The operation included breathalyzer tests, fingerprint biometrics and vehicle searches. In addition, a campaign was launched under the slogan Today I take care of my friends, today I am a designated driver, to promote responsible driving. The deployment was part of an inter-ministerial operation with 2,200 officers throughout the province.
The Director General of Community Relations, Hernán Amat, led the operation in Carrizal as part of the celebrations for Student Day. The Director of Nightlife, Alejandro Pozzi, and Deputy Commissioner Daniel Cáceres, in charge of the Villa San Isidro El Carrizal detachment, participated.
At the site, alcohol and fingerprint biometric controls were carried out, accompanied by an awareness campaign under the slogan Today I take care of my friends, today I am a designated driverThe initiative sought to promote responsible driving and prevent road accidents during a day with a high turnout of young people.
“We are carrying out specific alcohol and biometric tests. We are also conducting vehicle searches to verify whether people, mainly young people, are transporting alcohol. This will allow us to have specific control over this issue and work hard on prevention,” said Amat.
The operation in El Carrizal is part of a larger deployment that includes some 2,200 police officers, distributed throughout the province during the weekend. “This work will be carried out throughout the entire province, with the support of personnel from the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the Ministry of Health and the General Directorate of Schools. Always focusing on prevention, which is our main objective,” added the official.
Finally, Pozzi insisted on the importance of promoting the concept of designated drivers as part of the awareness campaign: “We are carrying out a campaign to promote this figure with brochures and materials that help with prevention. It is essential that they do not go alone and that they choose a designated driver to avoid any complications on the road,” he said. In addition, he mentioned that throughout the province there are approximately 200 venues authorized for recreation and that each municipality organizes its own authorized celebrations.
The details of the inter-ministerial operation
From Thursday morning until next Monday, the Ministry of Security and Justice will carry out preventive maneuvers in gastronomic areas, routes, nightclubs, green spaces, bodies of water and Alta Montaña. In the area of road safety, alcohol tests will be carried out on routes and accesses to the province. The purpose of these controls is to prevent accidents and guarantee the safety of those who travel. In addition, they seek to promote responsible behavior, highlighting the importance of having a designated driver at celebrations.
The Sub-directorate for Control of Events and Recreational Facilities will intensify inspections in bars and restaurants. They will be carried out in conjunction with the municipalities, who will monitor events and parties throughout the province. There will be posts at different points in the province to promote the use of designated drivers.
Regarding activities in bodies of water, the Inspectors Division of the Nautical Department will carry out checks to ensure that vessels comply with the required documentation and safety elements. Night navigation and swimming in open water are prohibited in all reservoirs. Violations of these rules may result in fines of between $19,000 and $1,270,000, depending on the severity. In addition, the Police will carry out alcohol tests on vessels.
The Ministry of Energy and Environment will also participate in the operation, through the Protected Areas Directorate and the Biodiversity Directorate, to supervise compliance with environmental protection laws. Firefighters and other security forces will collaborate in fire prevention, especially in the busiest areas during the weekend.
The Provincial Fire Management Plan emphasized that fires can only be lit in authorized places – campsites and clubs – and made it clear that barbecue grills on the side of the road are not authorized places. Penalties for failure to comply with this rule vary according to the severity of the incident, with fines ranging from $50,800 to $17,780,000. To report any improper use of fire, you must contact 911 or the Undersecretary of the Environment.
