Law enforcement officers on patrol receive hot Thanksgiving meal in Santa Maria

It’s the holiday season but for local law enforcement officers, it’s just another day on patrol.

Officer David Medina of the Santa Maria California Highway Patrol spotted several people going 80-90 mph. Officers say despite the emptier roads on Thanksgiving Day, they’re making sure everyone is following the law.

“For this holiday weekend we’re gonna have a total of 13 officers in the Santa Maria area,” said Medina. “Normally the day of the holiday is less traffic as opposed to the day before or the day after.”

That didn’t stop some people from speeding.

“A lot of people wanna use the excuse that they have to use the bathroom,” Medina said.

Another common violation, according to Medina, is people walking on the freeway. Most are either homeless or may be suffering from mental issues, he says.

Some officers won’t be spending Thanksgiving with their families but they did enjoy a hot meal earlier in the day courtesy of the Santa Maria Inn. These officers say they’re just thankful doing the job they love and helping people have a safe travel day.