Posted by Steve, a resident of the Shoreline West neighborhood, on Dec 27, 2012 at 1:32 pm
@kathy - the purpose of a DUI checkpoint is not to make DUI arrests, but to reduce drunk driving. And announcing a check-point is part of making that effective.
Posted by Pathetic Drinkers, a resident of the St. Francis Acres neighborhood, on Dec 27, 2012 at 3:53 pm
DUI checkpoints don't reduce drunk driving anymore than huge boulders in a river reduce its flow. It may alter the route, but I doubt it reduces the overall number of drunks on the road. All you need to do, though, is convince that one person who otherwise would become a wrong way driver on 280 to not drink/drive, and its worth it.
Posted by Member, a resident of the Cuesta Park neighborhood, on Dec 27, 2012 at 5:04 pm
The purpose of a DUI checkpoint is to create overtime opportunities under the guise of 'doing' something about drunk driving. Checkpoints shut down at 2AM, same time as the bars close.
That OT helps boost retirement pay.
Check the next televised checkpoint with way too many cops standing around.
Posted by Otto Maddox, a resident of the Monta Loma neighborhood, on Dec 29, 2012 at 9:56 pm
@Steve: The purpose of announcing DUI checkpoints has nothing to do with effectiveness. The United States Supreme Court ruled prior notice to the public is required.
This is to give the public, people like you and me, the chance to avoid being stopped at a checkpoint without reasonable suspicion. It's the court's way of making the suspension of the 4th Amendment at these checkpoints OK in the name of public safety. In theory we have the ability to not go through the checkpoints.
The exact location used to be required in the announcements but that has been watered down to the just the city or county the checkpoint will be taking place in along with the date and time.
And don't believe the hype. The checkpoints are ineffective.
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