Fremont Police to Hold ‘Virtual Ride-Along,’ Increase DUI Patrol Tonight

Fremont police will be increasing DUI patrol tonight — and documenting it via Twitter. 

Starting at 8 p.m. tonight and ending at 2 p.m., the Fremont Police Deparment will join the Avoid the 21 program, a statewide effort to curb drunken driving.

“‘Avoid’ is a message to motorists that simply means this: Avoid being arrested for DUI by planning ahead, always having a designated driver and never getting behind the wheel after you have been drinking,” Fremont police said in a statement.

The “21” in the program’s name represents the number of law enforcement agencies participating in each region; Alameda County has 21 agencies participating.

Throughout the enforcement period, Fremont police will deploy several traffic officers throughout the city for high visibility patrols.

In addition to the Avoid the 21 enforcement, the Fremont Police Department will also conduct a “virtual ride-along” and tweet traffic-related items throughout the night.

Using the @FremontPD Twitter account, the department will provide a behind-the-scenes experience of what it’s like to be a traffic sergeant in Fremont on a Friday night.

Public Affairs Manager Geneva Bosques will ride along with Traffic Sgt. Mark Dang and live-tweet anything they encounter such as calls for service, crimes in progress and vehicle collisions.

“The goal of the virtual-ride-along will be to give our community an inside look into the realities of policing in Fremont and to specifically bring attention to traffic education, enforcement and the dangers of drinking and driving,” Bosques said in a media release.

Twitter users are encouraged to interact with Fremont police by asking questions and “mentioning” the department in tweets. Bosques estimates that the department will send between 75 and 150 tweets during the ride-along, depending on the volume of calls they receive. 

To witness the virtual ride-along, follow @FremontPD on Twitter or view the department’s Twitter feed online at http://twitter.com/fremontpd.

Other Bay Area agencies will also be live-tweeting from their jurisdictions. Many will be using the #BayAreaDUI hashtag. Those participating in the Bay Area Law Enforcement Social Media Group, or #BALESMG, are Palo Alto PD (@PaloAltoPolice), San Mateo PD (@SanMateoPD), Daly City PD (@DalyCityPD) and CHP Castro Valley (@CHPCastroValley).