The Union City Police Department is stepping up its game against drunk driving, announcing a DUI checkpoint operation slated for the evening of December 16 at a location they're keeping under wraps for now. In a bid to curtail the sobering statistics of impaired driving-related mishaps, the chosen checkpoint spot stems from where data paints a grim picture of past tragedies.

Sgt. Steven Fong of the Union City Police speaks to the heart of the matter, "Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk," the checkpoints serve as a sobering reminder and a deterrent. They aim to whisk potentially hazardous drivers off the streets before they can harm them.

Union City's finest isn't just sounding the alarm over boozy breath—legal highs like medicinal and recreational pot, along with a cocktail of legal drugs, whether slapped with a prescription label or plucked off a pharmacy shelf, could just as easily land a motorist in hot water.

First-time DUI culprits could get walloped with a staggering $13,500 in fines, penalties, and the cherry on this bitter cake, a suspended license—so think twice before you decide to drive after downing that drink or lighting up; it could be a costly misjudgment. This crackdown isn't just the local law doing their due diligence—Union City PD's DUI dragnet is bankrolled by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, funneled through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to keep the streets safe.

Questions about the upcoming patrols or the grant behind them? Traffic Sergeant Steven Fong is your go-to guy. Dial 510-471-1365, hit his line directly at 510-675-5221, or email [email protected].