The Irvine Police Department conducted a sobriety/driver’s license checkpoint during the evening hours on Saturday, September 11, 2004. The checkpoint was located on Fortune at Enterprise. The purpose of this checkpoint was to deter the impaired driver through publicity surrounding the event, and by the highly visible presence of officers at the checkpoint. Mothers against drunk driving estimates that communities which consistently use sobriety checkpoints experience as much as eight times the reduction in DUI incidents as communities that use roving patrols alone. Checkpoints have been highly effective in educating the public to the hazards of impaired driving. According to MADD, in one survey 79% of the public approved of sobriety checkpoints.

The California Office of Traffic Safety and the National Highway Transportation Administration have given support for this project.

This evening’s checkpoint was staffed by:

• 27 Sworn officers
• 6 Non-sworn personnel
• 8 Technical reserves volunteers
• 9 Community Police Academy Volunteers & 1 MADD volunteer

For further information, contact Sergeant Dennis Maisano at (949) 724-7011.