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Pleasanton police made one arrest last Friday night of a driver under the influence at a checkpoint on Stoneridge Drive and Johnson that kicked off the Labor Day weekend, said Traffic Sgt. Robert Leong.
During the five-hour checkpoint, 1,068 vehicles passed through and 947 were stopped.
“Because of the backup, we have to let a certain amount through,” said Leong.
“Thirty-three drivers had their license status checked,” he reported. “Either they didn’t have it on them or didn’t have a license or they were suspended. Out of those, we issued 10 citations for drivers being unlicensed or suspended.”
They also cited three teen drivers with provisional licenses for violations.
Police conducted six field sobriety tests at the checkpoint and made one arrest.
This checkpoint was the first this year although there were several in 2009, said Leong. Funding for the checkpoint was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
By Dolores Fox Ciardelli
one arrest and thirteen citations out of 947 drivers were a waste of time and money. This money and effort should have been used for some serious crime fighting.
Al,
What price would be enough, if the one they arrested had instead, continued to drive and killed someone (or a family) in another car – all because he/she drove while intoxicated?
How many more were deterred from driving drunk Friday night and in the future, if they know there’s a checkpoint. All it takes is one stupid drunk, and just maybe, he was the one they arrested and took off the road.
Al, you are saying that is a waste of time and money? You are a waste of the 3 seconds it took me to read your comment you bozo. How are the police supposed to know what the results are going to be prior to doing an operation like this? At least they got one driver off the street, its not like they let all the other drunks go. As luck would have it, only one DUI drove through their check point. You want the money and time to go towards serious crime fighting? What serious crime are you even talking about? I bet they still had other officers working the streets to combat the crime while the checkpoint was under was. Its not like every single officer was at the check point. Besides, it sends a message to drivers to not drink and drive because they might get caught.
Stats show DUI checkpoints do not rack up arrest numbers. It is mostly to serve as a deterrent. I see no problem with it.
I understand that the danger of drunk drivers serves as justification to stop people at check points, but how do they justify giving out citations for other infractions? The police aren’t supposed to be able to pull us over or stop us just to check for our identification or license. That should also be the case at sobriety check points.
I wonder if any illegal (i.e. undocumented) “persons” were detained or arrested? Oh wait, of course they weren’t, this is California not Arizona. Silly me.
I certainly don’t support drunk driving, but with the budgets as they are, can we afford this type of “community education” event? Drunk drivers can usually be identified by their poor driving and pulled over for that reason. And since checkpoints are usually publicized ahead of time, most drinking drivers will avoid them.
The war against drunk driving has now allowed the police to stop people with no probable cause and check their documents just like in totalitarian countries. It is amazing how many people are in favor of this kind of violation of our civil rights, in the name of catching even one drunk driver who might possibly cause an accident. I am all for enforcement against drunk drivers who are a hazard to others. The thing is that the police are not focusing on erratic or dangerous drivers. They are pulling everyone over and arresting people who are otherwise driving safely but who might have had 2 drinks. So called drunk driving is the only crime I know of where you go straight to jail even though you didn’t do anything that would usually be considered a crime. Where do you draw the line on this kind of police intrusion in our lives?
Geez, folks, we have a wonderful PD here in Pleasanton — how about giving them the benefit of the doubt that they know what they are doing better than those of us writing in here who have thought about this issue for 10 seconds. I have lots of respect for our PD. They do a very fine job. Thanks, officers.
Oh really, the Pleasanton PD does a fine job of harrasing drivers because they have nothing else to do. I got pulled over in a left turn lane for not signalling, which I didnt know was illegal. I am now very dillegent about signalling but laugh at the numerous cars who dont signal, even the PD’s finest fail to signal. Also, why do so many cops talk on their cell phones?