Sheriff’s Department Reschedules Sobriety Checkpoint for Friday

A sobriety checkpoint that was canceled last week because of bad weather has been rescheduled for Friday, an Orange County sheriff’s spokesman said.

The traffic stop will be at an undisclosed location in Dana Point from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.

“It’s a combination of education and enforcement,” said Deputy Ron Kennedy. “Besides looking out for drivers under the influence, we’ll be passing out brochures provided by [Mothers Against Drunk Driving].”

Funding for the sobriety checkpoint was provided by an $86,000 state law enforcement grant.

The city spent $10,000 of the grant on a sobriety checkpoint and a special anti-drunk driving patrol. The rest was spent on two patrol cars and equipment such as a laser radar gun.

If there is rain Friday, the checkpoint will be canceled again, regardless of whether police want to go through with it anyway, Kennedy said.

Police are required to post signs warning drivers that a sobriety checkpoint is ahead. Because rain and snow can make signs hard to see, judges have directed law enforcement officials not to hold sobriety checkpoints in bad weather, Kennedy said.