New York Police To Step Up Patrols For St. Patrick’s Day

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Police around New York state will be cracking down on drunken driving and underage drinking this St. Patrick's Day weekend.

Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the law enforcement campaign ahead of Friday's holiday.

The effort includes sobriety checkpoints, stepped up vehicle patrols and ID inspections at bars.

Police will be looking for drivers who have had too much to drink or who are using their cellphones while driving. They'll also be looking for minors in possession of alcohol, or bars, restaurants and retail shops selling alcohol to those under 21.

A similar campaign last year by state police resulted in 257 DWI arrests and more than 17,000 tickets.