A DUI and drivers license checkpoint will be conducted this Friday and Saturday in Citrus Heights, police said in a news release issued this week.
The checkpoint will be held at “an undisclosed location” in the city between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m., beginning Friday night, Dec. 16, and continuing through early Saturday morning.
Update: Click here to see results from the weekend DUI checkpoint in latest news briefs
Police said the operation will include officers briefly stopping vehicles to look for signs of alcohol and drug impairment, as well as checking drivers for proper licensing. Officers will also be on scene to evaluate those suspected of drug-impaired driving, which can include many prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications, according to the news release.
A prior checkpoint held in September on Sunrise Boulevard near Oak Avenue stopped a total of 951 vehicles and led to three DUI arrests, police reported. The six-hour checkpoint operation also resulted in six vehicles being impounded and 13 citations issued for a variety of violations, including driving without a license or a suspended license.
According to police statistics, there were 73 DUI-related collisions and 340 DUI arrests in Citrus Heights last year.
As previously reported on The Sentinel, the Citrus Heights Police Department says it announces DUI operations in advance as a public awareness tool to help deter drivers from getting behind the wheel drunk in the first place. The department also regularly deploys “DUI Saturation Patrols,” which specifically search for, and pull over, drivers showing signs of intoxication.
Funding for CHPD’s checkpoints comes from a California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) grant, through the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration. CHPD was recently awarded a $145,000 OTS grant to help fund a year-long program of safety-related efforts, with a focus on DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols.
