UC Irvine conducts DUI Checkpoints

Sobriety Checkpoints Counter Underage Drinking

UC Irvine has launched its first campus wide intervention against binge and underage drinking.

UCI Health Education and UCI Police Department (UCIPD) are working together to implement a program to minimize alcohol consumption and keep students safe.

UCI is currently seeking a $34,000 grant to help cover the cost of four DUI checkpoints and six DUI saturation patrols. These checkpoints will take place over the course of the year.

Recently, UCIPD held its first sobriety checkpoint on campus. While no one was arrested, they hoped this would encourage students to be more responsible and instill UCI’s zero tolerance policy.

Additionally, UCIPD has started the Safe Onto Sober program where arrested individuals will be placed in holding cells at police departments in Newport Beach and Huntington Beach. Here they will remain in holding until they sober up.

Arrested individuals will also be required to attend the Health Education Center’s alcohol education program.

UCIPD encourages people to utilize this program if their friends or guests have had too much to drink. Officers will assess whether the individual needs medical attention or should be detained until he or she sobers up.

UCIPD reminds students this program is intended not to get students in trouble but rather to help and educate them.

Related articles:

• Seal Beach: Results of DUI Checkpoint (cehwiedel.com)
• Car Seizures At DUI Checkpoints Raise Money, Legal Questions (huffingtonpost.com)
• LAPD Ups DUI Patrols and Checkpoints for Super Bowl Sunday (laist.com)
• CA Sobriety Checkpoints Are Becoming More About Profit Than Drunk Driving (dvorak.org)

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 16th, 2010 at 6:43 pm and is filed under Dui Checkpoints, DUI News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.