Citrus Heights police will set up a drunk driving checkpoint Friday in an area where alcohol has played a role in causing crashes.

The DUI checkpoint will be in operation from 7 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. on Madison Avenue, east of San Juan Avenue.

Officers will also be checking to see if drivers have a valid license. Drivers without a valid license could have their vehicles towed.

The checkpoint is funded through a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

By Debbie Arrington

darrington@sacbee.com

Maybe this wasn't the best example of driver's education.

Two parents who had too much to drink were cited for letting their 14-year-old son drive them to a Sacramento liquor store, police said.

With his intoxicated parents in the car, the unlicensed teen driver was stopped Saturday night by police at a DUI checkpoint at Florin Road and Franklin Boulevard in South Sacramento. According to police reports, the parents - who were not identified - weren't arrested. But they received a citation for allowing their underage son to drive without a license.

At the same checkpoint, another unlicensed driver apparently thought one citation was enough for one day. When unable to produce a driver's license, he showed the officers a citation he had received earlier in the day in another jurisdiction for driving without a license.

Now he has two citations for the same offense - and his car was towed.

Sacramento police will conduct a sobriety and driver's license checkpoint Saturday night at Florin Road and Franklin Boulevard.

The checkpoint is scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m., and run for five to seven hours, the police department reported. Officers will check drivers for signs of alcohol and drug impairment and for valid driver's licenses.

Funding for the program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Roseville police will conduct a sobriety and driver's license checkpoint Saturday night at an undisclosed location in the city, the police department reported.

The department's traffic unit will staff the checkpoint from 8 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Sunday, according to a Roseville police news release. Officers will check drivers for signs of impairment and for valid driver's licenses.

Law enforcement agencies across Northern California are scheduling a crackdown on drivers impaired by alcohol asot the long Fourth of July weekend begins.

Enforcement activities under the statewide AVOID anti-DUI campaign, including sobriety checkpoints and roving DUI patrols, are scheduled to begin tonight. The California Highway Patrol also has declared a Maximum Enforcement Period beginning tonight at 6 p.m. and continuing through Monday.

Throughout the weekend, the CHP will assign available officers to freeways, state highways and unincorporated roads to keep an eye out for motorists driving under the influence and encourage all motorists to use their seatbelts, according to a CHP news release.

Sacramento police will conduct a DUI and driver's license checkpoint Thursday evening, according to a police department news release.

The checkpoint will be held at Stockton Boulevard and Lawrence Drive, beginning at 8:30 p.m., the release states. It is scheduled to run for five to seven hours.

Officers will check drivers for signs of alcohol and drug impairment, and for valid driver's licenses.

Funding for the checkpoint is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the release states.

The Sacramento Police Department will operate sobriety checkpoints Friday and Saturday nights.

The checkpoints will be at Del Paso Road and Five Star Way on Friday and at 21st Street and Broadway on Saturday. They will begin at 8:30 p.m. and continue for several hours.

Police in Elk Grove will be operating a sobriety checkpoint on Saturday from 8:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.

The checkpoint is intended to remove impaired and unlicensed drivers from the streets. Police will also distribute educational materials on the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol.

A grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is funding the checkpoint.

The Elk Grove Police Department asks anyone who observes an impaired driver to call its emergency line at (916) 714-5111 or to dial 911.

The Folsom Police Department will conduct a checkpoint Saturday night targeting impaired drivers and people driving without a license.

The checkpoint operation will begin at 7 p.m. on Folsom Boulevard between Parkshore Drive and Blue Ravine Road and will continue until 3 a.m. Sunday. The goal is to apprehend people driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, cite unlicensed drivers and educate the public about the effects of impaired driving, according to a Police Department news release.

Uniformed police officers, community service officers and Citizens Assisting Public Safety volunteers will staff the checkpoint.

The Roseville Police Department Traffic Unit has scheduled a DUI/Driver's License checkpoint for June 17 at an undisclosed location in the city, according to a police department release.

Officers will check drivers for signs of impairment and for valid driver's licenses. The checkpoint will be held from 8 p.m. June 17 until 2:30 a.m. the following morning, according to the release.

The California Highway Patrol Placerville Area has scheduled a sobriety checkpoint for June 17 in El Dorado County.

The checkpoint will begin at 8 p.m., at an undisclosed location in the county, and will continue throughout the evening, according to a CHP release. Officers staffing the checkpoint will evaluate drivers' sobriety, check driver's licenses and hand out literature about the dangers of drinking and driving.

Additional officers will execute roving patrols in the checkpoint area to seek out impaired drivers, the release states.

West Sacramento police are planning to conduct a DUI/Driver's License checkpoint on Saturday, according to a police department release.

The checkpoint will begin at 7:30 p.m., at an undisclosed location in the city, according to the release. Officers will check drivers for signs of impairment and for driver's licenses.

Funding for the checkpoint is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the release states.

Yolo County law enforcement officers have made "a significant number of DUI arrests" over the Memorial Day weekend as part of routine traffic enforcement and special anti-drunk driving deployments, officials said.

Davis Police Sgt. Rod A. Rifredi said that from midnight Friday through midnight Saturday seven motorists were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Eight county police agencies are participating in the DUI enforcement effort.

Today, extra DUI patrols will be in Woodland, West Sacramento, Davis, Winters and unincorporated Yolo County.

Funding is being provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

- Bee Metro staff

Related story:

Authorities step up efforts to curb DUIs for Memorial Day weekend

Sacramento police will conduct a sobriety checkpoint Thursday night at Fruitridge Road and Mendocino Boulevard in south Sacramento, according to a police department release.

The checkpoint will begin at 8 p.m. and run for five to seven hours, according to the release. Officers will check drivers for signs of drug and alcohol impairment, and will also check driver's licenses.

Funding for the checkpoint was provided by a California Office of Traffic Safety grant, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

If the weather is bad, the checkpoint may be converted to a DUI saturation patrol.

Law enforcement agencies in El Dorado County are planning a DUI crackdown for Memorial Day weekend, according to a South Lake Tahoe Police Department release.

The enforcement campaign is scheduled to begin Friday. Placerville police will staff a sobriety checkpoint in the city's downtown district from 7 p.m. Friday until 1 a.m. the following morning, according to the release. Driver's licenses will also be checked.

Also starting that night, DUI saturation patrols will be carried out by police in the cities of Placerville and South Lake Tahoe, and sheriff's deputies will staff extra DUI units in South Lake Tahoe, the release states. Roving patrols will be deployed from Friday until Monday.

The Elk Grove Police Department will combat drunk driving over the next two weeks with a sobriety checkpoint next Friday and several roving DUI saturation patrols, one of which will be deployed today, according to a department news release.

The department's traffic bureau will conduct the sobriety checkpoint from 8 p.m. May 20 until 3 a.m. the next morning, at an undisclosed location within Elk Grove city limits, according to the release. Officers will also check driver's licenses.

DUI saturation patrols will also be deployed May 13, 14, 21 and 27, the release states.

California Highway Patrol officers will be conducting a drunken-driving checkpoint in southern Sacramento County on Saturday night.

Drivers will be stopped not long after officers begin setting up the checkpoint at 8 p.m. at an undisclosed location. The checkpoint is expected to conclude at 2 a.m.

The CHP will be evaluating the sobriety of drivers and handing out literature warning of the dangers of drinking and driving.

If rainy weather makes a checkpoint unsafe for the officers, the units will be assigned to roving DUI patrols.

The Sacramento Police Department will conduct a sobriety and driver's license checkpoint Friday night at Marysville Boulevard and Harris Avenue in the Del Paso Heights area.

For up to seven hours, beginning at 8:30 p.m., motorists traveling through the checkpoint will be contacted by uniformed officers, who will check for alcohol and/or drug impaired drivers. Officers also will check driver's licenses.

In the event of inclement weather, the DUI checkpoint will be converted to a DUI saturation patrol, according to a Police Department news release.

Funding for the program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Folsom police made two arrests and issued 13 citations during a drunk driving checkpoint over the weekend.

The driving under the influence checkpoint was conducted from 7 p.m. Saturday to 2 a.m. Sunday near Greenback Lane and Madison Avenue. A total of 582 vehicles were screened.

Roseville police will conduct a DUI checkpoint Saturday, at an undisclosed location from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., the Roseville Police Department reported.

Officers will check drivers for signs of alcohol and drug impairment, and will also check drivers' licenses, according to a police department release. Those found to be driving impaired could face jail, vehicle storage fees, license suspension, fines and DUI classes, the release states.

The checkpoint is being conducted with grant funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

Over the past three years, DUI collisions in Roseville have led to eight deaths and resulted in 122 injury crashes, according to the release.

