Source: Brentwood PD
The Brentwood Police Department will hold a DUI Checkpoint on Friday, December 29th from 6:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. on Balfour Road.
Checkpoint locations are chosen based on a history of DUI crashes and arrests. The primary purpose of checkpoints is not to make arrests, but to promote public safety by deterring drivers from driving impaired.
During the checkpoint, officers will look for signs that drivers are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
The Brentwood Police Department is committed to keeping the traveling public safe.
Brentwood PD reminds the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Some prescription medications or over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving. Always follow directions for use and read warning labels about driving or ”operating heavy machinery,” which includes driving a car. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.
Drivers charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Why do police announce checkpoints?
You’d think that a DUI/driver’s license checkpoint would work best if it had an element of surprise behind it. After all, if someone is driving under the influence and they come across a checkpoint they didn’t know about, they would have a much higher chance of being caught.
So in short here’s the answer as to why police agencies notify the public in advance of DUI/driver’s license checkpoints….it’s the law. The state Supreme Court has ruled that DUI/driver’s license checkpoints are legal but they mandated checkpoints be publicized ahead of time.
Once you are at a checkpoint, vehicle code section 2814.2(a) requires that all drivers stop and submit to these checkpoints.
The goal of these checkpoints is public safety and deterring drivers from driving under the influence. Hopefully that clarifies some questions we’ve had in the past.
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