Officer Liz Dutton of the California Highway Patrol says a D-U-I checkpoint is an effective way to catch drunk drivers. She says even when the location of a checkpoint is announced ahead of time, it surprises people.
"However if they were to call dispatch or somebody two hours prior they could probably find out, but that usually doesn't happen."
Dutton says the people who have the foresight to check the
location of a sobriety checkpoint usually have the foresight not to
drive drunk.
But Seargent Gerald Lane of the Rancho Cordova Police
Department says D-U-I checkpoints aren't all that effective for
catching drunk drivers.
"They're more of an education tool, and used as a
deterrent for drunk drivers, not to catch them."
Lane says patrolling the roads is the best way to catch drunk
drivers.
Both officers agree, however, that just the announcement of a
D-U-I checkpoint deters people from driving under the
influence.
