[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 75 (Tuesday, June 13, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S5774]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        CONGRATULATING NEWPORT POLICE CHIEF MICHAEL CAPRIGLIONE

 Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, it is with great pleasure that I 
rise today to commend Police Chief Michael Capriglione of the town of 
Newport, DE. Chief Capriglione has been recognized by the National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration with a Public Service Award for 
his outstanding dedication to the fight against drunken driving in the 
State of Delaware.
  Chief Capriglione was nominated for this award by the mid-Atlantic 
office of the NHTSA, which began the Checkpoint Strikeforce Campaign in 
Delaware in 2001. The Checkpoint Strikeforce Campaign is an initiative 
that works to decrease the number of impaired driving crashes through 
increased police presence on the roads and statewide sobriety 
checkpoints on weekends and during holidays. The campaign has continued 
to grow since its inception, with increasing numbers of affiliated 
police agencies and officers joining the program each year. In 2003, 
county teams were created to pool resources and enhance the efficiency 
of the campaign in each of Delaware's three counties. Chief Capriglione 
was named the head of the New Castle County DUI Task Force and has 
served as the primary law enforcement advocate for the Checkpoint 
Strikeforce Campaign in Delaware.
  The campaign had been highly successful; an increasing number of DUI 
arrests are made each year, with 685 intoxicated drivers arrested 
between July and December 2005 alone. This results in safer roads for 
our citizens to travel: 2004 saw the lowest number of alcohol-related 
highway deaths ever recorded in the State. The campaign has also 
expanded from its original half-year scope to become a year-round 
initiative. Under Chief Capriglione's leadership, the New Castle County 
DUI Task Force has established checkpoints during major holidays and 
other events typically associated with higher rates of impaired 
driving, including Super Bowl Sunday and St. Patrick's Day. During the 
recent Cinco de Mayo holiday, the county teams conducted checkpoints 
that resulted in 19 DUI arrests, as well as 7 drug arrests, 8 felony 
arrests, and the apprehension of 3 wanted individuals.
  Chief Michael Capriglione has been instrumental in the development 
and success of the Checkpoint Strikeforce Campaign in Delaware. Through 
his exceptional leadership and commitment to public service, Delaware's 
roadways have become safer and its citizens more secure. He is the 
embodiment of public service and deserves all of the recognition he has 
received for his remarkable efforts, and more. We are fortunate to have 
committed, effective law enforcement professionals such as Chief 
Capriglione working to combat the problem of drunken driving throughout 
Delaware and the Nation, and I ask the Senate to join me in thanking 
Chief Capriglione for his dedicated service.

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