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Officers of the Hazelwood Police Department will be conducting a series of sobriety checkpoints beginning in May at various locations within the community. This traffic safety program will continue into the summer and early fall, announced Hazelwood Police Chief Carl Wolf.

Sobriety checkpoints are designed to identify and arrest intoxicated drivers in order to make area roads safer for all motorists. Vehicles going through these checkpoints are stopped in a specific sequence such as every other vehicle or every fourth, fifth or sixth vehicle. Police officers must have a reason to believe the stopped driver has been drinking before a breath test can be conducted.

“Checkpoints are the most effective law enforcement tools we have for getting drunk drivers off the road,” said Wolf. “According to recent studies, at least 75 percent of the people surveyed approve of sobriety checkpoints. People want to feel safe while their driving to the grocery store or coming home after a dinner and movie. Although they may be slightly inconvenienced at a checkpoint, they appreciate the fact that we’re out there trying to make the roads safe for them.”

Motorists suspected of intoxication at a checkpoint will be given a series of standard field sobriety tests. The results of these tests will be evaluated and intoxicated drivers can be arrested on site.

The Hazelwood Police Department’s sobriety checkpoint program is being funded through a grant provided by the Missouri Department of Public Safety.

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