SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT News Release
		Release #12-20-02 December 12, 2002 For Immediate Release
						Media Office 916-433-0808  Capt. Sam Somers Sgt. Justin Risley, PIO AA Audrey Lee PCIII Cheryl Moore Internet: www.sacpd.org

DUI CHECKPOINT

The Sacramento Police Department will be conducting a sobriety and drivers’ license checkpoint on 12/21/02 in the downtown area of the City of Sacramento.  Traffic flowing through the checkpoint will be contacted by uniformed officers who will be checking for alcohol or drug impaired drivers and also checking all drivers for valid drivers’ licenses.

The purpose of this checkpoint is to remove the DUI and unlicensed drivers from our streets, inform the public of the dangers of drinking or using drugs and driving, and to diminish the amount of pain, suffering, and death that results from the results from drunk driving.

The Sacramento Police Department is operating this checkpoint in conjunction with the California Office of Traffic Safety. OTS has set aside more than  $16 million in 2002 to support impaired driving efforts and give local agencies the support they need to effectively get impaired drivers off the roads.

As part of a national mobilization, the Sacramento Police Department’s checkpoint coincides with several major campaigns implemented to protect the public from impaired drivers.  These campaigns include the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) “You Drink & Drive. You Lose.”, which encourages local and state officials to be out in full force conducting saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints between December 20th, 2002 to January 5th, 2002.  December is California's annual Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month, sponsored by OTS, with several law enforcement agencies statewide planning sobriety checkpoints and other efforts to deter impaired driving.

Volunteers from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) will also participate by passing out educational materials.  The Mission of MADD is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime, and prevent underage drinking.

Alcohol-related fatalities have risen for three consecutive years after more than a decade of decline. In 2001, 1,308 people were killed and 31,806 were injured in alcohol-related crashes - up from 1,233 deaths and 30,971 injuries the year before. Additionally, more than 176,000 arrests were made last year for impaired driving. (*Statistics based on California Highway Patrol 2001 provisional data and Department of Motor Vehicles 2002 DUI MIS Report.)

Approximately 2 hours prior to implementation of the checkpoint there will be a press release noting the location and approximate duration of the checkpoint.  Local media is invited to attend the checkpoint briefing which will be held on 12/21/02 at the J.E. Rooney Police Facility located at 5303 Franklin Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95820.  The briefing will begin at 2000 hours.

If you have any questions, contact Sgt. Kathy Lester 277-6128.