COUNTYWIDE : Police Checkpoints Have Sobering Effect

As Ken Scott stopped at the sobriety checkpoint on Brookhurst Street in Fountain Valley on Friday night, Officer Chris Andrews poked his head inside his car window and asked, “How are you this evening? Have you had anything to drink tonight?”

“I had a beer maybe an hour ago,” said Scott, 26, of Costa Mesa.

Andrews shined a flashlight at Scott and looked into his eyes.

“I look at the eyes,” Andrews said. “Someone who’s been drinking usually has glazed, bloodshot eyes.”

Scott was asked to perform a series of tests of coordination and balance to determine his sobriety. Because his pupils were more dilated than normal, Andrews suspected drug use.

“Have you ever used methamphetamine?” Andrews asked.

“No,” Scott answered.

“Personally, I don’t believe what you are saying,” the officer said. “But based on your balance test, I’m not going to arrest you.”

Scott was relieved--and learned a valuable lesson.

“If there were more of these, there probably would be less drinking and driving,” he said.

The Fountain Valley Police Department conducted its fourth in a series of 12 sobriety checkpoints Friday night. The Irvine Police Department will also be running monthly checkpoints this year. Each city received a $13,000 grant from the state Office of Traffic Safety to buy equipment to operate the checkpoints.

Fountain Valley Police Sgt. Larry Griswold said the program is intended “to convince people that they run the risk of getting arrested if they drink and drive.”

Irvine Police Lt. Mike White said the purpose also is to educate drivers.

“It’s just one more thing law enforcement can show about drinking and driving,” White said. “It’s no panacea to stop people from drinking and driving, but it’s been good to educate the public.”

Irvine will hold a checkpoint Tuesday from 4 to 10 p.m. on Main Street near Gillette Avenue.

Friday’s checks started at 10:17 p.m. on northbound Brookhurst Street, near Heil Avenue, and ended at 3 a.m.

Griswold said 1,362 cars passed through, with 740 drivers stopped and talked to by officers and given educational handouts. Thirteen people were given field sobriety tests, with nine drivers arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Motorists who drink and drive face up to 96 hours in jail, a $390 fine and a six-month suspension of their driver’s license, police said.

Two men were also arrested for possession of narcotics after police smelled lingering marijuana smoke in the car when it was stopped. Less than an ounce of marijuana was found stashed under the seat, said police, who arrested and released both men at the scene.

“I don’t drink and drive. But I think pot should be legalized,” the driver said while police searched his car. “That’s my opinion.”

But he agreed that the checkpoint was good “to get the drinkers off the road.”

Another man was arrested after police discovered he was drinking a beer while driving. Police noticed he had a bottle of beer between his legs. The driver was given sobriety tests and then arrested for driving under the influence.

Griswold said he believes the checkpoints have heightened public awareness, although he said some motorists have complained about having to wait at the checkpoint or believe it is a violation of their rights.

Griswold said that motorists usually wait no longer than a minute and that those talked to by police are detained for 30 seconds or less.

“Most people have been positive,” he said. “They don’t want to be a victim of a drunk driver.”

And people who passed through the checkpoint agreed.

“If it’ll save some lives, it’s good,” said Maggie Velez, 18, of Westminster.