Sentinel staff report–
Another DUI and drivers license checkpoint will be conducted this Friday and Saturday in Citrus Heights, police said in a news release issued this week. Officers will also be out on the streets throughout the weekend looking for drivers who show signs of impairment.
Police said the checkpoint will be held at “an undisclosed location” in the city between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m., beginning Friday night, May 4, and continuing through the early hours of May 5.
Q&A: Why do police announce DUI checkpoints in advance?
Past checkpoint operations typically include officers briefly stopping vehicles to look for signs of alcohol and drug impairment, as well as checking drivers for valid licensing. Police also warn that drug-impaired driving includes many prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications.
A prior checkpoint held on April 20 on Sunrise Boulevard near Oak Avenue resulted in one misdemeanor DUI drug arrest. Police reported that a total of 1,005 vehicles were stopped and 33 citations were issued for various offenses, including driving without a license or with a suspended license. Police also impounded 12 vehicles and administered nine sobriety field tests.
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 awarded a $164,000 OTS grant in 2017 to help fund a year-long program of safety-related efforts, with a focus on DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols.
