IDNR Labor Day Weekend Enforcement Focuses On Safety

SPRINGFIELD, IL - Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Conservation Police made 34 arrests on charges of operating under the influence, driving under the influence or drug-related offenses during the busy Labor Day holiday weekend as part of enforcement efforts aimed at improving safety at state parks and on Illinois lakes and waterways.

The IDNR Office of Law Enforcement also reports Conservation Police Officers (CPOs) wrote 139 tickets for vehicle offenses, 104 citations for fish and game violations, and 58 citations for various offenses at state parks and other IDNR sites during the holiday weekend, Sept. 3-6.  CPOs also issued 652 written warnings as part of the holiday enforcement effort.

"With great weather during the last long weekend of the summer, the Labor Day holiday was a busy time on our waterways and in our parks.  Our officers were out in force to remind everyone the importance of staying safe while having a good time outdoors," said IDNR Office of Law Enforcement Director Rafael Gutierrez.  "We were encouraged that there were so few accidents and we hope that our park visitors, boaters, hunters and anglers keep safety in mind this fall and throughout the year."

Statewide in Illinois, there were no reported hunting accidents and just two boating accidents handled by IDNR Conservation Police during the Labor Day weekend.