SEATTLE -- Law enforcement agencies across the state are planning for increased enforcement over the Memorial Day weekend, both on the ground and in the air.
“This is the first three day weekend a lot of people have had since the beginning of the year. It’s the kickoff for camping. It’s the kickoff for barbecues, graduation, things like that,” said Trooper Heather Axtman, Washington State Patrol. “We want to make sure people are having a good time, but we want to make sure people are safe doing so.”
WSP will fly its plane over parts of the state. New technology on board allows tropers to assist with 911 calls and clock speeders.
“We monitor radios. Work directly with troopers that are on the ground and coordinate any erratic vehicles that have been called into our dispatch center or possible DUI drivers,” Pilot Ryan Santhuff said. “We will intercept those vehicles overhead and help those ground units intercept them on the ground. Sometimes that will be just a couple minutes. Sometimes we’ll follow people all the way to their residence.”
That technology includes devices allowing pilots to provide troopers on the ground with a live feed of the video that they are shooting from the air. The plane is also able to send back a live signal to the State Patrol command center.
It's all about keeping people safe.
“We like people to make it from point A to point B. Use Uber, public transportation, things like that, in order to make sure our roadways remain as safe as they can be,” Axtman said.
Two people died on Washington state highways last Memorial Day weekend. WSP hopes to keep that number at zero over the next few days.
