As Part of End-of-Summer Drunk Driving Crackdown, Authorities Holding Several Checkpoints This Weekend

Photo by Henryk Sadura via Shutterstock

Recently the Los Angeles Police Department announced a crackdown on drunk driving, with an intensified period of focus on getting drivers under the influence off the streets through the Labor Day long weekend. Several other regional law enforcement agencies are also similarly focused this weekend and next, as part of an ongoing campaign to educate drivers about the dangers of getting being the wheel while intoxicated.

The LAPD have provided some information about planned checkpoints for this weekend, which are as follows:

Friday, August 26, 2011
- Sobriety Checkpoint from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Figueroa Street and 9th Street in Central Area;
- Sobriety Checkpoint from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Manchester Avenue and Broadway in Southeast Area;
- Sobriety Checkpoint from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Sunset Boulevard and Hoover Street in Northeast Area;

Saturday, August 27, 2011
- DUI Saturation Patrol from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. in West Los Angeles Area.

Other publicized checkpoints include ones Friday in Hawthorne, South Pasadena, and in the Santa Clarita area.

As always, those who are headed out to drink are urged to plan ahead by securing a designated driver, taking a cab, or using public transit. The goal of the LAPD is to get people to think about the consequences of drinking and driving ahead of time, and make the choice to not get behind the wheel. Be safe, everyone!

Contact the author of this article or email tips@laist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Lindsay William-Ross in News on August 26, 2011 4:01 PM

Comments [rss]

LABooster

Check the stats, ShakinBoots. The numbers of those arrested for actual DUI at these locations is almost always uniformly low. On the other hand, cars impounded for lack of licenses (i.e, cars belonging to illegal aliens) is much higher.

These checkpoints are NOT about drunk driving and never have been. Instead, they're a legally sanctioned shakedown of the public, and many legal experts consider them a violation of constitutional search and seizure protections.

It's also easy overtime money for the LAPD. Ever notice how many officers just seem to be "hanging out" at these checkpoints? They're able to do this because public grants have funded the whole enterprise, hoping to profit off impounded auto fines and fees. Personally, I find the idea of tax dollars being spent this way absolutely galling.

As for publishing the locales, LAist has a journalistic obligation to publish the facts, just as other news outlets will.

ShakinBoots

Actually you need to check the stats. Beck has already changed policy months ago and publicly stated that illegals will not have their cars towed while legal citizens would. Illegals are given special treatment (again) by being given the option of having someone else drive their cars home. People driving legally do not get this same option. Do you think that's fair? I don't.

Anything can be called a "legally sanctioned shakedown of the public". Parking meters and all the parking traps along side streets can be called the same thing. I'm not making an arguement that the police have everything right ---no way. I'm making an arguement that announcing specific check point locations is counter productive. They either do the check points or don't. It is a waste of money to plan them, but then anounce exact locations. Totally idiotic way to do it.

No, LAist does not have an "obligation" to post exact locations. They have a choice and I still disagree with their choice to post locations.

Oscar

It's also interesting to note how much the tow truck lobby donates to campaigns here in Los Angeles. La Opinión ran an article on this fact this year. You'd never see that type of investigation coming from the L.A. Times$. English speaking publications rarely focus on how class warfare affects the middle class or more importantly, the working class arguably the majority in this city. We only get articles decrying unions and public school teachers. I'd like to see the L.A Times do a two page spread on How much and WHO stands to gain by giving money to campaigns along with a breakdown on arrests by police departments along with demographic data for arresting officers and the arrestees...you know a thorough grading system just like the one done for teachers. Let's get down to the nitty gritty. What agenda you say? Imagine what that type of data would reveal. By their fruits ye shall know them.

ShakinBoots

Seems irresponsible to announce exact locations. Even if LAPD wants to announce they are doing check points, sites like this and others have a choice in whether they announce or not. Is LAPD holding guns to your heads to give the headsup to drunk drivers? Announcing a general area, ex. Downtown or Hollywood without giving exact cross streets should put everyone on alert to not drink and drive. Announcing loactions is counter productive.

E

I think its great the laist tells us, checkpoints are a money grab for LAPD you think they really care about safety? They would pull over more DUI drivers patrolling the streets than having 1/3 of the police force in one location. It's just another reason so the cops could fuck with you

ShakinBoots

I disagree. It's only a money grab if people are driving illegally. Where did you get the 1/3 number? Is this something you know for fact or are you just throwing it out there?

I've gone through check points before, just driving home from work. I was obviously not drunk and they just waved me through. Didn't fuck me me or any of the drivers I could see in front of me. They didn't even check my license.

There are way too many drivers under the influence of one thing or another. It only takes one to ruin many lives and we all know there's a lot more than one out there. All these check point announcements do it alert the potential drunks to go potentially kill or mame in some other neighborhood that night. They should either do check points w/o specific locations announced, or not do them at all. Announcing locations is defeating the purpose.

E

Take it from me when your a 25 year old hispanic male driving a Lexus with woman in your car, their gonna fuck with you. Even though in all legit its super annoying when your the guy thats not getting waved thru

ShakinBoots

All types of people are discriminated against. Few people would argue in favor of it or claim they're ok with discrimination.
That's a whole different topic.

Since a person could be discriminated against in any routine traffic stop, I don't think it's a strong argument in favor of disclosing specific check point locations to drivers who intend to drive illegally and potentially kill someone.