DID IT HAPPEN?

This weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, the State Police of Connecticut will be patrolling and setting up sobriety check points in Montville. Specifically targeted is the area of Route 2-A .

I understand last weekend there were sobriety check points in the same area. On Route-2A in Uncasville, is two () exits between I-395 and the Mohegan Pequot Bridge (the eastern border of Montville Township). Exit 1 is the exit on and off Route 2-A to Route 32. Exit 2 is the on and off ramps leading into the Mohegan Sun Casino.

Insiders said that the Mohegan Tribal Police last weekend were checking cars leaving the parking garages at the Mohegan Sun Casino to see if the drivers were intoxicated. I have been told, although I couldn't confirm it, that drivers that the Mohegan Police felt were a little under the weather, were told to go back in the casino or go sleep it off for a few hours.

If this really happened, then stopping the drivers from going out on the roads and highways of Connecticut is a really good idea. With that in mind, maybe certain questions should be addressed.

Why let the patrons of the casino get to the point, where by their driving away from the casino, they are endangering themselves and other innocent people? Maybe the casino needs to do a better job of controlling the drinking inside the casino. I understand that giving people free drinks keeps patrons in the casino, so that they will gamble more. It also affects the judgement of the casino patrons. These are adult people (the patrons) making decisions for themselves.

What was the motive for what the Mohegan Police supposedly did (checking drivers leaving the parking garages) ? Was it because of the check points in Montville? Was it because of the alleged drunk driver who allegedly left Ultra 88 (night club in the Mohegan Sun) who drove the wrong way down I-395 resulting in the death of a Connecticut College student? Is this a real problem? Are the servers at the casino overly serving patrons? Are the staff at the casino serving the alcohol trained well enough?

Ultimately who is responsible for this situation (over serving patrons) in the casino? What is the MTGA (Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, Mohegan Tribal Council) doing about this situation, if in fact it exists? Do we (the Mohegan Tribe) have a responsiblity to keep our patrons safe? Is the MTGA doing a good job on this front? What can we do? What should we do? What do you think?

EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: If you are going near the casino, this Saturday or Sunday, please don't drink and drive. .