PINELLAS COUNTY - Deputies with the Sheriff's Office will conduct sobriety checkpoints this weekend in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration DUI Sustained Enforcement Program known as "You Drink and Drive. You Lose."
The goal of a sobriety checkpoint is to reduce injuries and to save lives.
Checkpoints will be set up on Friday, Nov. 4, 8 to 11 p.m., at North Dunedin Baptist Church, 1595 Michigan Blvd., Dunedin, and on Saturday, Nov. 5, 12:30 a.m. to 3:30 a.m. at the Home Depot, 2495 Gulf to Bay, Clearwater.
Where: Friday, November 4th from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at the North Dunedin Baptist Church located at 1595 Michigan Boulevard in Dunedin.
The goal of the DUI Sustained Enforcement Program is to mobilize every law enforcement agency in the state of Florida in a continuing effort to keep families safe from one of the greatest threats to our communities - the impaired driver.
Statistics show that in 2004 there were 1,610 alcohol related crashes in Pinellas County. Those crashes resulted in 1,193 injuries and 48 fatalities.
At the sobriety checkpoints, 30 deputies from the Sheriff's Office DUI Enforcement Unit, Traffic Enforcement Unit, K-9 Unit, and Transportation Section will be looking for alcohol and drug impaired drivers.
Members of Explorer Post 900 also will assist with non-enforcement related tasks. Deputies will also be looking for other traffic violations to include driver license, registration, insurance and equipment violations.
In addition to the "Sobriety Checkpoints", the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office will be conducting "Saturation Patrols" ("Wolf Packs"). These saturation patrols will be conducted throughout the month in conjunction with the Sustained Enforcement Program.
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Mobile Command Bus will be used for breath testing and processing of arrested individuals.
For more information about the DUI Sustained Enforcement Program, call Sgt. Richard Nalven of the PCSO DUI Enforcement Unit at 464-8170.
