By Jonathan Williams
Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT —
New Year’s Eve is a great time to get together with friends, remember the good and bad times of 2012 and, if you’re like many Americans, celebrate with one or two alcoholic beverages of your choice.
Police agencies throughout the county will be out in force over the holiday, and they’re encouraging party-goers to make plans to get home responsibly or face the consequences.
Sgt. Michael Baylous of the West Virginia State Police said that he hopes that the police are a deterring force to keep people from driving impaired rather than just arresting people.
“What’s hard to measure here is the deterring factor,” he said, but “I think that we absolutely have a deterring effect.”
The state police will have checkpoints set up in Marion County, he said.
Marion County Sheriff Joe Carpenter said that the sheriff’s department will have its deputies out watching the roads for people driving under the influence.
