The Brookfield Police Department is sparing no resources this weekend to see to it that as many people as possible get the message: Don't drink and drive.
Besides the usual contingent of patrol officers, an additional force of officers will be on the road over all or parts of five consecutive shifts, from Saturday afternoon through most of Sunday, specifically on the lookout for drunken drivers.
To start things off, Brookfield police will join six other departments covering the metro northwest quadrant in a high-visibility, streetside roll call Saturday.
At 3 p.m., the curb at Mo's Irish Pub, 10842 Blue Mound Rd., in Wauwatosa will be crowded with squad cars – and they want to be seen.
"The idea is, people will see us out there and know we are watching and in force," said Wauwatosa Lt. Tim Sharpee. "Hopefully, they will decide not to drink and drive.
"We want people to enjoy themselves, but the message is: Find another way.
"Mo's is partnering with us on this, and they're doing a great job of getting that message out, too. They're running shuttles, they'll call you a cab. They don't want you to be a danger to yourself and others, and neither do we.
"We'd love it if we made no arrests because nobody took the risk. But we will enforce the law."
Brookfield Capt. Phil Horter backed that up strongly.
"From about noon Saturday through Sunday and past midnight, our officers will certainly make themselves very visible," Horter said. "We will not only be on the road but there will be foot patrols inside establishments that serve alcohol.
"We will be detering, detecting and arresting."
Horter said that the partnership with Mo's, and with the Greater Milwaukee Lodging and Hotel Association, which is promoting stayovers in its establishments rather than layovers in police holding cells, are important.
"Law enforcement can't do it alone," Horter said. "We need the community to help us keep people from drinking and driving."
Horter said that as many as four to six additional officers would be out specifically on watch for impaired drivers during the highest probability times in the evenings of Saturday and Sunday.
The overtime is covered by federal grants through the Bureau of Transportation and Safety.
Horter, of Brookfield, is the designated public information officer for the High-Visibility OWI Task Force throughout the Milwaukee metropolitan area.
Results of the metro-wide deployment will be reported Monday.
The following law enforcement departments are involved:
Northwest Quadrant:
- Brookfield PD
- Wauwatosa PD
- Town of Brookfield PD
- West Allis PD
- State Patrol
- Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department
- Menomonee Falls PD
Roll Call at 3 p.m. in front of Mo’s Irish Pub: 10900 blk of Bluemound Rd.
Southwest Quadrant:
- Greendale PD
- Hales Corners PD
- Greenfield PD
- Franklin PD
Roll Call at 3 p.m. at 5911 W. Grange Ave., Greendale
Southeast Quadrant:
- St. Francis PD
- South Milwaukee PD
- Cudahy PD
Roll Call at 2 p.m. at 10th Street and Milwaukee Avenue
Central Quadrant:
- Milwaukee PD
- Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department
- State Patrol
Roll Call at 8 p.m. in front of Mo’s Irish Pub-Downtown, 142 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Northeast Quadrant:
- Bayside PD
- Fox Point PD
Roll Call at 8 p.m. in front of Mo’s Irish Pub-Downtown, 142 W. Wisconsin Ave.
