Monterey County DUI Checkpoint Press Releases
Salinas - December 23, 2011
Salinas, CA - The Salinas Police Department will be conducting a DUI Checkpoint on Friday, December 23rd at an undisclosed location within the city limits between the hours of 5:30 pm and 1:00 am. DUI checkpoints are a proven enforcement tool effective in reducing the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol-involved crashes. Research shows that crashes involving alcohol drop by an average of 20 percent when well-publicized checkpoints are conducted often enough.
Officers will be contacting drivers passing through the checkpoint for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment. Officers will will strive to delay motorists only momentarily. Drivers caught driving impaired can expect jail, license suspension, and insurance increases, as well as fines, fees, DUI classes, other expenses that can exceed $10,000.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), checkpoints have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while also yielding considerable cost savings of $6 for every $1 spent. Checkpoints are placed in locations that have the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence and provide the greatest safety for officers and the public.
"Deaths from drunk and drug-impaired driving are going down in California," said Christopher J. Murphy, Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS). "But that still means that hundreds of our friends, family and co-workers are killed each year, along with tens of thousands who are seriously injured. We must all continue to work together to bring an end to these tragedies. If you see a drunk driver - call 911."
Funding for this checkpoint is provided to the Salinas Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, targeting those who still don't heed the message to designate a sober driver.
_______________________________________
Salinas - 9/2/11
A sobriety checkpoint in Salinas on Friday night, Sept. 2, kicks off four days of intensified DUI enforcement for the Labor Day weekend, according to officials with Avoid the 18, the county's crackdown on the crime.
All California Highway Patrol officers from the Monterey and King City squads will be assigned to road duty, according to Officer Robert Lehman. This maximum enforcement period, which begins Friday and ends on Monday night, is in effect all up and down the state.
Salinas and Soledad police plan DUI saturation patrols all through the weekend. Police commanders will emphasize DUI enforcement with officers on regular beats.
"All police officers are very careful about their beats; they don't want anything bad to happen on them. They are well-trained and determined to get DUI suspects off the road before there is another horrible crash," said Sgt. Dana Cornelison of the Salinas police, campaign coordinator.
Since Aug. 19, when the 18-day summer DUI mobilization began, 88 DUI suspects have been arrested, a 16 percent jump from 76 at the same time last year. No DUI deaths have been reported.
The California Office of Traffic Safety funds Avoid the 18 through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It will hit the roads again for a winter holiday crackdown starting Dec. 16 and going through New Year's Day, 2012.
Provided by
California AVOID