Folsom police will conduct an impaired driver checkpoint Saturday near the intersection of Greenback Lane and River Rock Drive, according to a police department news release.

Officers staffing the checkpoint will check drivers for signs of drug or alcohol impairment, and cite unlicensed drivers.

The checkpoint will begin at 7 p.m., and continue into the early hours of May 1. It is being staffed through funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

The Sacramento Police Department will conduct a DUI/ driver's license checkpoint on Saturday at Truxel Road and Pebblewood Drive.

The operation will at 8:30 p.m. and run for five to seven hours, according to a Police Department news release.

Office will check for alcohol and/or drug-impaired drivers. Officers will also check driver's licenses.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

By Bee Staff

The Rancho Cordova Police Department will operate a DUI/driver's license checkpoint beginning at 8 p.m. Friday in an undisclosed area of the city.

The checkpoint will be in operation until 2 a.m. Saturday, according to a Police Department news release.

Officers will check for signs of driver impairment by alcohol or drugs. They also will check driver's licenses.

This checkpoint is funded by a federal grant through the State Office of Traffic Safety.

By Matt Kawahara
mkawahara@sacbee.com

Rancho Police Department has canceled a DUI checkpoint for Friday night due to the weather, according to a news release tonight.

The checkpoint had been scheduled for 10 p.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday at an unspecified location in Rancho Cordova, with officers checking driver's licenses and motorists for signs of driving while impaired.

A new date for the checkpoint will be announced when it is scheduled, according to the release.

Call The Bee's Matt Kawahara, (916) 321-1015.

By Bill Lindelof
blindelof@sacbee.com

Motorists stopped at a checkpoint in Rancho Cordova Friday night in Saturday morning will be screened to see if they are driving under the influence.

The checkpoint will operate from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., according to a Rancho Cordova Police Department news release. The exact location of the checkpoint was not released.

Officers will be check for signs of driving while impaired. They will also check driver's licenses.

Call The Bee's Bill Lindelof, (916) 321-1079.

By Cathy Locke
clocke@sacbee.com

The Citrus Heights Police Department plans to conduct a DUI/driver's license checkpoint on Friday beginning at 6 p.m. on Greenback Lane, east of Birdcage Street.

The checkpoint is scheduled to run until 3 a.m.

Officers will check for driver impairment and driver's licenses. The vehicles of drivers without valid licenses are subject to tow.

By Bee Staff

The California Highway Patrol will operate a DUI checkpoint beginning at 9 p.m. Saturday in an undisclosed area of south Sacramento County.

The checkpoint will run until 2 a.m. Sunday, according to a news release from the CHP, South Sacramento Area Office.

Officers will evaluate driver's sobriety and hand out literature warning of the dangers of drinking and driving, the release states.

If there is inclement weather, the checkpoint will be canceled for safety reasons and the units will be assigned to roving DUI patrols, the release states.

By Cathy Locke
clocke@sacbee.com

Sobriety checkpoints are planned in El Dorado County and Elk Grove this weekend.

The California Highway Patrol's Placerville-area officers will set up a checkpoint about 8 p.m. Friday, which will operate throughout the evening.

Officers will control traffic at the checkpoint to evaluate drivers' sobriety, check drivers' licenses and hand out literature warning of the dangers of drinking and driving. Additional CHP officers will be assigned to roving patrols in the checkpoint area to seek out DUI drivers.

By Cathy Locke
clocke@sacbee.com

Law enforcement agencies throughout the Sacramento region encourage St. Patrick's Day revelers those who drink not to drive.

Agencies in Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado and Yolo counties will deploy DUI task forces Thursday.

In Placer County, additional roving saturation patrols will be on duty in Roseville, keeping an eye out for people driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

By Bee Staff

The Sacramento Police Department will hit hard next week at drunken drivers, sellers of liquor to minors and people who have DUI warrants.

The police also urged those celebrating St. Patrick's Day with alcohol to designate a sober driver.

The department news release said these enforcement efforts will be pursed during the week of March 13:

By Bee Staff

The Citrus Heights Police Department will be conducting a DUI checkpoint beginning at 7 p.m. Friday and running to about 3 a.m. on Auburn Boulevard, north of Twin Oaks Avenue.

The checkpoint is one in a series that are being funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, according to a Citrus Heights Police Department news release.

The primary goal of the grant is to stop DUI drivers in Citrus Heights using a high-intensity strike-team format, in hopes of reducing the number of DUI-related deaths and injuries, the release states.

Officers will be checking drivers for signs of impairment and valid driver's licenses. Vehicles of drivers without a valid driver's license are subject to tow.

By Bee Staff

The Sacramento Police Department will conduct a sobriety and driver's license checkpoint on starting at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, at Florin Road and 24th Street, according to a police news release.

The checkpoint will run for five to seven hours.

Officers check for alcohol and/or drug-impaired drivers. Officers will also check driver's licenses.

Funding for the checkpoint was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

By Bee Staff

The Sacramento Police Department will conduct a sobriety and driver's license checkpoint beginning at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, at 21st Street and Capital Avenue.

The checkpoint will be in effect for five to seven hours, the Police Department said in a news release.

Traffic flowing through the checkpoint will be contacted by uniformed officers, who will be checking for impaired drivers, the release states.

Officers will also check driver's licenses.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Q/A: Why cops announce DUI checkpoints

By Matthew Kawahara
mkawahara@sacbee.com

The first sobriety checkpoint held in Sacramento County as part of the state's Holiday DUI Enforcement Campaign ended early this morning with no drivers arrested for DUI, the Citrus Heights Police Department reported.

Law enforcement agencies statewide are holding over 230 checkpoints and ramping up DUI task force operations this holiday season with grant funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

Last night's checkpoint was held from 7:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. at San Juan Avenue and Madison Avenue.

Citrus Heights police reported that 1,217 vehicles drove through the checkpoint, 8 vehicles were towed, no drivers were arrested for DUI, and 28 citations were issued, according to a release.

Citrus Heights police are coordinating task force operations in Sacramento County for the DUI Enforcement Campaign.

Call The Bee's Matthew Kawahara, (916) 321-1015.

By Matt Kawahara
mkawahara@sacbee.com

California traffic safety officials today announced a statewide crackdown on drunk driving this holiday season. The effort includes more than 230 sobriety checkpoints between today and Jan. 2, many in the Sacramento area.

Law enforcement agencies statewide will launch checkpoints, DUI task forces and saturation patrols, funded by more than $5 million in grants distributed by the California Office of Traffic Safety.

The first checkpoint under the Holiday DUI Enforcement Campaign is scheduled for tonight from 7 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. on Madison Avenue, east of San Juan Avenue, in Citrus Heights, police announced at a press conference Thursday.

Here are the enforcement efforts planned for the weekend in the Sacramento area under the Holiday Enforcement Campaign:

Friday

- DUI checkpoint in Folsom

- DUI task force of Rancho Cordova Police Department

- DUI checkpoint in Roseville

- DUI saturation patrols in Placerville from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Saturday

- DUI checkpoint in Auburn

- CHP-conducted DUI checkpoint in South Sacramento

- DUI/Drivers License checkpoint in Placerville from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m.

- DUI/Drivers License checkpoint in Lodi from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m.

- DUI saturation patrol in Lodi.

Call The Bee's Matt Kawahara, (916) 321-1015.

By Bee Staff

The Rancho Cordova area office of the California Highway Patrol will conduct a DUI checkpoint beginning at 9 p.m. Friday and lasting until 1 a.m. at an undisclosed location within the unincorporated area of Sacramento County.

"By publicizing our efforts we believe that we can deter motorists from drinking and driving," said Lt. Greg Ferrero, Rancho Cordova Area Commander.

"Traffic volume permitting, all vehicles will be checked and drivers who are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs can expect to be arrested," Ferrero said.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

By Bee Staff

The Citrus Heights Police Department will operate a DUI /drivers license checkpoint beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday and running to 3:30 a.m. on Madison Avenue, east of San Juan Avenue.

The checkpoint is one in a series that are being funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, according to a Police Department news release.

Officers will be checking drivers for signs of impairment and for possessing a valid driver's license. The vehicles of drivers without a valid driver's license are subject to tow.

Citrus Heights police have investigated collisions in this area wherein alcohol has been a factor and decided increased education and enforcement are needed in this general area, the release states.

By Cathy Locke
clocke@sacbee.com

The California Highway Patrol will operate a sobriety checkpoint in El Dorado County on Friday night in an effort to discourage people from driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The checkpoint, staffed by a team of CHP officers, will be set up about 8 p.m. and continue through the evening, according to a news release from the CHP's Placerville-area office.

Officers will control traffic at the checkpoint to evaluate drivers' sobriety, check driver's licenses and hand out literature warning of the dangers of drinking and driving. Additional CHP officers will be assigned to roving patrols in the checkpoint area to seek out DUI drivers.

