Willoughby Police Chief James Schultz said keeping residents safe and discouraging drunk driving is a mindset that is important all year, but during the holidays there is an added emphasis on reminding people how important it is to take precautions. That is why participating in the Protect & Serve Tavern at the Great Lakes Mall in Mentor is so important to Schultz and so many members of law enforcement in Lake County and beyond. The Lake County Crime Prevention Taskforce, the Lake County Association of Chiefs of Police and the Lake County Safe Communities Coalition teamed up with the United States Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to host the event to remind all drivers about the dangers of drinking and driving. Dennis Baker, left, and 5-year-old Michael Kunc check in at the Protect & Serve Tavern at the Great Lakes Mall on Dec. 14. (William Tilton – News-Herald) The 29th Annual Protect & Serve Tavern took place Dec. 14 at the Great Lakes Mall in Mentor. This event helped remind folks of Lake County – and beyond –  to drive sober this holiday season. This event was also meant to encourage people at or above the legal drinking age to consider a fun “mocktail” drink instead of drinking alcohol and possibly driving while intoxicated. “We want every vehicle on the road to get to their destination and we recognize all drivers and residents are precious and need to be looked after,” Schultz said. “We don’t want to see anything tragic happen. This is a good way to give back and interact with people here at the mall and reach the residents.” Many local law enforcement personnel worked the Protect & Serve Tavern which was held Dec. 14 at Great Lakes Mall in Mentor (William Tilton – News-Herald) Local police chiefs, officers and other coalition members handed out non-alcoholic drinks with snacks to mall-shoppers, and due to many generous donations from local businesses it was free to the public. 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Lake Metroparks Ranger Brandy Hanusosky said she has been associated with the event for decades and feels it is a great way to not only get the word out about the perils of impaired driving, but also to relate to the residents they might not normally speak to in a comfortable setting. “We have a great partnership with the mall, and we all want to keep our communities safe,” Hanusosky said. With holiday festivities and office parties taking place, it is important to plan a sober ride home before events begin, and law enforcement stressed a few simple tips to ensure that everyone gets home safely: • Plan a safe way home before festivities begin • Before drinking, designate a sober driver • If you are impaired, take a taxi, rideshare or call a sober friend or family member for a ride home • If you happen to see an impaired driver on the road, call #667 to reach law enforcement. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, there was one OVI-related fatal crash during the last holiday season (November 2023 thru January 2024) in the area. From February 2024 until present day, there have been nine fatal crashes with three of them OVI-related. The Protect & Serve Tavern is held to educate the public about driving sober not only during the holidays, but all year long. The goal is to reduce the number of fatal crashes in Lake County, with the hope to reduce the number to zero. The Lake County General Health District is the lead agency for the Lake County Safe Communities Coalition and the goal is to reduce the number of traffic-related motor vehicle deaths in Lake County by increasing seat belt usage, increasing motorcycle safety awareness, and reducing distracted and impaired driving. The coalition also participates in national campaigns including “Click It or Ticket” and “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.” Eastlake Police Officer Shawn Parker has been involved with the event for more than 25 years and said the chance to relate to residents in a comfortable setting that law enforcement possibly doesn’t get to always do is a big benefit. “Some people who are here to shop and don’t know anything about it will come up and talk to us and ask about their city’s chief — and they like to talk to us which probably wouldn’t happen if we had them pulled over at the side of the road,” Parker said. “There is a lot of information here and more than just drunk driving so we hope people stop by and the feedback is usually positive.”