COVINGTON, Ga. – Mimicking a multi-state operation to designed to reduce accidents related to speed, Covington police conducted a traffic operation last week that resulted in citations and arrests for DUI, drugs and guns.

Covington Police Department Lt. Brent Fuesting said the three-day operation, dubbed "Operation City Shield” was modeled after Operation Southern Shield,  a Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee and South Carolina operation in which the five states teamed up the week of July 16-22 to try to prevent accidents by targeting speeders.

Fuesting, along with Sgt. Chris Cain and Officers Rory Barber and Denis Cerovic conducted concentrated patrols July 18-20 in areas of the city with a high number of traffic problems over a period from.

“We performed concentrated patrols in areas where stats and complaints dictated a need for more concentrated effort,” Fuesting said. “ The areas that received this enforcement were Highway 278, Washington Street and Floyd Street.”

Fuesting said Floyd Street was chosen because of concerns of the many walkers and joggers that utilize the street. All of the areas were given concentrated traffic enforcement between the hours of 10 a.m. and midnight.

According to numbers released by CPD, officers involved in “Operation City Shield” conducted 61 traffic stops over the period, issuing 49 traffic citations for infractions that included insurance, speeding, violation of the seatbelt law and violation of the new hands free law.

In addition, 25 warning citations were issued for various traffic infractions and seven people were arrested for offenses ranging from driving under the influence to Violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act and weapons offenses.

Fuesting told The Covington News the operation was beneficial to Covington’s citizens and motoring public.

“As a result, we will continue to perform concentrated patrol efforts as dictated by stats and complaints,” he said.