LaPorte, Porter Counties-Yesterday afternoon, Sunday, July 22nd, officers from multi-agencies participated in making the local beaches safer.

Thirty plain clothes officers from the Department of Natural Resources, Indiana State Excise Police, Michigan City Police, Long Beach Police, LaPorte County Sheriff’s Department DUI Task Force (funded by the Criminal Justice Institute) and the Indiana State Police hit the local beaches looking for alcohol or drug violations.

For a six hour period the officers utilized a boat that patrolled the Lake Michigan Shoreline, All Terrain Vehicles (ATV), foot patrols and a roving marked police car at the Indiana Dunes State Park in Porter County, Washington Park and Long Beach in LaPorte County.  Nineteen citations were issued for various alcohol related offenses (majority for possession of alcohol), one drug paraphernalia arrest, four seat belt arrests, three child restraint arrests, one driving while suspended, one carrying a handgun without a permit and six traffic warnings.

Indiana State Police Lieutenant Dave Kirkham Criminal Investigation Division Area I Commander stated, “There are more planned efforts to participate in another joint beach operation this year.  This operation is a great way for all departments to utilize combined manpower, resources and equipment to make our beaches a safer environment for all to enjoy”.

All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.