DUI Checkpoint

On Friday night the media was invited out to photograph a DUI checkpoint. Several of the police stations along with MADD and SADD were involved in the checkpoint that was funded by a grant to the State College Police and Penn State Police. When they said the checkpoint would be on North Atherton I knew exactly where it would be. I've driven through checkpoints on that stretch of road on my way home from work on several occasions. It was really interesting to be on the other side of the checkpoint.

I think the most interesting part of this checkpoint was the new flashlights "that smell your breath" (as the slogan says). There is a meter on the side of the flashlight that can detect the smell of alcohol in the air and aids in the officers asking people to take a field sobriety test. They have been using the flashlights since last fall but this was the first I got to see one up close and in action.

I hung out photographing for about an hour, from 11-midnight, and they only stopped one car, but the night was young, and until the end of the evening they charged 6 people with DUI. To most cars the officers enforced the zero tolerance rule and encouraged drivers to have a safe night.