COSTA MESA – A sobriety/drivers license checkpoint held Saturday at Harbor Boulevard and Peterson Place netted three DUI arrests, police said.

Checkpoint results also included one warrant suspect arrest, 33 citations for license violations and 19 vehicle impounds.

Two of the citations were given to a licensed passenger and unlicensed driver who had swapped seats to evade detection at the checkpoint, police said. Officers learned that the licensed driver was trying to teach a minor how to drive, according to police.

Overall, 505 out of 1093 cars traveled through the checkpoint, police said.

The Chino Valley Police Department would like to advise motorists that they will be conducting a series of DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols on various nights of the week during the month of March.  The locations of the checkpoints are yet to be determined.

The CVPD will use the checkpoints and saturation patrols in an ongoing effort to reduce the number of impaired drivers and alcohol related crashes on the roads.  Checkpoints have been shown to significantly reduce DUI fatalities when utilized aggressively and consistently.

The most positive aspects of DUI checkpoints are their ability to increase public awareness, to prevent impaired driving in the first place, and to encourage designating a sober driver.

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Without fanfare, the Honolulu Police Department has pulled the plug on its weekly online photo gallery of drunken-driving suspects.

Police officials yesterday announced that the department was reviewing the effectiveness of the pilot program, and that during the evaluation period the agency would not be posting the names and mug shots of drivers arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

HPD spokeswoman Caroline Sluyter said the action was not prompted by any complaints by embarrassed motorists threatening to sue police over the posting of their mug shots, a concern that was mentioned when the program began in November.

Each week’s crop of photos was posted at 10 a.m. Wednesday on the HPD Web site. Police officials said they hoped the negative publicity would deter others from drinking and driving.

When the program first started, there were an average of 70 to 80 DUI arrests each week. Those numbers seem to have remained fairly constant, except for one week last month when more than 100 photos were posted.

A total of 1,123 photos were exhibited, Sluyter said.

During its short run, the gallery developed a sort of cult following.

“Each week, we got between 5,000 to 9,000 hits,” Sluyter said.

Someone — not HPD — turned the postings into a popular Facebook page called “DUI Wednesdays” that logged nearly 10,600 fans, many of whom expressed disappointment yesterday that Honolulu police were suspending the program.

Former Honolulu resident Trisha Tamashiro, 23, of Glendale, Calif., told The Advertiser she looked forward to the weekly updates and always checked to see if any friends or relatives were featured.

“I think ‘DUI Wednesdays’ is one of the smartest, most creative things HPD has done. It embarrasses motorists not to drink and drive, and it lets normal law-abiding citizens get a laugh out of those who were dumb enough to be caught. In short, it’s just so entertaining. I love it. And I will miss it,” Tamashiro said in an e-mail.

When the idea was unveiled last fall, it drew a mixed response from Hawaii Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Some welcomed the online postings as yet another tool in the battle against DUI, but others questioned whether there was any real proof that posting photos of DUI suspects would serve as a deterrent.

A 25-year-old Nu’uanu man told The Advertiser he thinks the postings are a bad idea. He said an attractive female friend featured on the police Web site continues to be “harassed” with dozens of Facebook “friend” requests daily from “random guys,” and her photo even turned up on a pornography forum site.

“That is very degrading and is uncalled for,” said the man, who did not want to be identified to protect his privacy.

“HPD did their job by trying to embarrass people by posting their photos. Good job, but that is a waste of time, money and resources. Yes, people shouldn’t drink and drive, but that is past ethical to do that to people.”

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A DUI checkpoint Friday in Palm Springs netted three arrests from more than 560 screened cars, according to a news release.

The checkpoint was held in the 1900 block of E. Ramon Road.

Officers issued 13 citations and towed 10 vehicles.

In 2008, roughly 30 percent of California traffic fatalities were DUI related, the news releases said. Statewide, arrests increased 5 percent the same year.

The checkpoint was paid for by a grant by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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From KCPD: The Kansas City Missouri Police Department assisted by Jackson County deputies conducted a Sobriety Checkpoint on March 5, 2010 from 2300 hours to 0400 hours at 13th Street & Pennsylvania (entrance ramp to Southbound I-35).

Westbound traffic was checked with total of 125 vehicles stopped. A total number of 13 DUI arrests were made, along with 1 Driving While Suspended, 1 Hazardous Moving Violation, and 3 other traffic charges.

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A California investigation has found that sobriety checkpoints have caught more unlicensed motorists than drunks, creating a cash cow for local police departments that impound vehicles — mostly from minority drivers and often from illegal immigrants. But the 30-day seizures may be illegal.

In mounting such operations, police officers also racked up tens of millions of dollars in overtime pay.

The investigation, by California Watch and the Investigative Reporting Program at the University of California-Berkeley, says that last year, local police earned about $40 million from fines and towing fees, which cities split with tow companies. And cops collected $30 million in overtime — paid for by the federal government — for staffing the DUI checkpoints.

Other findings:
• Sobriety checkpoints frequently screen traffic in or near Latino neighborhoods. In cities with majority Latino populations, police are seizing cars at three times the rate of cities with small minority populations.

• Impounds appear to defy a 2005 federal appellate court ruling that police cannot seize vehicles just because the driver is unlicensed. More than 24,000 cars and trucks were impounded at checkpoints last year, even though only 3,200 motorists were arrested for drunken driving.

• Police departments frequently overstaff checkpoints with officers, all of whom earn overtime.

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The Bakersfield Police Department is holding another D.U.I. checkpoint Friday, but technology may be making officers’ jobs a little harder. A federal grant is funding the $18,000 checkpoint, but some people want to know if an i-phone application revealing the location of the checkpoint makes it a waste of money and time.