Officials said the operation is part of an effort to reduce the number of DUI collisions in El Dorado County.

Call The Bee's Cathy Locke, (916) 321-5287.

By Bill Lindelof

blindelof@sacbee.com

Drunken drivers will be targeted at a sobriety checkpoint Friday night in Elk Grove, police said.

The Elk Grove Police department will conduct the checkpoint at undisclosed location - other than to say it is within city limits and will start at 8 p.m. and run to 3 a.m. Also, drivers will be checked to for valid licenses.

Elk Grove police say that over the past three years, 70 crashes caused by drunken drivers have killed four and injured 102 people.

Nationally, DUI deaths declined by 16 percent from 2007 to 2009. Still, deaths caused by alcohol-impaired drivers make up 31 percent of vehicle fatalities.

"If we catch you buzzed, drunk or impaired by drugs, you will go to jail," states a news release from Elk Grove police.

By Bee Staff

The Rancho Cordova Police Department will conduct a DUI/driver's license checkpoint on Friday beginning at 8 p.m. in an undisclosed part of the city.

The checkpoint will run until 2 a.m. Saturday, according to a Police Department news release.

Officers will check drivers for signs of impairment, provide educational materials and check for valid driver's licenses.

This checkpoint is funded by a grant from the State Office of Traffic Safety.

Q/A: Why cops announce DUI checkpoints

By Bee Staff

The Elk Grove Police Department will conduct a DUI/driver's license checkpoint beginning at 8 p.m. Friday and running until 3 a.m. at an undisclosed location in the city.

"We will be talking to drivers, making sure they are not impaired, arresting those who are, and getting the word out that impaired driving and driving without a proper license is not acceptable in Elk Grove," said Police Chief Robert Lehner in a news release.

Funding for this checkpoint comes from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

By Bee Staff

The Elk Grove Police Department will conduct a DUI checkpoint beginning 8 p.m. Friday and running to 3 a.m. at an undisclosed location in the city.

Traffic volume and weather permitting, all vehicles may be checked, according to a police news release.

Drivers who are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs will be arrested, the release states.

Drivers also will be checked for valid driver's licenses.

Funding for the checkpoint was by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

By Cathy Locke
clocke@sacbee.com

An 18-day crackdown on impaired drivers in Yuba, Sutter and Colusa counties resulted in the arrest of 73 individuals for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The 2010 Summer/Labor Day Holiday campaign was conducted Aug. 20-Sept. 6. Officers with law enforcement agencies throughout the three-county area made the arrests during sobriety checkpoints, special saturation patrols and routine patrols. Officials reported that 94 DUI arrests occurred during the same period in 2009.

This year's campaign included the arrest of an 18-year-old driver on suspicion of felony DUI after the driver led police on a high-speed chase through residential and rural areas.

At 11:58 p.m. Saturday, a Marysville police officer who was working a DUI saturation patrol attempted to stop a speeding motorist. When the driver failed to yield, a pursuit began.

The driver, later identified a Cody Henry Smith of Marysville, ran nine stop signs as several officers gave chase, according to a Marysville Police Department news release. He is accused of traveling more than 100 mph in a residential area and 140 mph on a rural highway before crashing his vehicle.

Police said Smith and two passengers left the scene on foot. One passenger suffered moderate injuries.

A Marysville police officer suffered minor injuries while trying to subdue Smith and one passenger, the news release says. The second passenger was not caught but has been identified, police said.

Smith was booked into the Yuba County Jail on suspicion of felony DUI causing injury and felony evading a peace officer causing injury. He is being held on $100,000 bail.

Officials said similar anti-DUI efforts are planned for Halloween, Thanksgiving Eve and the December holiday period.

Call The Bee's Cathy Locke, (916) 321-5287.

By Bee Staff

The Citrus Heights Police Department will conduct a DUI/drivers license checkpoint beginning at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and running to 2 a.m. in the area of Auburn Boulevard and Twin Oaks Avenue.

A major component of the checkpoint, beyond taking dangerous drivers off the road, is to increase awareness of the consequences of impaired driving and to encourage using sober designated drivers, a police spokesman said in a news release.

Funding for the operation is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

By Bee Staff

The Sacramento Police Department will conduct a DUI and driver's license checkpoint on starting at 8:30 p.m. Friday at J and 51st streets.

The checkpoint will last for 5-7 hours, according to a Police Department news release.

Traffic flowing through the checkpoint will be contacted by uniformed officers, who will be checking for alcohol and/or drug-impaired drivers. Officers will also check driver's licenses.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

By Bee Staff

Yolo County law enforcement is launching a multi-pronged attack on DUIs beginning tonight and running through the weekend.

Davis police will conduct a DUI checkpoint starting at 8:30 tonight and continuing to 3 a.m. at an undisclosed location, according to a Davis Police Department news release.

Extra DUI saturation patrols will be deployed in Winters and West Sacramento Friday night. Saturday night, extra DUI patrols will be operating in the Woodland, Davis and unincorporated areas of Yolo County, the release states.

All regularly scheduled traffic and patrol officers will focus efforts at stopping and arresting DUI drivers during their normal shifts as well, the release states.

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety

Chris Cochran, assistant director of Marketing and Public Affairs, California Office of Traffic Safety, answered this question and others about DUI checkpoints for Sacto 9-1-1.

Q: Why do police tip the public about checkpoints ahead of time?

A: There are two reasons for advance publicity. It is a 'best practice' based on court rulings and effectiveness. The State Supreme Court said that advance publicity reduces intrusiveness of the stop at a sobriety checkpoint. The publicity and high visibility adds to their primary deterrence effect.

Q: Why are police doing so many?

A: Virtually all nighttime DUI checkpoints are funded by the state Office of Traffic Safety. We have increased funding for checkpoints and raised their number by approximately 47 percent. Last year there were 1,740 checkpoints statewide. This year we anticipate 2,500. We are doing them because they work, dropping fatality rates up to 25 percent. They save lives better than any other single tactic. That's the bottom line.

Q: How many drunken drivers are caught in the checkpoints?

A: The number varies from city to city, checkpoint to checkpoint. Usually between five and 15 in an urban area. But the number of arrests is not the measure of success. The measure is whether the number of fatalities and injuries declines in the coming years if checkpoints are carried out often and effectively enough.

Q: Do the checkpoints serve a secondary function, such as preventing others from drunk driving?

A: For those who don't ever drink and drive, it reiterates to them that DUI is a dangerous, socially unacceptable behavior. For those who might be contemplating a night out drinking, it serves to warn them ahead of time of the dangers of drinking and driving as well as the consequences of being caught. They then have the opportunity to arrange for a designated sober driver.

Q: Do you have a ballpark figure of the number of checkpoints each year in the Sacramento area?

A: About 70 for the Roseville, Sacramento, Elk Grove, West Sacramento, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova, Folsom and unincorporated areas.

Q: Home much money is allocated to the program and when will it run out?

A: The Office of Traffic Safety will spend about $20 million on DUI checkpoints in the state for the year. The amount allocated varies from year to year, but we anticipate it will be in the same ballpark next year.

- Bill Lindelof

By Bee Staff

The Roseville Police Department will run a DUI/driver's license checkpoint on Friday from 9 p.m. until approximately 2 a.m. at an unannounced location, according to a Police Department news release.

The undisclosed site for the checkpoint is one where there have been a significant number of DUI arrests and collisions, the release states.

The Police Department's most recent checkpoint on Aug. 21 resulted in five DUI arrests and several other drivers cited for not possessing a valid driver's license.

By Bill Lindelof
blindelof@sacbee.com

Roseville police will target drunk drivers Saturday night with a sobriety checkpoint set up some place within city limits.

While the location is not being revealed, the intention is plain: arrest the intoxicated driver.

"DUI arrests can be embarrassing and expensive," said Roseville Police Chief Mike Blair. "If you're drinking, hand your keys over to a designated sober driver, or call a taxi or sober friend for a ride home."

The department's sobriety checkpoint last Friday on Washington Boulevard resulted in the arrest of a driver for suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs and being in possession of methamphetamine. Six other drivers were arrested or cited for not possessing a valid driver's license.

Call The Bee's Bill Lindelof, (916) 321-1079.

By Bee Staff

The Citrus Heights Police Department will be conducting a DUI/driver's license checkpoint on Thursday.

The checkpoint will begin at 7:30 p.m. and run until 3 a.m. on Madison at San Juan avenues, according to a Police Department news release.

The checkpoint is one in a series that funded by a mini-grant from the University of California at Berkeley Safe Transportation Research and Education Center through the California Office of Traffic Safety, the release states.

By Bee Staff

The Roseville Police Department will conduct a DUI/driver's license checkpoint Friday evening.

