Pierce County law enforcement officers will be joining their counterparts in designated western Washington counties to conduct a series of traffic safety emphasis patrols. In its fourth year, this multi-agency effort dubbed “Surround the Sound” will be conducted in the ten counties bordering the waters of Puget Sound.

Officers will be paying specific attention to drinking drivers, but will also be looking for drivers who exceed the speed limit, fail to wear safety belts or commit other traffic infractions. The Pierce County effort will center on the Fife area. During last year’s “Surround the Sound” emphasis, 118 motorists were arrested for DUI in the participating counties.

Law enforcement officers from Bonney Lake, Buckley, DuPont, Fife, Lakewood, Gig Harbor, Puyallup, Puyallup Tribal, Roy, Ruston, Steilacoom, Sumner, Tacoma and University Place police departments will participate. They will be joined by deputies from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, troopers from the Washington State Patrol, and agents from the state Liquor Control Board. Fort Lewis Military Police and McChord Air Force Base Security Forces will be holding simultaneous patrols on their respective installations.

The “Surround the Sound” DUI & traffic safety emphasis patrols will be conducted in Clallam, King, Kitsap, Jefferson, Mason, Pierce, Thurston, Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom counties. This activity is coordinated by local DUI & traffic safety task forces and is supported by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.