DUI patrols set for St. Patrick's Day

Local police departments have a message for any St. Patrick's Day revelers thinking about driving themselves home after booze-filled festivities: Cops will also be out on the roads.

Many Philadelphia-area police departments are planning drunk-driving enforcement initiatives today. Some agencies' beefed up enforcement efforts have been in place since last weekend, or will continue into Friday and the upcoming weekend.

In the city, Philadelphia police said its DUI enforcement teams would focus efforts on heavily traveled roads where drunk-driving incidents have occurred throughout the year and on past holidays.

About 70 municipal police departments from the region are conducting sobriety checkpoints and roving DUI patrols this week, according to PennDOT.

Many agencies keep the precise locations and times of their patrols secret to avoid tipping off drivers. A few, however, are giving motorists some details about what to expect.

In Bucks County, for instance, all vehicles driving by a checkpoint on the Newtown Bypass between 10 p.m. Thursday and 3 a.m. Friday will be stopped and observed for signs of impairment, the Bucks County District Attorney's Office said. Field sobriety tests will be conducted on drivers who appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

A number of area law-enforcement officials were using their social media accounts Thursday morning to promote safe driving or encourage people to consider taking public transit after St. Patrick's Day celebrations.