The checkpoint will be at an undisclosed location where a significant number of DUI-related collisions and DUI arrests have occurred, according to a Police Department news release.

Officers will screen drivers passing through the checkpoint for sobriety and for a valid driver's license.

"DUI arrests can be embarrassing and expensive, but they're easy to prevent," Roseville Police Chief Mike Blair said in the release. "If you're drinking, hand your keys over to a designated sober driver, or call a taxi or sober friend for a ride home. Don't risk an arrest - or worse, a serious injury or even death."

Funding for the checkpoint comes from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

By Bill Lindelof
blindelof@sacbee.com

A drunk-driving checkpoint will be set up tonight near Sacramento's downtown nightclub and restaurant district.

Sacramento police say they will set up a "sobriety and driver's license" checkpoint at Fifth and L streets beginning at 8:30 p.m.

Uniformed officers will check for alcohol- or drug-impaired drivers into the early-morning hours.

Funding for the program comes from the state Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Call The Bee's Bill Lindelof, (916) 321-1079.

By Bee Staff

The California Highway Patrol will conduct a DUI/driver's license checkpoint beginning at 8 p.m. tonight in at an undisclosed location in El Dorado County.

The checkpoint will be staffed by a team of CHP officers who will control traffic at the checkpoint to evaluate drivers' sobriety, check driver's licenses, and hand out literature warning of the dangers of drinking and driving, according to a CHP news release.

Additional CHP officers will be assigned to roving patrols in the checkpoint areas to seek out the DUI drivers, the release states.

Earlier this week, the Roseville Police Department announced that its officers DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Saturday from 6 p.m. until approximately midnight.

By Bee Staff

The Roseville Police Department will conduct a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Saturday from 6 p.m. until approximately midnight, according to a department news release.

"The checkpoint will be conducted at an undisclosed location where a significant number of alcohol-related arrests and collisions have occurred," the release states.

Funding for this operation is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

By Bee Staff

The Folsom Police Department is the latest Sacramento area police department to announce that it will conduct a DUI and driver's license checkpoint on Friday.

The Folsom checkpoint will operate from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. at an undisclosed location in the city, according to a news release.

The Rancho Cordova and Sacramento police departments will be conducting similar checkpoints in their cities on Friday

Officers will be checking drivers for signs of impairment, and checking for driver's licenses, the release states.

The checkpoint operation is funded by the state Office of Traffic Safety.

By Bee Staff

The Rancho Cordova Police Department will conduct a DUI and driver's license checkpoint beginning at 8 p.m. Friday and continuing until 2 a.m. at an undisclosed location in the city, according to a news release.

Officers will be checking drivers for signs of impairment, providing educational materials outlining the dangers of driving while impaired and checking for driver's licenses, the release states.

The checkpoint operation is funded by the state Office of Traffic Safety.

By Bill Lindelof
blindelof@sacbee.com

The Sacramento Police Department will conduct a drunken driver checkpoint on Friday in the eastern part of the city at an undisclosed time and location.

Uniformed officers will be checking for alcohol or drug-impaired drivers.

The officers will also be checking to make sure all drivers have a valid driver's license.

Funding from the program is from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

Call The Bee's Bill Lindelof, (916) 321-1079.

By Deia de Brito
ddebrito@sacbee.com

Efforts by local police departments to curb drunk driving continue this week with DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols in both Citrus Heights and in the Cal Expo area.

The Citrus Heights checkpoint, to be held at Madison Avenue and San Juan Avenue, will run from 7:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. The Cal Expo Police Department will conduct a saturation patrol within about a one-mile radius around the Cal Expo tomorrow night from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m.

A saturation patrol is a group of officers who patrol a certain area looking for signs of drunk driving, which include weaving, driving without headlights, and failing to stop at stop signs and red lights, said Cal Expo Lt. Dan Dailey.

The Cal Expo Police Department has been performing checkpoints and saturation patrols for several months. Like many area police departments, it received a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety that funds law enforcement agencies to reduce deaths and injuries caused by drunk drivers, Cal Expo Lt. Dan Dailey said.

"We're doing this to be a good neighbor," said Dailey. Cal Expo has had its fair share of drunk driving accidents, he said.

"It's an area identified through statistics as one that has a high rate of DUI collisions. It's a heavily trafficked area, a pass-through between downtown and East Sacramento," said Dailey.

Arden Way and Exposition Boulevard are particularly dangerous, he added.

Call The Bee's Deia de Brito, (916) 321-1087.

By Deia de Brito
ddebrito@sacbee.com

The Citrus Heights police department will conduct a DUI and driver's license checkpoint at Madison Ave. and San Juan Ave. on Friday. The checkpoint, which will run from 7:30 p.m. to 2 a.m., is part of an effort by the police department to lower the number of deaths and injuries caused by drunk driving, according to a press release from the department.

Several police departments have the same goal in mind. The Sacramento Police Department held a checkpoint Friday in Del Paso Heights. Five arrests were made, department officials said.

On Sunday, the holiday itself, three people were arrested for drunken driving by Sacramento police. The arrested included a driver who sped away after getting into a fight and a driver who hit a parked car and then crashed into a garage.

In 2008, nearly 8,000 people statewide were reported injured or killed during the months of June, July and August.

Call The Bee's Deia de Brito, (916) 321-1087.

By Deia de Brito
ddebrito@sacbee.com

The Sacramento Police Department will set up a sobriety and drivers license checkpoint on Del Paso Boulevard and El Camino Avenue in North Sacramento at 8 p.m. today.

Uniformed officers will stop drivers to check for impairment and if they have a valid drivers' license.

The purpose of the checkpoint is to promote public safety, increase awareness about drinking and driving, and deter impaired and unlicensed drivers, according to a press release from the police department.

The checkpoint will run five to seven hours.

Call The Bee's Deia de Brito, (916) 321-1087.

By Bill Lindelof
blindelof@sacbee.com

One suspected drunken driver was arrested after nearly 1,000 motorists drove through a Citrus Heights police checkpoint.

The checkpoint was in place from 8 p.m. Thursday to 2 a.m. today at Auburn Boulevard and Twin Oaks Drive.

Drivers were randomly stopped and officers spoke to them to determine if they are driving under the influence or without a license. Unlicensed drivers had their vehicles towed.

In total, 993 vehicles drove through the checkpoint, seven vehicles were towed, 16 citations were written and one driver arrested for DUI.

Call The Bee's Bill Lindelof, (916) 321-1079.

By Bee Staff

The Sacramento Police Department will conduct a DUI/driver's license checkpoint on Friday in the north area of the city, according to a news release.

The site and time of the checkpoint was not revealed in the Police Department release.

Uniformed officers will check for alcohol and/or drug-impaired drivers. Officers will also check driver's licenses.

Funding for these programs is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

By Bee Staff

Citrus Heights police officers arrested two DUI suspects at a DUI/driver's license checkpoint the police department conducted Thursday night and into this morning.

More than 1,400 vehicles rolled through the checkpoint at Sunrise Boulevard and Oak Avenue between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m., according to a police department news release.

Officers also issued 36 citations and ordered 11 vehicles to be towed, the release states.

By Bee Staff

The Sacramento Police Department will conduct a DUI/driver's license checkpoint on Friday in the east area of the city, according to a department news release.

Uniformed officers will check for impaired drivers and valid drivers' licenses.

Funding for these programs is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

By Bee Staff

Citrus Heights Police Department officers will conduct a DUI/driver's license checkpoint Thursday on Auburn Boulevard and Twin Oaks Driver, according to a news release.

The checkpoint will begin at 7:30 p.m. and run to 3:30 a.m., the Police Department release states.

Officers will be checking drivers for signs of impairment and for valid drivers' licenses. The vehicles of drivers without a valid license are subject to tow, the release states.

The checkpoint is one in a series that are being funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the release states.

By Bee Staff

Sacramento Police Department officers will conduct a DUI/driver's license checkpoint on Friday in the north area of the city.

A department news release did not give the time or location of the checkpoint.

Drivers will be checked by uniformed officers for alcohol and/or drug-impairment, the release states. Officers will also check driver's licenses.

Funding for these programs is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

By Bee Staff

The Cal Expo Police Department will deploy officers this holiday weekend for DUI saturation patrols in the Cal Expo area, according to a news release.

The first patrol starts Friday night, the release states. Additional patrols will be out Saturday and Sunday nights.

Funding for effort comes from a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

By Bee Staff

The Folsom Police Department will conduct a DUI checkpoint beginning at 7 p.m. Friday and running to 3 a.m. at an undisclosed location within the city limits, according to a police news release.

Thirteen officers from Folsom, Elk Grove, Los Rios, and the State Alcohol Beverage Control, in coordination with Citizen's Assisting Public Safety volunteers, and Folsom Community Service Officers will be involved, the release states.

