The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI / Driver’s License checkpoint on Friday, May 21, 2021.  It will begin at 8:00 PM and is scheduled to conclude at 2:00 AM.

The primary purpose of a DUI Checkpoint is to deter impaired driving, not to increase arrests.  All too often, members of our community are senselessly injured or killed on local roadways by impaired drivers.  This DUI / Driver’s License checkpoint is an effort to reduce those tragedies and to ensure drivers have a valid driver’s license.  The DMV reports that unlicensed drivers are 4.9 times more likely to cause a fatal crash than a licensed driver is.

The checkpoint will be staffed by officers trained in the detection of alcohol and drug impairment to provide on-the-spot assessments of drivers suspected of alcohol or drug impairment.  All checkpoints are conducted in accordance with the guidelines for DUI checkpoint operations outlined in the California Supreme Court decision, Ingersoll v. Palmer.

All vehicles may be checked and drivers who are under the influence of alcohol and / or drugs will be arrested.  Our objective is to send a clear message to those who are considering driving a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol and / or drugs – Drunk Driving, Over the Limit, Under Arrest.  The public is encouraged to help keep roadways safe by calling 911 if they see a suspected impaired driver.  Funding for this operation is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.