Posts Tagged ‘Huntington Beach California’

Huntington Beach DUI problems lead to suggested changes for the city

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

Our Orange County DUI Lawyers have learned, through the Orange County Register, that the Huntington Beach police department has found new ways to crack down on those who drink and drive after reports that the city has a “significant” problem with drunken drivers.

The department has announced an aggressive new DUI strategy that includes posting the names of DUI arrestees on their website, sending letters to restaurants that they believe are fueling drunken driving, and adding a third officer to a specialized DUI team. City officials began distributing the letters in the spring and are still reviewing the name postings and adding the third officer.

The strategy — laid out in 16-page report given to the City Council this month — said the city has a serious drunken driving problem.

Statistics show that in 2008 Huntington Beach had the third most DUI drivers in the state for a city of its size. Huntington Beach has about 201,000 residents.

Huntington Beach had about 1,000 more DUI arrests in 2008 than Irvine, a city with a similar population size, and 900 more arrests than Anaheim, a city with population almost double Huntington Beach’s.

Police DUI strategies may differ in each city in part because of the dynamics of that area, officials said.

“We try to find one that fits the needs of the community,” said Irvine police spokesman Lt. John Hare.

Irvine’ police department posts all of the names of arrestees on their website but does not have a specific list of DUI suspects. If a commander in charge of a certain geographical area of Irvine notices a trend in drunken driving they will approach a particular establishment, Hare said.

In Fullerton, which has a concentrated area of establishments that serve alcohol similar to Surf City’s downtown, police have been working with bar owners to help servers better identify when a customer has had too much to drink, said Fullerton police Cprl. Tim Kandler. They do not post name of DUI arrestees on their website, he said.

Huntington Beach police spokesman Lt. Russell Reinhart said his department’s DUI program is the most aggressive in the county.

Currently, the police do four to eight DUI checkpoints a year, have a specialized DUI patrol team, use their helicopters to catch DUI drivers, and put extra officers on patrol some Friday and Saturday nights. The department has received $1.4 million in grant funding to beef up DUI patrols.

For the past three years, the department has averaged 1,700 DUI arrests a year, the report said.

Still, police say they need more help.

“Even with all we have done there remains a significant DUI problem in Huntington Beach,” the report said. “Our resources were so quickly overwhelmed we believe on any given night a large number of drunk drivers likely leave our downtown area undetected.”

Some locals said that while drinking and driving is a serious offense, they have mixed opinions on the department’s new strategies.

Scott Spigelmire, 34, sat outside Beachfront 301 in downtown on a recent weekday evening drinking a Budweiser and a glass of water. He said posting the names of DUI arrestees was an invasion of privacy and increasing police presence might drive away business.

“There is no reason to drink and drive,” said Spigelmire, of Huntington Beach. “If you are too hammered, pay $50 to $100 bucks to get home in a cab. It could be so much more in the long run (if you drink and drive).”

Changing it up

Police could start posting the names of DUI arrestees this summer.

What do you think of posting the arestees’ names online? Vote in our poll below to the right.

DUI defense attorney Barry Simons said he disagreed with this approach.

“This has been a concept that has been floated around for years,” said Simons, a former dean of the national college for DUI Defense. “Humiliate them, single them out. It is the Scarlet Letter approach and there is absolutely no empirical data that things like that will do anything to affect recidivism.”

“It could have a damaging affect on an individual’s reputation,” he said.

Reinhart said that the arrests are public information and police expect that the public will help monitor DUI drivers. For example, someone can call the police if they see that a neighbor with a suspended license is driving, Reinhart said.

“We get tips on a regular basis and we are hoping to get more of them,” he said.

Councilman Joe Carchio said he supports posting the names, saying it might be a deterrent for people who drink and drive.

“I want to prevent people from drinking and driving but I also want to protect their rights as an individual,” he said. “I have no sympathy for drunk drivers. None whatsoever.”

Councilman Don Hansen said a policy to post the names needs to be further vetted.

“It may be a little far reaching and I’m concerned about those folks that may not be charged or could not even be guilty and if it is posted on the website there could be some … issues,” he said.

The department began sending letters to restaurants in April reporting at least one of their patrons was arrested for driving under the influence. Sharkeez and Hurricanes have received the most letters from the department, Reinhart said.

Sharkeez received four letters with 14 arrested on DUIs, and Hurricanes received three letters with eight people arrested for DUIs, he said.