Members from the Mothers Against Drunk Driving may also be in attendance, the report states.

Funding for this program was provided by a Selective Traffic Enforcement Program grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

By Bee Staff

The Sacramento Police Department will conduct a DUI checkpoint on Friday in an undisclosed point in the south area of the city.

Uniformed officers will check for alcohol and/or drug-impaired drivers. Officers will also check to make sure all drivers have a valid driver's license, according to a Police Department news release.

Funding for these programs is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

By Bee Staff

Sobriety will be a good idea if you plan to drive in Sacramento or Citrus Heights tomorrow or Saturday.

The Citrus Heights Police Department plans to conduct a DUI checkpoint starting at 7:30 p.m. and running until 3 a.m. on Madison Avenue at San Juan Avenue, according to a news release.

The Sacramento Police Department will do the same Saturday in an undisclosed area in north Sacramento at an undisclosed time.

Drivers going through the checkpoints will checked for valid driver's licenses and signs of being impaired by drugs or alcohol.

By Bee Staff

The Sacramento Police Department will conduct a DUI/driver's license checkpoint on Friday in an undisclosed south area of the city, according to a news release.

Uniformed officers will check for alcohol or drug-impaired drivers, the release states. Drivers also will be checked to see if they have a valid license.

Funding for the checkpoint is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the release states.

By Bee Staff

The Folsom Police Department said that officers will conduct a DUI checkpoint on Friday at an undisclosed site.

(An earlier version of this story had the wrong day for the checkpoint.)

The checkpoint will go into operation at 7 p.m. and run until 3 a.m., according to a Police Department news release.

Thirteen Folsom Police Officers and six volunteers from Citizens Assisting Public Safety along with a community service officer will conduct the checkpoint, the release states.

Members from Mothers Against Drunk Driving may be at the checkpoint, the release states.

Funding for the checkpoint was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

By Bee Staff

The Elk Grove Police Department will conduct a DUI/driver's license checkpoint on Saturday, starting at 8 p.m. at an undisclosed location in the city, according to a news release.

The operation will run until 3 a.m. Sunday, the release states.

Funding for the sobriety checkpoint is provided through a Selective Traffic Enforcement Program grant by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

By Bee Staff

The West Sacramento Police Department will conduct a St. Patrick's Day DUI/driver's license checkpoint tomorrow, according to a news release.

Other law enforcement agencies - including the Sacramento Police Department and the California Highway Patrol - also have announced that they will be out in force on the holiday, checking for drunk drivers.

The West Sacramento checkpoint will be from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at an undisclosed location, the release states.

Previous coverage:

Police plan DUI sweeps on St. Patrick's Day - March 14, 2010

Bee Staff

The Folsom Police Department will conduct a DUI checkpoint beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday and running until 3 a.m. on East Bidwell Street, according to a news release.

Twelve Folsom police officers, a Folsom police community service Officer, and four volunteers from the Citizens Assisting Public Safety will conduct the checkpoint. Members from Mothers Against Drunk Driving will also be in attendance, the release states.

Bee Staff

The Rancho Cordova Police Department will conduct a DUI checkpoint on Friday from 8 p.m. until 2 a.m. at an undisclosed location in Rancho Cordova.

Officers will be checking drivers for signs of impairment, providing educational materials outlining the dangers of driving while impaired, and checking for driver's licenses, according to a news release.

The operation is funded by a grant through the state Department by the Office of Traffic Safety.

From Bill Lindelof:

A holiday enforcement period designed to put drivers suspected of being impaired by alcohol or drugs behind bars has ended with nearly 400 motorists arrested for driving under the influence.

Officers representing 15 law enforcement agencies in Sacramento County made 395 arrests from Dec. 18 to Jan. 3. Enforcement included sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols and routine patrol.

In 2008, 526 DUI arrests were made in Sacramento County during the same period.

One 2009 death was attributed to drunk driving, according to the DUI task force that coordinated the effort. That fatality involved a drunk driver in Walnut Grove on Saturday night.

From Dec. 16 through Jan. 3, the Sacramento Police Department's focus on DUI enforcement resulted in the arrest of 108 motorists suspected of drinking and driving. Ten DUI arrests resulted at three sobriety checkpoints where 2,299 cars drove through.

There were also 30 DUI arrests during saturation patrols, and patrol officers made another 68 DUI arrests.

From Bill Lindelof:

Sacramento police have two New Year's Eve warnings: Don't drive drunk or shoot off weapons.

In addition to the more than 50 Sacramento police officers who will be handling crowd control, parking, traffic and other issues downtown tonight, there will be at least four officers looking for drunken drivers. The officers will try to stop drunken revelers leaving bars and restaurants from driving home or to the next party.

There will also be a sobriety and driver's license checkpoint downtown, but police are not yet disclosing the location.

For some, a toast and a kiss at midnight are enough to ring in the new year. But Sacramento police Officer Konrad Von Schoech noted that some reckless celebrants fire weapons into the air. That can cause tragic consequences as slugs fall to the ground.

Von Schoech noted that in July 2008 someone fired a gun into the air and the slug hit 7-year-old Yamile Leon as she watched her uncle's soccer game at Nuevo Park in Del Paso Heights.

Surgeons were able to remove the .22-caliber slug from just under the skin above the temple and Yamile recovered.

"Obviously, it is against the law and very unsafe," said Von Schoech.

From Dixie Reid:

Citrus Heights police arrested three drivers on suspicion of driving under the influence and towed 15 vehicles during a DUI/driver's license checkpoint Saturday night at Greenback Lane and Arcadia Drive.

Officers issued 24 citations between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m.

In all, 1,523 vehicles passed through the intersection during the six-hour period. Cars were stopped at random.

From Bill Lindelof:

A new push to set up more sobriety checkpoints during the holiday season will include the city of Sacramento, where police have had to deal with a high number of drunken-driving deaths and injuries.

"Our whole objective is to let people know that law enforcement is out in full force," said Chris Murphy, head of the California Office of Traffic Safety. "DUI arrests are higher than they have been since 1993. Anyone with a cell phone is looking for a weaving car. The chances of getting caught are better than ever."

A record $8 million will be given to 148 law enforcement agencies -- up from $5 million -- to conduct the most-ever sobriety checkpoints in the state in 2010.

The state plans to make 2010 the "Year of the Checkpoint," during which 2,500 sobriety checks will be conducted through the year. A total of 250 checkpoints are planned through Jan. 3.

At least eight checkpoints will be in Sacramento County in the next two weeks, Murphy said. A sobriety checkpoint is planned for tonight in the south area near 47th Avenue and Highway 99.

Figures from 2007, the most recent statistics available, show that of cities larger than 250,000 population, Sacramento has the highest rate of traffic death and injury and also the highest rate of death and injury in alcohol-related accidents, the state OTS reports.

The National Transportation Traffic Safety Administration reports that 26 people were killed in drunk-driving accidents in 2008 in Sacramento County, down from 36 deaths in 2007.

The California Highway Patrol reports the number of alcohol-involved injuries also fell, from 1,353 in 2007 to 1,237 in 2008 for the entire county.

"Most of our large cities have significant problems," Murphy said. "It just so happens that of the top 13 cities, Sacramento was ranked as having more alcohol-related crashes.

"I know the Sacramento Police Department is doing everything they can. They have new grants that were awarded, and they are stepping up the number of checkpoints in 2010. It's not for lack of effort. They really are working diligently."

Research indicates that DUI checkpoints are a major contributer to the declines. Also important in cutting drunken driving is the ease of calling 911 and the prevalence of cell phones.

"There are so many people who drive our streets drunk," Murphy said. "Anyone with a cell phone could report you to law enforcement."

Bee Staff

The Sacramento Police Department will conduct a DUI checkpoint on Friday in the south area of the city, according to a news release.

Officers will also check to make sure drivers have a valid driver's license.

Funding for these programs is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Bee Staff

The Rancho Cordova Area office of the California Highway Patrol will conduct a DUI checkpoint Friday night and into early Saturday morning somewhere within the unincorporated area of Sacramento County, according to a news release.

"All too often, members of our community are senselessly injured or killed on local roadways by intoxicated drivers," said Lt. Greg Ferrero, Rancho Cordova Area commander. "By publicizing our efforts we believe that we can deter motorists from drinking and driving," Ferrero said.

Bee Staff

The Citrus Heights Police Department will be conducting a DUI and drivers license checkpoint on Dec. 17 from 7:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. on Greenback Lane, west of Arcadia Drive.

The checkpoint is one in a series that is being funded by a grant from the University of California at Berkeley Traffic Safety Center through the California Office of Traffic Safety, according to a Police Department news release.

