Last week, the Berkeley Police Department conducted a DUI and driver's license checkpoint that has resulted in multiple citations and arrests, demonstrating their continued efforts to curb impaired driving in the city. The checkpoint on Shattuck Ave. at Parker St. was part of a strategic effort informed by data on local DUI-related incidents. In total, officers reached out to 935 drivers, with a sobering result of 24 cited for driving without a proper license and two arrested on DUI charges, according to a post made by the police department.
An additional 19 drivers underwent sobriety evaluations before being allowed to proceed, painting a concerning picture of the casual brush with danger on Berkeley's streets. The checkpoint wasn't just a dragnet but a preventative measure, hoping to discourage would-be impaired drivers from getting behind the wheel. Notably, funding for this operation did not come from local coffers but rather through a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, which gets its backing from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The Berkeley Police Department's social media post further elaborates on the program's goals, stressing that "DUI checkpoint locations are determined based on reported incidents of impaired driving-related crashes."
