More cops watching for who’s naughty

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.

That means residents can expect to see a lot more cops on the street.

Law-enforcement agencies in the county are putting more people on the street to try to stop the drunken driving and thefts that tend to occur more around the holidays.

“We tend to see high crash rates in November and December, especially those involving alcohol,” Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Kim Miller said.

Miller said that although patrols in the coming weeks won’t be as intensive as those during the Thanksgiving weekend, more troopers will be on the roads compared with other times of the year.

Local agencies, meanwhile, are focusing their patrols on areas that see many holiday shoppers.

The Mount Dora Police Department is increasing the number of officers on the retail-laden U.S. Highway 441 corridor, said Robbin Mayfield, a department spokeswoman.

The Sheriff’s Office will be keeping a close eye on banks and shopping centers, Cpl. Jim Vachon said.

The Sheriff’s Office’s mounted patrol also will be watching for shoplifters and car burglars, including at Lake Square Mall, Vachon said.

Although law-enforcement agencies beef up their street presence every holiday season, many said the current economic woes make added patrols even more vital.

The Leesburg Police Department has seen crime in the city increase “above and beyond normal holiday crime spikes,” likely because of some residents’ empty pockets, Lt. Rob Hicks said.

Likewise, the Sheriff’s Office has seen a similar increase in property crimes such as theft.

“Now, with the economy having some troubles, some people are getting desperate,” Vachon said.

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