Bee Staff

Folsom police assisted by officers from other agencies will conduct a DUI checkpoint Friday on East Bidwell Street at Orchard Drive.

The checkpoint will run from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m., according to a Folsom Police Department news release.

Members from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) will also be in attendance, the release states.

As are many DUI checkpoints in the region, this action is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

Bee Staff

Sacramento police officers will be conducting a DUI and driver's license checkpoint on Friday in the south area of the city.

The checkpoint is another that law enforcement agencies in the regions are conducting, thanks to grants from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Approximately four hours prior to the setting up of the checkpoint, police will specify the location and approximate duration of the operation, according to a Police Department news release.

Bee Staff

The war against drunken drivers takes on a new dimension tonight as the police who patrol Cal Expo take to nearby streets.

Officers of the California Exposition and State Fair Police Department will patrol the Cal Expo neighborhoods around Exposition Boulevard, Arden Way and Howe Avenue from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. tonight with an eye toward DUIs.

The department has been awarded an $81,000 grant for a year-long anti-DUI program, according to a news release. Tonight's patrol will be the first activity under the grant.

"The Cal Expo Police Department is dedicated to keeping our streets safe through enforcement and public awareness," said Cal Expo Police Chief Robert L. Craft.

Cal Expo will enhance its existing partnerships with the Sacramento Police Department, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department, and the California Highway Patrol to reduce the number of DUI deaths and injuries in and around the California Exposition and State Fair grounds, Craft said.

Police Officers from the Cal Expo Police Department will be conducting special DUI enforcement and saturated patrols to provide additional safety to the visitors at Cal Expo and the surrounding neighborhood during the annual state fair and during large events where DUI is a concern, he said.

Funding for the grant comes from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

From Loretta Kalb:

A Citrus Heights checkpoint for drunken drivers netted four DUI arrests, 73 citations and 24 vehicle towings, police said today.

The checkpoint at Madison and San Juan avenues started at 8 p.m. Saturday and continued to 2 a.m. today.

About 1,930 vehicles drove through the checkpoint, Citrus Heights Police Sgt. Joshua McVay reported.

Towings can be triggered in cases where drivers are unlicensed.

Funding for the program comes from the state Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Bee Staff

The Citrus Heights Police department will cast a stronger net for DUI drivers, thanks to a $214,276 federal-state grant.

"This grant will enable us to increase our DUI enforcement efforts and improve roadway safety in our community," said Citrus Heights Police Chief Chris Boyd.

The increased traffic enforcement will include DUI and driver's license checkpoints and DUI saturation patrols, according to a news release.

Bee Staff

Citrus Heights police officers will be running a DUI and driver's license checkpoint Saturday on Madison Avenue, a police spokesman said.

The checkpoint will be from 7:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. on Madison, east of San Juan Avenue, said Sgt. Joshua McVay.

The checkpoint is one in a series throughout the Sacramento region that are being funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

From Anna Tong:

A DUI checkpoint will be conducted in Roseville starting at 8 p.m. Friday.

The checkpoint will be at Washington and All American Boulevards, and will last until about 2 a.m.

Drivers will be checked for signs of impairment and valid driver's licenses.

Law enforcement agencies in Placer County regularly conduct DUI checkpoints, said Todd Rayback of the Lincoln Police Department. A checkpoint in October in Rocklin netted one drunk driver and three towed vehicles, he said.

Officers from the California Highway Patrol, Placer County Sheriff's Depart, Auburn, Rocklin, Roseville and Lincoln police departments, and the California Parks Department are participating.

Bee Staff

There's a storm coming for DUI offenders in California in general and Sacramento in particular, according to a series of announcements this week.

The California Highway Patrol and the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office announced major expansions in apprehension and prosecution of DUI drivers paired with more emphasis on preventive programs.

The latest announced from the CHP was the agency has received nearly $5.6 million for the "Border-to-Border DUI Enforcement Campaign." The overall goal of the campaign is to reduce alcohol-involved collisions and victims, statewide by at least 5 percent.

Earlier today, Sacramento DA Jan Scully announced the receipt of a $1 million grant to form a team for the prosecution and prevention of DUI-related injuries or deaths. The grant also includes funding for education and prevention programs.

Earlier in the week, the CHP announced that the agency has dedicated more than $1 million federal grant money to California's Designated Driver Program through August 2010.

The Designated Driver Program consists of community education presentations and information booths staffed by CHP officers throughout the state

The latest CHP announcement said that in addition to enforcing DUI laws, officers will enforce all other traffic safety laws such as speeding, unsafe passing and occupant violations. The CHP will also conduct sobriety/driver license checkpoints and DUI task force operations.

Last year, according to the Department of Justice, 217,201 people were arrested statewide for DUI; the CHP was responsible for roughly 45 percent of those arrests.

"Sadly, despite aggressive enforcement and public awareness efforts by our officers, impaired driving continues in California," said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. "Every time you get behind the wheel after drinking, you put your life and the lives of others at risk."

According to CHP's Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System there were 65,929 fatal and injury collisions in the CHP jurisdiction in 2008.

Among those 9,568 were alcohol-involved collisions. These same collisions resulted in 837 victims killed and 13,140 victims injured.

The CHP also will conduct local traffic safety presentations and Designated Driver Programs to thousands of people throughout California during the course of the grant period which ends September 20, 2010.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

From Nicole Williams:

The Sacramento Police Department will conducting a sobriety and drivers license checkpoint today in the city's east area.

A specific location will be released two hours before the checkpoint begins, a police press release states.

"The purpose of the checkpoint is to promote public safety, increase awareness of the dangers associated with drinking and driving, and serves as a deterrent to potential impaired and unlicensed drivers," the release states.

Bee Staff:

The Roseville Police Department will be out in force Friday evening for a DUI checkpoint.

Officers will conduct a sobriety and driver's license checkpoint on that evening at an undisclosed location where a significant number of DUI-related collisions and DUI arrests have occurred, according to a news release.

Officers will screen all drivers passing through the checkpoint for sobriety and for a valid driver's license, the release states.

"DUI arrests are embarrassing and expensive, but easy to prevent," said Roseville Police Chief Mike Blair. "If you're drinking, hand your keys over to a designed driver, or call a taxi or sober friend for a ride home. Don't risk an arrest ---or worse, a serious injury or even death."

The Roseville Police Department investigated 64 DUI-related collisions between January and May, in which 32 people were injured and one was killed, the release states.

Funding for Roseville's DUI enforcement efforts are provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the release states.

From Sarah Frier:

Roseville police are planning a sobriety and driver's license checkpoint for Friday night, according to a Roseville Police Department news release.

The checkpoint at an undisclosed location is part of the department's efforts in response to a rise in alcohol and drug-related traffic incidents.

During the first three months of this year, officers investigated 42 DUI-related incidents - a 45 percent increase from the same period in 2008, the release states. Frequency of other types of traffic collisions has declined, the release states.

At their last checkpoint April 17, Roseville Police arrested five people that they suspected were driving under the influence.

From Niesha Lofing:

Sacramento police will step up efforts to find drunken drivers in the north area of the city today.

Officers will be checking motorists driving through the sobriety and drivers license checkpoint for alcohol and drug impairment, a police news release states.

Officers also will check to make sure drivers have valid licenses.

The location and duration of the operation will be specified two hours before the checkpoint is in place, the release states.

The checkpoint is funded through a grant from the state Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

From Bee Staff:

Three drivers were arrested on suspicion of DUI and one driver was arrested for an outstanding warrant during a recent DUI/driver's license checkpoint conducted by the Citrus Heights Police Department, according to information released today.

More than 1,000 vehicles passed through the checkpoint between 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2:30 a.m. Saturday on Greenback Lane, west of Sunrise Boulevard, Lieutenant Eric Mattke said in a news release.

In addition to the arrests, 15 drivers were given sobriety tests and thirteen vehicles were towed, Mattke said.

The checkpoint is one in a series that are being funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the release states.

Bee Staff:

The Roseville and Citrus Heights police departments are conducting DUI and driver's license checkpoints tonight in separate operations, according to both departments.

The Roseville Police Department will conduct its checkpoint at an undisclosed location.

The Citrus Heights Police Department's checkpoint will be in operation from 7:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m., on Greenback Lane, west of Sunrise Boulevard, according to news releases from both departments.

Officers will be checking drivers for signs of impairment and for possessing a valid driver's license. The vehicles of drivers without a valid driver's license are subject to tow.

While other types of traffic collisions are declining in Roseville, alcohol and drug-related traffic collisions are on the rise, according to police. Roseville officers investigated 35 DUI-related collisions in January and February, a 67 percent increase over the same last year. One person was killed and 23 injured in those collisions, the release states.

