Local News in Brief : Holiday Checkpoints
State Atty. Gen. John Van de Kamp warned Thursday at a news conference that that sobriety checkpoints will be used extensively in greater Los Angeles to curb drunk driving during the holidays.
“California law enforcement is committed to protecting the motoring public from drunken drivers,” Van de Kamp said. “And now, we have a new tool to increase the likelihood of DUI (driving under the influence) offenders getting stopped.”
Officials said this is the first holiday period in which authorities have been allowed to use the checkpoints since the state Supreme Court ruled them constitutional in October. The checkpoints were suspended just before Christmas last year when a Northern California motorist challenged them in the courts.
Officials said the sobriety checkpoints will be concentrated in areas where drunk drivers have been a problem. Los Angeles Police Cmdr. Jerold Bova said there have been 32,000 drunk-driving arrests this year in Los Angeles alone, up 25% over last year.
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