MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Police Department is preparing to clock in extra hours the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving, a night infamous for gatherings and drinking.
"Everyone's coming back from college and they're going back to the home city and they're all getting together," Milwaukee Police Department Sergeant Matthew Phillipson told TMJ4.
MPD says a federal grant will help cover extra officers and overtime in an effort to keep the public safe. They will conduct high-visibility traffic enforcement in the bar districts such as Water Street, Walkers Point, and Bluemound Road.
Last year, MPD made two OWI arrests on the Wednesday and overnight hours into the Thanksgiving holiday.
"We're going to be going out there stopping individuals. We're going to be testing and if you are found to be impaired, we are going to arrest," Sgt. Phillipson stated.
MPD reports 65 traffic-related deaths so far in 2024, and about a third of them involve an impaired driver.
"It's such a tragedy, such a loss. Not a day goes by that I don't cry," Cassandra Harriell told TMJ4.
The holidays will never be the same for Harriell and her family.
In October, her 5-year-old grandson Jaylen Sloan died after a car crash near North 81st Street and Hampton in Milwaukee.
Jaylen's father, Christopher Sloan, was the driver. Investigators say he slammed into parked cars, and a test showed the alcohol level in his system was approximately three times the legal limit.
"My baby was a shining star. He was so beautiful," Harriell shared. "He was special, and we'll never get to see his potential."
Watch: Grandmother pleads for drivers to stay sober before MPD holiday enforcement
Harriell agreed to meet TMJ4 to send a message and fulfill her promise to Jaylen. She aspires to be his voice by advocating against impaired driving.
While Harriell and her family are focused on getting justice for Jaylen, she prays that no other family has to go through the same life-changing loss.
"If you're going to drink, get a cab, ask the sober friend to come pick you up. Please don't get behind the wheel of a car. The loss is too great," Harriell stressed.
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