Hurricanes manager Rich Jardine said the letters have been helpful to his staff. He alerted his servers and bartender to keep a closer eye on patrons.

“It is difficult to tell if they are over the legal limit of. 08,” said Jardine, who has been with Hurricanes for 18 years. “A lot of people can maintain to the naked eye and still be over the legal limit.”

Police will accumulate the DUI data and could place restrictions on the businesses’ licenses and permits, officials say.

Reinhart said the department hopes to add a third officer to their DUI enforcement team as soon as the funds become available.

Officers say they are after more than sober driving. They want life changes.

“We believe they are not only prevent deaths, injuries and traffic collisions; but potentially change people’s lives in a positive way that prevents other negative behaviors,” the report said.

Posts Tagged ‘Huntington Beach California’

Huntington Beach DUI problems lead to suggested changes for the city

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

The Huntington Beach Police Department held a sobriety check point on Pacific Coast Highway Saturday night, April 17th, checking drivers for drinking or drug use starting at 9 p.m. at PCH and Huntington Street.

Posts Tagged ‘Huntington Beach California’

Huntington Beach DUI problems lead to suggested changes for the city

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

The following PRESS RELEASE was sent to our Orange County DUI Lawyers from the Huntington Beach Police Department, warning of sobriety checkpoints in Huntington Beach for March, 2010

Release Date & Time:    Thursday, March 18, 2010  3:54 PM

Huntington Beach Police to Conduct Sobriety Checkpoint

Drivers in the City of Huntington Beach will have to slow down, stay focused and not drink or do drugs before getting behind the wheel.  The Huntington Beach Police Department will be making an extra effort to keep our  streets safe for everyone.

Officers will be conducting a sobriety checkpoint on Adams Ave. near Brookhurst Street on Saturday March 20, 2010, at 9p.m.

It is the hope of the Department’s Traffic Bureau to avoid serious injury and fatal collisions by interdicting DUI drivers before they have the chance to cause a tragedy.  The Huntington Beach Police Department believes that a combination of prevention and enforcement will save lives, making our community a better place to live and work.

If you see a driver who’s all over the road, swerving, straddling the center line or driving into traffic going the other way, please call 911 on your cell phone. You can also watch for cars driving much too fast or much too slow, those that screech to a halt at a stop sign or stop light, or those driving at night with their headlights off or with their blinkers on all the time.

When you call, the dispatcher will want to know which way you’re driving and where you are, and will ask for the description of the other car and its license plate. You’ll be doing a real service for your community. Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  The Huntington Beach Police Department is working in partnership with OTS to educate the community on traffic safety issues as well as helping to prevent DUI related traffic incidents.

Posts Tagged ‘Huntington Beach California’

Huntington Beach DUI problems lead to suggested changes for the city

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

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)

Posts Tagged ‘Huntington Beach California’

Huntington Beach DUI problems lead to suggested changes for the city

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

The Avoid the 38-Orange County DUI Task force announced its officers will be out in full force during the Labor Day holiday period.

A combined effort by officers and deputies of the Orange County’s Police Departments and Sheriff’s Department will make this one of the largest efforts to date combating DUI. They will join thousands of other law enforcement and highway safety agencies throughout the nation as they take part in the “Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest” crackdown on impaired driving. The enforcement blitz will last through the holiday weekend.

This data reveals a 9 percent reduction in deaths from 2007 as compared to 2008, the last year with full data.

“Drunk driving is simply not worth the risk. Not only do you risk killing yourself or someone else, but the trauma and financial costs of a crash or an arrest for impaired driving can be significant,” said Chief John Welter. “Violators often face jail time, the loss of their driver’s license, higher insurance rates, attorney fees, time away from work, and dozens of other expenses. So don’t take the chance. Remember, if you are caught over the limit, you will be placed under arrest.”

The national Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. impaired driving crackdown is a program organized by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that focuses on combining high-visibility enforcement with heightened public awareness through advertising and
publicity. The Program is funded trough the California Office of Traffic Safety who reminds everyone to please – Report Drunk Driving – Call 9-1-1!

This year’s effort is supported by $13 million in paid-national advertising to help put everyone on notice that if they are caught driving impaired, they will be arrested.

For more information, visit www.StopImpairedDriving.org and www.californiaavoid.org.

