The Montana Highway Patrol will have a very visible presence in Missoula to prevent drinking and driving during the week of the Brawl of the Wild.

Captain Jim Kitchen said the agency has brought in extra technology in the attempt to keep people safe from drunk or impaired drivers.

"The safety enforcement traffic team is coming over to work the highways," Kitchen said. "We've got the Mobile DUI Processing Center being set up over in the Eastgate Shopping Center. We have a couple of troopers who will be working strategic traffic enforcement, as well as a couple more troopers down in the tailgating area after the game gets over. We'll be doing a complete saturation campaign so that nobody gets hurt, seriously injured or dies in a crash."

Captain Kitchen said the effort will begin on Wednesday and continue through the weekend.

"The team usually works eight on and six off and they're going to get in early and get all set up because we figure we're going to get a lot of people coming in from out of town on Thursday and Friday," he said. "We just want t make sure everybody's buckled up, so don't drink and drive and please obey the speed limit."

Kitchen wants potential offenders to know that no one will be let off with a warning if they are caught driving while impaired.

"You will go to jail, that's a sure deal," Kitchen said. "You will be processed into the jail and a judge will decide what happens after that. We have zero tolerance for drunk drivers."

Kitchen said troopers will have their eyes open and their radar guns focused on all roads coming into and out of Missoula this week.

"One of the things we'll be looking at before the game is excess speed while coming into Missoula and while they're leaving, as well," he said. "Another thing we want to put out there, is that no open containers will be tolerated in the vehicles, either. We'll be here all week and through the weekend to make sure everybody stays safe."

 

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