5 DUI Checkpoints Set for LA This Week

The Los Angeles Police Department said on May 18 that it will run five DUI checkpoints and six saturation patrols across the city from Tuesday, May 19, through Sunday, May 24. The operations are scheduled in Hollywood, 77th Street, Southeast, Van Nuys and Harbor divisions, according to an LAPD newsroom post. Five of the enforcement stops are fixed checkpoints, while the rest are mobile saturation patrols. LAPD said checkpoint locations are based on data showing impaired-driving crashes and arrests. ### Where are the five checkpoints scheduled? Wednesday, May 20, is the first night with a checkpoint, with officers set to work Roscoe Boulevard and Topanga Canyon Boulevard from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., LAPD said. The same day also includes a saturation patrol from 4 p.m. to midnight in 77th and Southeast divisions. (lapdonline.org) Thursday, May 21, brings a checkpoint at York Boulevard and Figueroa Street from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., according to the department. Friday, May 22, officers are scheduled to set up at Washington Boulevard and Yale Street during the same hours. Saturday, May 23, LAPD listed a checkpoint at Roscoe and Noble from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. (lapdonline.org) Sunday, May 24, the final checkpoint is scheduled for Sherman Way and Woodman Boulevard, also from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. ### When are the saturation patrols planned? Tuesday, May 19, begins with a DUI saturation patrol in Hollywood Division from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., the department said. (lapdonline.org) Saturation patrols use officers to look for impaired-driving signs over a broader area rather than at one fixed stop. Wednesday, May 20, includes a second patrol in 77th and Southeast divisions from 4 p.m. to midnight. (lapdonline.org) Friday, May 22, LAPD scheduled another from 4 p.m. to midnight in Van Nuys Division. Saturday, May 23, officers are also set for a 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. saturation patrol in 77th and Southeast divisions. Sunday, May 24, closes the week with a 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. patrol in Harbor Division, LAPD said. (lapdonline.org) ### How does LAPD say it chooses checkpoint sites? LAPD said the checkpoint locations are determined by data showing incidents of impaired-driving crashes and arrests. (lapdonline.org) The department also said the locations are subject to change or cancellation. The May 18 notice said the primary purpose of the checkpoints is public safety, including educating drivers about impaired driving and removing suspected impaired drivers from the road. (lapdonline.org) LAPD said impairment is not limited to alcohol and can include some prescription and over-the-counter medications. ### What penalties did police highlight? (lapdonline.org) LAPD said drivers charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, along with a suspended license. The department also said driving under the influence of marijuana remains illegal in California even though medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal. (lapdonline.org) The department said funding for the enforcement program came from a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. ### Where can drivers check for updates? The LAPD newsroom listed the May 18 post as the current department notice for the May 19-24 operations. (lapdonline.org) LAPD said the checkpoint locations are subject to change or cancellation, making the department’s online newsroom the primary place to check before driving. Sunday, May 24, is the last scheduled day in the current enforcement plan, with the Sherman Way and Woodman Boulevard checkpoint and the Harbor Division saturation patrol closing out the six-day operation. (lapdonline.org) (lapdonline.org)