehicle when driving on a highway with two or more lanes traveling in the direction of the emergency vehicle; or
(2) slow to a speed not to exceed:
(A) 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit when the posted speed limit is 25 miles per hour or more; or
(B) five miles per hour when the posted speed limit is less than 25 miles per hour.
(b) A violation of this section is:
(1) a misdemeanor punishable under Section 542.401;
(2) a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $500 if the violation results in property damage; or
(3) a Class B misdemeanor if the violation results in bodily injury.
(c) If conduct constituting an offense under this section also constitutes an offense under another section of this code or the Penal Code, the actor may be prosecuted under either section or under both sections.
END OF NEWS RELEASE
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office in March of 2001 was the first Sheriff’s Office in the State of Texas to be Internationally Accredited from CALEA and is now the recipient of the First CALEA Tri-Arc award in Texas (4th in the Nation) to have accreditations in: Law Enforcement, Communications, Training Academy.
