LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Earlier this month we gave you a closer look at a new initiative by Arkansas State Police known as “Operation Safe Streets” where in one weekend they made more than 600 traffic stops.
Though the operation took a pause on Memorial Day weekend it still proved to be very busy— which is something they anticipated since a lot of people traveling.
“Troopers that were working knew the guidelines of operation safe streets and so we did go out and patrol aggressively this weekend,” Captain Jeff Sheeler explained.
This weekend, it was all hands on deck for Troop A as they spent the holiday on the clock.
“Faulkner, Lonoke, Saline, and Pulaski,” he said.
Captain Sheeler shared that there were more than 600 drivers pulled over during the holiday weekend.
“Officer violator contacts or what we call OVC’s,” said Sheeler. “It could be a warning, or it could be a ticket, or it could be a physical arrest.”
There were 15 who were charged with DWI’s and over 100 people were arrested for speeding.
“I think that's a good sign that it was not actually as high and those speeding tickets were issued for significant speeds,” said Captain Sheeler. “We also took a pound of marijuana off the street and recovered for stolen vehicles, and those people were arrested.”
There were 150 people given warnings for speeding and Captain Sheeler explained that some of those drivers were from out of state.
“That's probably why we see the high-speed warnings. So, we take mercy on the people that are traveling our state not familiar with our traffic areas and our traffic laws as far as where the speed limits change in the city limits,” he explained.
The unofficial start to summer is now behind us, and Sheeler said that the state police are ready.
“We will have a busy summer. Hopefully an effective summer,” he added.
Troopers said that they worked 23 crashes and only one of those was fatal.
"Operation Safe Streets" took a pause this weekend but will return throughout the summer.