Police Keeping Eye Out For Drunk Drivers

Several thousand people marked Saint Patrick's Day in downtown Tulsa on Saturday. In the Blue Dome district revelers have been filling the streets all day. Several bars downtown are taking part in

Saturday, March 17th 2007, 4:41 pm

By: News On 6

Several thousand people marked Saint Patrick's Day in downtown Tulsa on Saturday. In the Blue Dome district revelers have been filling the streets all day. Several bars downtown are taking part in the festivities, and so are the police who have a special patrol working DUI cases. The News on 6â€™s Emory Bryan reports officers have been around all day, watching for drunk drivers.

For some, the party started early.

"We've been here since eight this morning, but we're doing good," Tulsa resident Charlie Brackett said.

And that's why the police didn't wait for nightfall to start watching for drinkers who might get behind the wheel.

"We want them to know that they cannot get behind the wheel of a car once they've had too much to drink,â€ Tulsa Police Officer Craig Murray said.

The Celtic music was playing and the cold beer was flowing on Saturday. While there were plenty of people drinking throughout the day, some decided spending the night downtown was best.

"We're going to a bar with a hotel upstairs, we're gonna party downstairs, nobody's driving, we're gonna sleep upstairs," said reveler Bobby Oâ€™Dell.

The police were encouraging people who were drinking to use a designated driver.

"We don't want people risking their lives and other people's lives by driving after they've been drinking," Murray said.

Last year, the police arrested 20 drunk drivers and they expect this year to find a few more since Saint Patrick's fell on Saturday.