Orange County Summer Labor DUI Enforcement Schedule of Operations
ORANGE COUNTY LABOR DAY ENFORCEMENT SCHEDULE

Anaheim, CA] – Orange County’s Avoid the 38 is announcing its upcoming enforcement operations for the Summer/Labor Day weekend DUI Mobilization in partnership with Law Enforcement Agencies Nationwide. This is a joint venture combining the Enforcement programs of the Avoid the 28 and the Avoid the 10, managed by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. The following schedule of operations, dates, and locations are provided for media release.

• DUI/DL CHECKPOINT- Fri, Sept. 4, 2009 1900-0300, City of Dana Point
• DUI TASKFORCE OPERATIONS – Sat, Sep 5th, 2009, 2000-0200, City of La Habra
• DUI Saturation Patrols – Sat, Sept. 5th, 2009 2000-0300, County of Orange
• DUI Saturation Patrols – Sun. Sept 6th, 2009 2000-0300, County of Orange

• 30 additional DUI Saturation Patrols (see below) – Fri. Aug 21st, through Mon. Sept. 7th. (Note: A saturation patrol is where large numbers of trained patrol officers drive looking for activity indicative of DUI).

Orange County agencies will be conducting a total of 30 Saturation patrols funded by the Avoid Grant in the cities of Brea, Buena Park, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Huntington Beach, La Habra, Los Alamitos, Newport Beach, Orange, Placentia, Seal Beach, Westminster and the University of California at Irvine and the California State University at Fullerton.

Additional information about the Avoid Program and operational plans from around the region can be found at www.californiaavoid.org.

(The above was sent to our Orange County DUI Lawyers as a press release from the Avoid the 38 program, and is presented as information for your use this weekend. If you have questions related to DUI, call us at 714-568-1560).

Related articles by Zemanta

• Highway safety group gets behind texting and driving ban (arstechnica.com)
• The financial costs of driving under the influence of alcohol (queercents.com)
• You: DUIs Are Up as Women Are Drinking More (abcnews.go.com)

Posts Tagged ‘Huntington Beach California’

Huntington Beach DUI problems lead to suggested changes for the city

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

All 38 Orange County law enforcement agencies are planning DUI enforcement operations – checkpoints and saturation patrols – running from today through Labor Day weekend.

The operations are funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety, and are part of a nationwide effort that includes $13 million in advertisements.

In 2008, more than 11,700 people died in highway crashes involving a driver with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher. In California, the provisional number for 2008 was 1,029 deaths, a 9 percent reduction from the year before.

The Anaheim Police Department provided the following schedule of DUI enforcement operations:

• Checkpoint – Friday, Aug. 28, 7 p.m.–3 a.m., Fullerton

• Checkpoint – Friday, Sept. 4, 7 p.m.–3 a.m., Dana Point

• Task force operation – Saturday, Sept. 5, 8 p.m.–2 a.m., La Habra

• Saturation patrols – Saturday, Aug. 29, 8 p.m.–3 a.m., County of Orange

• Checkpoint – Saturday, Aug. 29, 7 p.m.–3 a.m., Anaheim

• Checkpoint – Friday, Aug. 28, 7 p.m.–3 a.m., Irvine

• Saturation patrols – Saturday, Sept. 5, 8 p.m. – 3 a.m., County of Orange

• Saturation patrols – Sunday, Sept. 6, 8 p.m. – 3 a.m., County of Orange

• Saturation patrols – Friday, Aug. 21, through Monday, Sept. 7

Orange County agencies will be conducting a total of 30 saturation patrols funded by a state grant in the cities of Brea, Buena Park, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Huntington Beach, La Habra, Los Alamitos, Newport Beach, Orange, Placentia, Seal Beach, and Westminster, and at UC Irvine and the Cal State Fullerton.

If you need a DUI Attorney in Orange County, call me at 714-568-1560.

Posts Tagged ‘Huntington Beach California’

Huntington Beach DUI problems lead to suggested changes for the city

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

HUNTINGTON BEACH Officers will conduct a sobriety checkpoint this weekend on Beach Boulevard, just south of Slater Avenue, Huntington Beach police officials reported today.

Starting at 9 p.m. Saturday officers will focus on catching drunk drivers. A checkpoint will be clearly marked and vehicles will be selected for checking on a pre-set basis until 3 a.m. Sunday, officials reported.

Officers will distribute informational brochures on impaired driving to motorists. Law enforcement will check driver’s licenses and direct suspected impaired drivers to a secondary check area for further evaluation.

The checkpoint is funded through a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Source: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/beach-checkpoint-officers-2433243-huntington-check

If you have questions for an Orange County DUI Attorney, contact me at 714-568-1560 anytime.