Police Like Results : Drunk Driver Checks to Be Made Weekly

Los Angeles police, pleased with results of sobriety checkpoints in the San Fernando Valley and other areas of Los Angeles, said Tuesday that they will check for drunk drivers at various locations in the Valley each weekend for the rest of the year.

The announcement came in the wake of seven arrests made of suspected drunk drivers at the latest Valley checkpoint, set up in Van Nuys late Monday night for St. Patrick’s Day.

“We feel it not only cuts down on drunk driving, but it’s also a way to educate the public,” said Capt. Mark Stevens. “We seemed to get a real warm response from the drivers and we’re pleased at the small number of drunk drivers on St. Patrick’s Day.”

Another five suspected drunk drivers were arrested in a downtown Los Angeles checkpoint at 2nd and Alameda streets. Also, a man was arrested for having a loaded gun in his car, police said.

‘Batmobile’ Fails

About 1,100 motorists went through the Valley checkpoint at Woodman Avenue and Sylvan Street in Van Nuys from 7 to 10 p.m., Stevens said. Field sobriety tests were administered to about 12 drivers because the breath analyzer in the department’s “Batmobile” mobile unit did not function properly.

“The Batmobile went belly up right away,” Stevens said.

The drivers who failed the field examination were taken to police headquarters in Van Nuys for the breath test, he said.

Although there were only a few suspected drunk drivers at the Valley checkpoint on St. Patrick’s Day, 85 arrests were made when the last checkpoint was set up on Jan. 18 in Pacoima, and 103 were made on New Year’s Eve, 1984.

Letters to The Times accused the Police Department of discrimination because checkpoints were not established during other ethnic holidays, such as Cinco de Mayo or Fat Tuesday, the Roman Catholic celebration held the day before Lent.

Police officials said sobriety checkpoints are set up to enforce laws and to discourage drunk driving and are not intended to discriminate against any ethnic group.