Modesto police plan Dec. 30 DUI checkpoint. Why it’s not conducted New Year’s Eve
The Modesto Police Department will set up a DUI checkpoint on the evening of Thursday, Dec. 30, at an undisclosed location within city limits.
The checkpoint will run from 6:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., according to a department Facebook post. The post states that checkpoint locations are chosen based on “a history of DUI crashes and arrests.”
According to police, checkpoints aren’t designed to make arrests, but to promote safety by deterring people from driving while under the influence.
“The safety of our community is and always will be our mission,” Sgt. Daniel Starr said in the post. “We are looking for impaired drivers because driving under the influence is dangerous and puts others on the road at risk.”
Starr told The Bee in an email that the checkpoint is being held Dec. 30 rather than Dec. 31 because of staffing levels. Because New Year’s Eve requires a high number of personnel to be active across the city, the Traffic Unit sergeant said, he would not be able to staff a DUI checkpoint that night.
“Although I will not be able to staff a checkpoint on (New Year’s Eve) night, I will have some DUI Officers out, specifically looking for dangerous DUI offenders,” Starr said in the email.
On average, drivers charged with a first-time DUI face $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspension of their license. MPD officers warn that not just alcohol can impair a person’s ability to drive, but also some prescription and over-the-counter medications, as well as recreational drugs like marijuana.
According to the post, funding for the checkpoint program comes from a a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
This story was produced with financial support from the Stanislaus Community Foundation, along with the GroundTruth Project’s Report for America initiative. The Modesto Bee maintains full editorial control of this work.
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This story was originally published December 29, 2021 at 11:29 AM.
