Hartford Police Set DUI Checkpoints Weekend

Hartford police are planning two drunk-driving enforcement checkpoints over the Memorial Day weekend, according to a Patch report published Thursday. The checkpoints are scheduled for Friday, May 22, and Saturday, May 23, at the start of a three-day holiday period that typically brings heavier road traffic. Hartford police said the effort is aimed at impaired-driving enforcement during the holiday weekend, Patch reported. The City of Hartford’s police department page identifies the Hartford Police Department as the city agency responsible for traffic and public-safety enforcement. ### Where is one of the checkpoints scheduled? A Friday, May 22 checkpoint is scheduled near 25 Albany Ave. in Hartford from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. early Saturday, according to a checkpoint notice published Friday. The listing said the Hartford Police Department Traffic Division confirmed the operation as an OUI enforcement checkpoint. (patch.com) Patch reported that Hartford police planned two checkpoints for May 22 and May 23, though the search results available did not provide the second location in the snippet returned. Patch’s story said the checkpoints would be held “this weekend” and told readers where to look for the sites. ### Why are Hartford police doing this over Memorial Day weekend? (duipoint.com) Memorial Day weekend is one of the busier travel periods on Connecticut roads, and state officials were already warning drivers this week about holiday traffic. WTNH reported Thursday that the Connecticut Department of Transportation and Connecticut State Police were urging motorists to avoid drunk and distracted driving ahead of the long weekend. (patch.com) Hartford police have run similar checkpoints repeatedly in recent months. A Patch report from March said the department scheduled an impaired-driving checkpoint near 608 Wethersfield Ave. from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. as part of an effort to deter impaired driving. Another Patch report from December said Hartford police planned a drunk-driving checkpoint on a busy city street later that week. (wtnh.com) ### What do Hartford police call these operations? Connecticut police agencies often use the term OUI, or operating under the influence, for drunk- or drug-impaired driving enforcement. The Friday listing for Hartford described the operation as an “OUI Enforcement Checkpoint,” while Patch’s report referred to the planned stops as DUI checkpoints. (patch.com) A Patch report from November quoted Hartford police as saying, “We run them throughout the year to reduce impaired driving and keep our roads safe.” That earlier article described another Hartford checkpoint and said the department publicized the enforcement action in advance. ### How can drivers verify details or follow up? (duipoint.com) The City of Hartford police page lists the Hartford Police Department under the city government’s departments section and provides access to police services and records information. The city’s records page says police reports are reviewed and processed before release, and it directs the public to department contacts for information requests. (patch.com) Patch’s Greater Hartford public-safety page also aggregates police and fire updates from the area, including checkpoint notices and other department announcements. That page carried the report on the two Memorial Day weekend checkpoints. Friday’s checkpoint is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. near Albany Avenue, according to the published listing, and Patch said Hartford police also planned a second checkpoint for Saturday, May 23. (hartfordct.gov) Drivers seeking the latest details can monitor Hartford police channels and local public-safety updates as the holiday weekend begins. (duipoint.com) (patch.com)