How a DUI Checkpoint Works
baynews9.com - News: Busted!"Standing on Ulmerton Road, a deputy directs every third westbound car into the checkpoint. No exceptions.
'If the third car is a patrol car, it gets diverted in,' Pinellas County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jim Bordner said. 'If the third car is the sheriff, he gets diverted in.'
A deputy runs each driver's license through his in-car laptop computer, checking for such violations as an expired license or lack of car insurance.
Meanwhile, another deputy asks the driver a few questions.
'Where are you heading this morning?' 'Have you been drinking?'
Frequently the deputies engage drivers in casual conversation and observe the driver's behavior, which helps determine if he or she may be under the influence. They also watch the driver's eyes.
'The eyes tell you a lot,' Ingoglia says.
If the deputy is satisfied the driver is not under the influence, he or she gets a friendly 'thank you' and a pamphlet explaining what the DUI operation is about.
But if a driver's behavior is suspicious, the deputies ask him or her to take a field sobriety test (FST).
The deputies ask anyone who performs poorly on the FST to take a breath test. Those who fail are arrested and held in a transport vehicle until taken to the Pinellas County Jail.
On this night, more than 1,200 vehicles pass through the two checkpoints, with 353 diverted for assessment. (Less than one in three were diverted during the first checkpoint.) The average time non-impaired drivers spent with deputies was 1:33.
The detail nets 17 arrests on 25 charges"
'If the third car is a patrol car, it gets diverted in,' Pinellas County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jim Bordner said. 'If the third car is the sheriff, he gets diverted in.'
A deputy runs each driver's license through his in-car laptop computer, checking for such violations as an expired license or lack of car insurance.
Meanwhile, another deputy asks the driver a few questions.
'Where are you heading this morning?' 'Have you been drinking?'
Frequently the deputies engage drivers in casual conversation and observe the driver's behavior, which helps determine if he or she may be under the influence. They also watch the driver's eyes.
'The eyes tell you a lot,' Ingoglia says.
If the deputy is satisfied the driver is not under the influence, he or she gets a friendly 'thank you' and a pamphlet explaining what the DUI operation is about.
But if a driver's behavior is suspicious, the deputies ask him or her to take a field sobriety test (FST).
The deputies ask anyone who performs poorly on the FST to take a breath test. Those who fail are arrested and held in a transport vehicle until taken to the Pinellas County Jail.
On this night, more than 1,200 vehicles pass through the two checkpoints, with 353 diverted for assessment. (Less than one in three were diverted during the first checkpoint.) The average time non-impaired drivers spent with deputies was 1:33.
The detail nets 17 arrests on 25 charges"
posted by CentralLaw at 3:23 AM