People are turning to websites like trapster.com to find local D.U.I. checkpoints. April Cunningham says she doesn’t drink, but she would use the app to get around the checkpoint traffic jams. “I’m a waitress at night,” Cunningham said. “On my way to work there’s always one on Mt. Vernon and Brundage Lane and I’m sitting in the line and they don’t let me go. I just sit there and wait.”

However, Shawn Tucker hopes technology loopholes are closed by police. ”The police are going to have to find ways of not getting it out there somehow and be more sneaky about it,” Tucker said. “And that sounds bad, but they’re only out there trying to do their job to make sure we’re safe driving.”

Bakersfield Police Sergeant Mary DeGeare says the technology is two-fold. ”It’s helpful and it’s harmful,” Sgt. DeGeare explained. “The purpose of a checkpoint is to educate people about the dangers of drinking and driving so when we see it on the social networks that’s good because people are being educated. On the downside they look at it and we can see an obvious flow of traffic.”

Sgt. DeGeare adds officers can quickly move the checkpoint to another location within 30 to 45 minutes so drunk drivers can be caught in another area. Checkpoint location information can be entered by anyone and is often inaccurate, so officers say the i-phone application is helpful in keeping drunk drivers off all roads. If you spot an impaired driver, you’re urged to call 911.

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AVALON — Avalon Police Department will participate in an impaired driving prevention campaign during March 9-17, according to Avalon Police Chief David Dean.

“St. Patrick’s Day includes many special events and parties, but often includes the consumption of alcoholic beverages,” Dean stated in a release. “At times, these celebrations can become dangerous when impaired drivers get behind the wheel. Avalon will partner with other communities in the state, and around the country, to make sure that this holiday will be safe for everyone.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has developed a safety program for local police departments to implement during the month of March. Statistics clearly show that alcohol plays a major role in accident-related fatalities on St. Patrick’s Day.

On St. Patrick’s Day, 2008, 37 percent of the drivers and motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or above, which is the legal threshold in the state of New Jersey and many other states around the country. In 2008, there were 134 fatal accidents on St. Patrick’s Day; 50 of them involved at least one driver or motorcyclist who was legally drunk.

“We are strongly encouraging Avalon residents and visitors to designate a sober driver all of the time, especially during a time of celebration like St. Patrick’s Day”, Dean said. “We want to remind people that buzzed driving is indeed drunk driving, and the Avalon Police Department will do everything it can to make sure that our motorists are sober, and safe.”

The Avalon Police Department recommends the following, easy steps for a safe St. Patrick’s Day:

• Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin.
• Before drinking, please designate a sober driver and leave your car keys at home.
• If you are impaired, please call a sober friend or family member to make sure you get home safely.
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, call Avalon Police Department immediately at 967-3411.
• If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.

“Driving while impaired is certainly not worth the risk”, Dean stated. “You risk killing yourself or another individual, and the trauma, financial costs, and the criminal record can all be very significant. We encourage everyone to be safe, and designate a sober driver before the party begins.”

The Avalon Police Department will also promote this campaign in the community on ShoreTV Channel2, and on Avalon’s official website, www.avalonboro.org.

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A checkpoint Friday in Coachella netted a dozen arrests from more than 850 screened cars, according to a news release.

The checkpoint was held between 7 p.m. – 2 a.m. to deter drinking and driving at Grapefruit Blvd. and Ed Mitchell.

Of the 910 vehicles that passed through the checkpoint, officers screened 853, the news releases said.

Officers arrested eight on suspicion of driving while under the influence and a ninth on a DUI warrant out of Indio, according to police. Three others were arrested on theft warrants.

Officers also cited 18 drivers for other vehicle violations including three for driving on a suspended license and eight for driving without a valid license.

In all, 13 vehicles were towed, the release said.

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The Georgia General Assembly is considering requiring ignition interlock devises for those convicted of a first lifetime DUI offense, according to Forsythnews.com. Currently Georgia required ignition interlock for repeat offenders.
According to Forsyth County DUI Lawyer Richard Lawson, “an ignition interlock is a breath-testing devise that is attached to your vehicle.  A person must provide a breath sample before the devise will allow the vehicle to start. Private companies supply the interlock for a fee of approximately $125 a month.”
Lawson explained that “Ignition interlocks, while a good idea for repeat offenders, have had several problems. Once a driver starts his car, the interlock requires the driver to submit to several breath samples throughout the drive. Attorneys have reported that this can cause safety issues to the driver of the vehicle. In addition, most interlocks do not use infra-red technology, and as a result, are not as accurate as the breath-testing devises used in Georgia DUI arrests.  As a result, substances other than ethyl alcohol can cause the devise to report a positive test.”

Georgia law-makers have added additional penalties to the DUI Laws at almost every general assembly. In recent years, Georgia has added Felony penalties for a 4th lifetime DUI, and has changed the mandatory “look-back” on prior DUIs from five to ten years. Lawson warns that “these additional penalties can have actually cause some people on DUI probation to simply not comply with the orders of the court. There becomes a point when people simply do not have the means to comply with their court orders. After serving time in jail, getting probation, community service, payment of fines, DUI school, alcohol and drug treatment, and all the other court fees, people may not have the ability to pay for an interlock.”

We will update this story with a supplement as the Georgia General Assembly gets closer to resolving this issue. Other states such as Arizona and New Mexico already mandate ignition interlock devices for first time DUI offenders, so the proposed law has precedent as well as political momentum.

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