DUI Checkpoints Discussed at Council Meeting

Lt. Mark Rosen gave a presentation on sobriety checkpoints at Tuesday's City Council meeting.

"The main objective of the checkpoint is not to arrest drunk drivers," Rosen said. "The real objective ... is to bring DUI driving to the forefront of people's thought process."

Rosen reported the following about periodic checkpoints in Beverly Hills:

• Between 25 and 30 officers staff several locations during a checkpoint operation.
• Each checkpoint costs $10,000 to equip and operate. The funds come from a state grant.
• The department averages seven checkpoint operations per year.
• Police base checkpoint locations primarily on the number of DUI collisions and arrests in a particular area of the city.
• Checkpoints average 2,223 vehicles, while 480 drivers are actually stopped and screened.
• Three field sobriety tests are administered at each checkpoint on average.
• An average of one driver is arrested for drunk driving, 3.3 for driving without a license, 2.5 for driving with a suspended license, 0.3 for drug offenses and six vehicles are impounded.

"We want [drivers] to know that we're out there, that we're looking for drunk drivers and to think twice before they get behind the wheel ... either while impaired or after having a few drinks," Rosen said.

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