A Field Sobriety Checkpoint was set from 6 p.m. until midnight on August 2 on the southbound side of the Berlin Turnpike south of Deming Road. A total of 1,887 vehicles were directed through the checkpoint during the detail where vehicles were briefly detained and interviewed by officers. Of the 1887 vehicles passing through the checkpoint 23 motorists were flagged by the contact officers for DUI testing or other investigative interviews. The results are as follows.
- Two (2) motorists were cited for Operating without Insurance
- Thirteen (13) motorists were cited for operating unregistered motor vehicles
- One (1) motorist was cited failure to renew registration
- One (1) motorist was cited for violation of child seat requirements.
- One (1) motorist was cited for a vehicle emissions violation
- One (1) passenger was cited for drug possession
- One (1) motorist was arrested for being a fugitive out of Stamford
- Fourteen (14) motor vehicles were towed.
This DUI enforcement is funded by a grant from the Connecticut Department of Transportation's Highway Safety Division to support increased DUI detection and enforcement efforts. This enforcement program runs from Thanksgiving 2011 through Labor Day 2012. The grant provides 75 percent reimbursement of the overtime costs related to these efforts. The grant helps to provide funding to staff additional DUI patrols as well as roadside sobriety checkpoints. Roadside sobriety checkpoints have been shown to be the most effective method to detect and apprehend under the influence drivers.
