State police to use aircraft to nab speeders

Drivers need to keep their eyes on the road over Memorial Day weekend and remember that eyes in the sky are watching them.

State Police officials, joined by PennDOT and local police agencies, said at a news conference yesterday that they'll be clocking the speed of drivers in and around the city from an aircraft throughout the week.

Trooper Danea Durham, a State Police spokeswoman, explained that a patrol officer in the passenger seat of the aircraft clocks drivers' speeds and radios to troopers on the ground the description and license number of vehicles caught driving over the speed limit.

But speeding is just one illegal activity authorities will be looking for.

"Memorial Day kicks off summer, and people tend to drink and drive more so in the summertime," Durham said in a phone interview.

In a news release, Durham said 450 local police departments around the state would work with State Police for the aerial program in addition to enforcing traffic laws the traditional way throughout the week.

She said that State Police would focus on major roadways in the city and on interstates 76 and 95.

Durham said that no decisions had been made whether to implement DUI checkpoints or speed traps, but that both were possibilities.

"We want to remind the public to enjoy themselves this summer," Durham added. "But make sure you think before you drive."