Funding for the DUI checkpoints was provided by grants from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The grants have funded similar checkpoints throughout the Sacramento area recently, resulting in dozens of DUI arrests.

From Bee Staff:

The Sacramento Police Department will conduct a sobriety and drivers license checkpoint on Friday in the south area of the city, according to a news release.

Officers will check for alcohol and drug-impaired drivers, the release said. Officers will also check to driver's licenses.

The checkpoint is part of a program funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the release said.

From Sandy Louey:

The Citrus Heights Police Department will be conducting a DUI checkpoint Friday night.

The checkpoint will be from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Sunrise Boulevard and Oak Avenue.

Vehicles will be stopped randomly and be checked to see if they are impaired and/or impaired, according to a news release from the police department.

Money for the checkpoint comes from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

From Niesha Lofing:

Sacramento police will be scouting for drunken drivers Friday when they set up a sobriety and drivers license checkpoint downtown.

Officers will check for alcohol and drug-impaired drivers and ensure all drivers have valid drivers licenses, a police news release states.

The checkpoint is meant to promote safety, increase awareness of the dangers of drunken driving and serve as a deterrent, the release states.

Funding for the checkpoint is from the state Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

From Niesha Lofing:

Law enforcement agencies will be out in droves this weekend, patrolling the streets and highways for drunken drivers getting a jump on the observation of St. Patrick's Day on Tuesday.

In light of parties and other revelry leading up to St. Patrick's Day on Tuesday, Sacramento police will conduct an anti-DUI program called AVOID the 15 as well as a special DUI saturation patrol Saturday, a police news release states.

AVOID the 15 unites law enforcement in an effort to crack down on drunken driving. It is funded by the state Office of Traffic Safety.

The California Highway Patrol also is on high alert and will be looking for drunken drivers this weekend and on St. Patrick's Day.

The CHP is reminding revelers use sober designated drivers.

The number of people killed annually in alcohol-related crashes statewide has risen in recent years from 1,233 in 2000 to 1,489 in 2007.

Last year on St. Patrick's Day, 50 people were injured in 110 alcohol-involved collisions throughout the state, a CHP news release states.

Motorists who see suspected drunken drivers are asked call 911 and report them to authorities.

Callers should be prepared to provide dispatchers with a vehicle description, location and direction of travel.

From Sandy Louey:

Sacramento police are conducting a sobriety and drivers license checkpoint on Friday in the east area of the city.

Officers will be checking for alcohol and/or drug-impaired drivers. Officers will also be making sure that all drivers have a valid driver's license, according to a press release from the Sacramento Police Department.

The location and length of the operation will be released about two hours before the checkpoint is implemented, the release said.

Funding for the checkpoint comes from a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

From Chelsea Phua:

Sacramento police will be conducting a sobriety and driver's license checkpoint on Saturday in the north area, a police spokesman said Friday.

Officers will check if drivers are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and if they have a valid license.

The program, funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, is to promote public safety.

The program aims to increase awareness of the dangers associated with drinking and driving and to deter drivers from driving under the influence, the spokesman said.

About two hours before the start of the checkpoint, the department will release information specifying the location and duration of the operation.

From Sandy Louey:

Roseville police plan to crack down on drunken drivers Saturday.

Officers are scheduled to be out patrolling for drunk and drug-impaired drivers as part of a DUI saturation patrol, according to press release from the Roseville Police Department.

The Police Department has been conducting routine nightly DUI enforcement, DUI and driver's license checkpoints, saturation patrols and DUI warrant sweeps.

Roseville police's DUI enforcement efforts are funded by a $100,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

From Sandy Louey:

The Rancho Cordova Police Department called off a sobriety checkpoint scheduled for Friday night because of the wet weather.

The checkpoint was scheduled to run from 8 p.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday. The checkpoint will be rescheduled, according to a news release.

From Sandy Louey:

The Rancho Cordova Police Department is conducting a sobriety checkpoint Friday night.

The checkpoint will run from 8 p.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday. Officers will be checking drivers for signs that they are driving while under the influence.

The operation is using funds from a traffic safety grant that the department received from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

The Rancho Cordova Police Department will conduct a sobriety checkpoint tonight.

The checkpoint is scheduled from 8 p.m. until 2 a.m. Saturday.

The checkpoint is funded from a grant from the California Officer of Traffic Safety.

From Sandy Louey:

A holiday crackdown on drunken driving in Yolo County resulted in 75 arrests.

The DUI arrests were part of the winter mobilization campaign conducted from Dec. 12 to Jan. 1 by law enforcement agencies in the county. Five of the arrests came from saturation patrols on New Year's Eve, according to a news release from the Davis Police Department.

Forty-seven drunken driving arrests were made in the county during the same period in 2007. There were no drunken driving related fatal crashes during the 2007 or 2008 campaign.

From Diana Lambert:

The Elk Grove Police Department will conduct a sobriety and drivers license checkpoint beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Educational materials will be handed out to motorists.

Funding for the checkpoint has been provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

Residents can call the Elk Grove Police Department at (916) 714-5111 to report suspected drunk drivers.

From David Richie:

Police officers throughout the region are hammering suspected drunken drivers as the holidays zoom toward a New Year's Eve crescendo but one special-interest group is urging police to drop a favorite DUI enforcement tactic - the checkpoint.

Drunken driving checkpoints are a failure and they target the wrong drivers, according to a recent news release from the Washington D.C. based American Beverage Institute.

ABI, "an association of restaurants committed to the responsible serving of adult beverages," is especially critical of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which provides grant funding for local drunken driving enforcement. The group also criticizes Mothers Against Drunk Driving, a big supporter of DUI checkpoints.

"By promoting sobriety checkpoints, MADD and NHTSA are ignoring the root cause of today's drunk driving problem - hard-core alcohol abusers," said Sarah Longwell, ABI managing director.

Checkpoints are highly visible and generally publicized in advance so chronic drinkers just avoid them and keep driving, Longwell said.

"That leaves adults who enjoyed a beer while watching a bowl game or a glass of wine with Christmas dinner to be harassed at checkpoints," Longwell said.

However, the group is a strong supporter of another weapon in the DUI enforcement arsenal - roving police patrols or "saturation" efforts. Officers on saturation patrol also ticket speeders, red-light runners and similar traffic offenders.

There are many grants for DUI enforcement programs funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and administered in California by the state's Office of Traffic Safety.

OTS spokesman Chris Cochran said his agency is aware of the ABI argument against drunken driving checkpoints and disagrees. Most police departments are correctly using a combination of checkpoints, saturation patrols and other tactics but the checkpoints still have their place, he said.

"The main reason for checkpoints is the public awareness factor," Cochran said.

Checkpoints are highly visible reminders that California continues to have a real problem with drunken driving. They also underscore the consequences of that activity.

The Office of Traffic Safety also disagrees with the American Beverage Institute's contention that most regular drivers now "get it" and refrain from drinking and driving. Chronic drunks are a concern but the "majority of alcohol-related crashes are caused by non-hardcore drinkers," Cochran said.

"Checkpoints and saturation patrols are different animals and they are meant to do two different things," Cochran said.

From Niesha Lofing:

Sacramento police will be on the lookout for drunken drivers Friday.

Officers will conduct a sobriety and drivers license checkpoint in the north area of the city, a police news release states.

Officers will be checking for alcohol and drug-impaired drivers and making sure all drivers have a valid drivers license.

The location and time of the checkpoint will be disclosed about two hours before it is implemented.

The checkpoint is funded by a grant from the state Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

From Niesha Lofing:

Law enforcement and prosecutors throughout the state are cracking down on drunken drivers this holiday season.

The state Office of Traffic Safety has awarded $5.2 million in grants to 111 law enforcement agencies for upcoming sobriety checkpoints, an OTS news release states.

Locally, Elk Grove, Galt, Lodi and West Sacramento police departments are slated to receive a portion of the funding, said Chris Cochran, spokesman for OTS.

The number of sobriety checkpoints the $5.2 million will fund isn't available because funding for checkpoints varies widely, he said.

The checkpoints primarily will be during the next few weeks, but some jurisdictions might use the funding for checkpoints during other holidays in 2009.

Motorists caught driving while intoxicated likely will face a harder time in court due to OTS funding a specialized training program for California prosecutors.

Trainers will go to district attorney's offices to hold sessions for local prosecutors. A new database and other materials for prosecutors also will be available through the program.

"In the past, DUI prosecutors were assigned to cases that morning and had to go in and just do the best they could," Cochran said. "It might be the lowest person on the totem pole, and so when they run up against a career DUI defense lawyer, they didn't have the knowledge to back up their case.

"This training puts them in a much better position of getting a successful conviction."

Last year, 1,616 Californians were killed in alcohol-related crashes, an 8.3 percent decrease from 2006. Last year was the first since 1998 that alcohol-related fatalities declined, the release states.

