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May 27, 2007 - 7:57AM
Scottsdale DUI checkpoint nets 20
Sarah J. Boggan, Tribune
Scottsdale’s first sobriety checkpoint in a decade yielded 20 arrests for DUI, underage drinking and drugs.
Through a grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, Scottsdale police set up the checkpoint Friday night on southbound Scottsdale Road south of Thomas Road at Palm Lane.
“It was successful because we were able to contact over 2,000 drivers and remind them about drinking and driving,” said Sgt. Mark Clark, police spokesman.
Clark said holiday weekends are the most common time people drive under the influence, particularly Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m., officers made 16 arrests for driving under the influence, three arrests for underage drinking and one drug arrest.
About 30 officers were working at the checkpoint at any given time, Clark said.
An average blood alcohol level for those arrested won’t be known for about a week, he said.
“We hoped we’d be able to do this and get zero arrests, but in this case we had 16 (DUI arrests),” Clark said. “Our ultimate goal is to cut that down. We did it Friday night to remind people who are going out for the weekend that DUI is something you need to think about before you drive.”
Clark said officers also handed out DUI pamphlets.
“This is clearly an educational opportunity for us,” he said. “It isn’t just an enforcement component.”
Other East Valley cities, including Apache Junction, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa and Tempe, also are stepping up DUI enforcement over the holiday weekend through checkpoints and expanded patrols.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving applauds local efforts to curb drunk driving, said Misty Moyse at the group’s national headquarters in Texas.
“We know that sobriety checkpoints are one of the most effective deterrents to drunk driving,” she said. “We see an 18 to 24 percent reduction in accidents and deaths when (checkpoints are) held frequently.”
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