JPD to have extra staff working July 4th weekend

With the beautiful weather forecast over the 3rd and 4th of July weekend, the Juneau Police Department anticipates a lot of people will be participating in the holiday festivities. This often comes with an increase volume of police-related calls for service. JPD will have extra staff working the evening of the 3rd through the early morning hours of the 5th.

JPD encourages all citizens and visitors to celebrate safely. If you are driving to and from parties, don’t drink alcoholic beverages, ensure everyone is wearing a safety belt. Drivers are are reminded to minimize distractions and watch for bicyclists and pedestrians in the roadway.

If you choose to discharge concussive fireworks, use them safely and observe these guidelines for when they’re allowed:

• Friday, July 3 from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. (on July 4)
• Saturday, July 4 from 10 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.

Along with regular patrols, there will be multiple officers focused on foot patrols in the downtown core area and DUI enforcement throughout the borough over the next few days.

Even with an increase in staffing, JPD can’t be everywhere at all times and could use your help. In particular, if you observe someone operating a vehicle who you believe is impaired, please call the Juneau Police Department at 586-0600 to report it. Descriptions of the vehicle, the driver, and the reasons you think they’re impaired are all very helpful.

Calls directly to JPD about DUIs are eligible for rewards through the Juneau Crime Line program. Juneau Crime Line will be doubling their reward from $200 to $400 for tips that lead to DUI arrests over the weekend of July 3rd, 4th and 5th. Crime Line is a non-profit organization composed of a cross-section of the community and is designed to aid police agencies in their investigations. Tipsters are guaranteed anonymity and given a number when claiming a reward of up to $2,000.00.  If you have information on this or any other crime, go to http://juneaucrimeline.com

Also, you can do your part by obeying the law. It might seem simple enough, but when community members choose not to obey the law and do things like use fireworks after hours, block traffic roadways, or engage in drinking in public, police resources have to address these minor offenses. This can take away from more important police activities, such as DUI enforcement.

JPD hopes everyone enjoys the holiday and observes practices to help keep the community safe.