More than 203,000 drunken driving arrests were made throughout the state last year.

"Law enforcement needs the public's help to keep California roadways safe this holiday season," the release states.

Officials from several state and local agencies will hold an 11 a.m. news conference today to discuss details of the campaign.

From Bee Staff

Law enforcement officials in southern Placer County will be on extra alert this weekend for motorists driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Officers from Roseville, Rocklin and Lincoln will be on the lookout beginning Friday night and continuing into Saturday. Beefed up efforts will also be in place Dec. 27, according to a press release issued Monday.

The stepped-up enforcement is being funded with a grant from the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

From Kim Minugh:

Yolo County authorities will be patrolling the streets this holiday season for people who have avoided punishment for their driving under the influence offenses.

"Avoid the 8" law enforcement agencies will be conducting sweeps targeting what authorities consider the "worst of the worst" DUI offenders - those who have failed to show up for a court date or violated the terms of their probation in a DUI case, according to an "Avoid the 8" news release.

Authorities are promising a trip to jail - and additional time there for their crimes - for offenders they catch in their net.

The "Avoid" program is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. For more information, visit www.californiaavoid.org.

From Kim Minugh:

Elk Grove police will be conducting a sobriety and driver's license checkpoint Saturday night.

The checkpoint, which will begin at 8 p.m. at an unspecified location, will focus on drunk or impaired drivers and unlicensed drivers.

The effort is funded by the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program grant, made available by the California Office of Traffic Safety.

Police ask that the public call them at (916) 714-5111 or 911 if they see impaired drivers on the road.

From Niesha Lofing:

Authorities stopped more than 100 motorists in Davis and surrounding areas during a saturation patrol Saturday, but didn't arrest any drunken drivers.

Officers from several Yolo County law enforcement agencies conducted the special patrol during the Causeway Classic football game between University of California, Davis, and California State University, Sacramento.

Officers stopped 116 vehicles, put five drivers through the field sobriety test, issued 12 citations for vehicle code violations and didn't arrest any drunken drivers, according to a Davis police news release.

The patrol was part of the "Avoid the Eight" program, funded with a grant from the state Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The California Highway Patrol conducted a DUI enforcement in the Woodland area from Saturday night and made 33 drunken driving arrests.

From Sandy Louey:

The Sacramento Police Department will conduct a sobriety checkpoint in the southern part of the city Friday.

The checkpoint will focus on removing impaired and unlicensed drivers from the roads. Money for the checkpoint comes from a California Office of Traffic Safety grant.

From Sandy Louey:

The Elk Grove Police Department will conduct a sobriety checkpoint Saturday night.

The checkpoint, which begins at 8 p.m., will focus on removing impaired and unlicensed drivers from the roads.

Funding for the checkpoint comes from a California Office of Traffic Safety grant.

The public is asked to call the police at (916) 714-5111 or 911 to report drunken drivers.

From Niesha Lofing:

A sobriety checkpoint in Davis last Friday night netted four drunken driving arrests, raising the number of DUI arrests in Yolo County to 13 for the Labor Day holiday weekend.

Yolo County's "Avoid the Eight" DUI Task Force held the sobriety and driver's license checkpoint from 9 p.m. Friday to 3 a.m. Saturday near Richards Boulevard and Olive Drive.

More than 940 vehicles passed through the checkpoint, of which 739 were stopped, states a Davis police news release.

Of the 19 drivers given sobriety tests, four were arrested for drunken driving.

Officers also were checking motorists for valid driver's licenses. Four people were cited for driver's license violations and two vehicles were impounded for driver's license violations, the release states.

There were no reported DUI-related fatalities during the Labor Day weekend, the release states.

The checkpoint was funded through a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

From Art Campos:

The California Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies in Auburn arrested 27 motorists on suspicion of drunken driving during a traffic enforcement operation at the city's recent Black & White Ball.

In addition to the arrests, the CHP, the Auburn Police Department and the Placer County Sheriff's Department handed out 20 citations and detained at least four people for drug-related evaluations Saturday, CHP Officer Steve Merchant said in a news release.

Capt. Rick Ward, commander of the CHP's Auburn-area office in Newcastle, said extra units patrolled Interstate 80, Highway 49, Bell Avenue and other major roadways in and around the city.

Last year, the agencies combined to arrest 30 suspected drunken drivers during the Black & White Ball, he said.

The law enforcement agencies began teaming up in recent years to provide extra patrols at the annual ball after citizens and businesses complained about an increase in drunken drivers and alcohol-related rowdiness.

From Sandy Louey:

Elk Grove police arrested six people and issued 67 citations during a sobriety checkpoint Saturday night.

The checkpoint was targeted at removing impaired and unlicensed drivers from the road. Five arrests were for driving while under the influence, while one was for a warrant for driving under the influence, said Officer Christopher Trim, spokesman for the police department.

The 67 citations were for miscellaneous vehicle code violations, he said

From Art Campos and David Richie:

Eleven people were arrested on suspicion of drunken driving Friday night during sobriety checkpoint operations in which 2,500 vehicles were screened by law enforcement agencies at the boundary line of the cities of Roseville and Citrus Heights.

Roseville police, with help from the Placer County Sheriff's Department and the Rocklin and Lincoln police departments, set up a checkpoint on northbound Auburn Boulevard at Whyte Avenue. They arrested six motorists on suspicion of drunken driving.

The Citrus Heights Police Department set up a checkpoint for southbound traffic on Auburn Boulevard at Linden Lane and apprehended five suspected drunken drivers.

Combined, the agencies had 32 vehicles towed away and issued 71 citations for other traffic violations. In addition, Roseville police made three arrests not related to drunken driving.

Roseville Police spokeswoman Dee Dee Gunther said the non-DUI arrests involved a warrant, a drunken passenger and a driver whose license was suspended.

Nine motorists on the Roseville side were given citations for driver's license violations, and 20 tickets were issued for other traffic-related infractions, Gunther said. Thirteen vehicles were towed away, she said.

On the Citrus Heights side, police issued 42 citations, including 15 for driver's license violations. Five people wanted on warrants were arrested, police said. Nineteen vehicles were towed away, police said.

Area law enforcement agencies are planning sobriety checkpoints tonight in Sacramento and Aug. 15 in Citrus Heights and Roseville.

In Sacramento, the DUI checkpoint will begin at 8:30 p.m. tonight near Fruitridge Road and Mendocino Boulevard and last between four and six hours. Uniformed officers will be checking for alcohol or drug-impaired drivers, according to a police department news release. A grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, provided funding for the program.

Citrus Heights police will conduct a DUI checkpoint from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. Aug. 15 on Auburn Boulevard, north of Twin Oaks Avenue near the Placer County line, according to a department news release. The checkpoint is one in a series that are being funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Roseville Police Department will also lead a checkpoint near the Citrus Heights operation as a part of the Placer County AVOID DUI grant.

Officers will be checking drivers for signs of impairment and if they possess a valid driver's license. Drivers without a valid driver's license are subject to tow, according to authorities.

From Niesha Lofing:

Police will be on the lookout for drunken drivers in south Sacramento today.

Sacramento police will set up a sobriety checkpoint and will be checking for alcohol or drug-impaired drivers, a police news release said.

The checkpoint is intended to get drunken drivers off the streets, educate people about the dangers of drunken driving and lessen drunk driving's impact, police said.

The program is funded through a grant from the state Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

From Art Campos:

Roseville police plan a zero-tolerance effort against drunken driving Friday night.

Starting at 8 p.m., extra officers will patrol the streets for impaired drivers, whose cars may be towed away, police said.

In a news statement, Capt. Stan Lumsden said anyone feeling a "buzz" after drinking should not attempt to drive.

"Designate a driver, or call a taxi or a sober friend for a ride home," he said in the statement.

People can call the Designated Drivers Association of Sacramento for free rides home in the Roseville area Friday, police noted.

Roseville experienced 9 percent more collisions involving drunken drivers through the first six months of 2008 than over the same period last year, said department spokeswoman Dee Dee Gunther.

Police also arrested 502 suspected DUI motorists from January to the end of June, a 41 percent increase over the same period last year, she said.

Overall, Roseville has experienced a 3 percent reduction in all collisions reported in the first six months this year compared with a similar period last year, she said.

Funding for Roseville's enforcement patrols and DUI checkpoint operations comes from a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

From Sandy Louey:

The Elk Grove Police Department will conduct a sobriety checkpoint Saturday night.

The checkpoint, which will begin at 8 p.m., will focus on removing impaired and unlicensed drivers from the roads. Funding for the operation comes from a grant provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety.

The public is asked to call the police at (916) 714-5111 or 911 to report drunk drivers.