The Columbus Police Department’s “Operation Firecracker,” conducted on New Year’s Eve, resulted in 10 arrests and 52 citations at safety checkpoints throughout the city, according to a CPD press release.
Two teams of CPD officers set up checkpoints throughout the city, according to the press release.
“We covered many parts of the city,” CPD Chief Joseph Daughtry Sr. said in the press release. “We can only spend 20-30 minutes in a location since now everyone posts our location on social media. We appreciate everyone spreading the word, and then we move on to the next location. You never know where we will be.”
According to the release, officers confiscated a rifle, a handgun and a knife and arrested a felon in possession of two weapons.
“Those (drivers) who received citations were not very happy, but that was only a small amount of drivers,” Daughtry said in the release.
“Most drivers thanked us for being out in the city and making our roads safe for everyone.”
Officers also helped a driver with a flat tire and another secure a child’s car seat, Daughtry said.
The officers who worked the detail were all volunteers, Daughtry said in the release.
“These officers volunteered to come out and spend a holiday evening away from home to make our city safer,” he said. “That says a lot about the great men and women we have serving our city.”
Officers from both the patrol and investigation divisions came out and took part in the detail, Daughtry said.
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
Join the Discussion