The Charles County Sheriff’s Office will conduct sobriety checkpoints and roving patrols on Sept. 22 between the hours of 7 p.m. and 3 a.m. on Sept. 23.
The Sheriff’s Office is not disclosing the locations of the checkpoints or the roving patrol areas but signs on the roadway will advise motorists as they approach them. Officers will check all vehicles that pass through the checkpoints and drivers who are found to be intoxicated will be arrested. Delays for motorists are expected to be minimal.
The DUI Enforcement Initiative is part of the Checkpoint/ Strike Force Program, which is a 6-month intense law enforcement mobilization aimed at getting impaired drivers off our roadways. This program is organized by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
“Sobriety checkpoints are one of the many tools we use to prevent drinking and driving and remove intoxicated drivers from our roadways,” said Charles County Sheriff Frederick E. Davis. “This is the first time we have conducted checkpoints and roving patrols simultaneously. This approach increases our chances of locating offenders, which will hopefully serve to reduce the number of people who choose to drink and drive.”
So far this year, 27 people have died in 28 motor vehicle crashes, 12 of which were alcohol related.