The Virginian-Pilot
©
VIRGINIA BEACH
Police arrested nine motorists on charges of drunken driving Wednesday night and early Thursday morning during a series of St. Patrick’s Day checkpoints designed to snag intoxicated drivers.
During St. Patty’s Day in 2009, at least five arrests were made. Exact numbers were not available today.
Officers issued 188 summonses at three safety checkpoints this year for offenses ranging from speeding to seatbelt violations. They also made three felony arrests – one habitual offender, one drug violation and one probation violation – and four misdemeanor arrests – two for possession of marijuana, one for an open container and one for failure to pay child support – according to a news release.
St. Patrick’s Day is one of the busiest for DUIs, along with July 4, Labor Day and New Year’s Eve. Last year, checkpoints stopped vehicles on Shore Drive, General Booth Boulevard and the Interstate 264 West access ramp from South Independence Boulevard. Police did not release the locations for this year’s operation.
The Police Department’s Special Operations Traffic Division conducts the checkpoints.
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Great job VBPD!
Sounds like a successful night for the VBPD. Thanks to all the hard working men and women on the force that staffed these check points and to those on patrol keeping us safe.
Well done!
reply to:"great job"
I don't get it? What is so difficult about a DUI sobriety check catching 9 drunks on ST. Pattricks day? "great job"? You act like they did some real investigative work? I am no longer in your town, I can remember my military days in the 80's when all Virginia Beach PD did was pull over sailors and poor people and pretended that they are serving the overall public good. I doubt things have changed. I remember my elderly mother coming to vist me while I was a young Navy man stationed in Virginia Beach I took her and my small children for a ride down the resort strip, I slowed momentarily to observe a bungy jumper and a traffic cop yelled obsenity at me...that is when I decided that Virginia Beach Police had a serious problem. I challenge the young cops out there to actually look for ways to serve and help the commmunity...not figure out how much overtime they can rack up with chicken sh...tickets against poor people.
whatever
St. Patricks Day is the only holiday in which the purpose is to get drunk and act like an idiot.
you got a problem with that?
To bad it isn't month.
Misinformed
That is what the simple minded people believe. St. Patricks Day is a day to celebrate ones Irish inheritance. While having a few alcoholic beverages the day is typical, that is not what St. Patricks day is all about. Unless of course, you aren't Irish.
AWESOME JOB OFFICIERS
"Officers issued 188 summonses at three safety checkpoints this year for offenses ranging from speeding to seatbelt violations. They also made three felony arrests – one habitual offender, one drug violation and one probation violation – and four misdemeanor arrests – two for possession of marijuana, one for an open container and one for failure to pay child support"
Too bad it is just the drinking holidays these check pts are used.
The officers get your info from you license when its pulled first they ask is for your license then they go back to their car and look you up. drunk or sober if you have charges they will show up then as for he seat belt thing the officier can see that, the drunk thing is determined by the officier and tests.
What ever happen to the designated driver thing...can someone not drink and maybe not be habitually break the law. (DDs use to be able to drink soda all night for free sometimes even a comped meal) I see no problem with these check points I have passed thru them and it does not bother me at all. I give them my info and they check me so I move on nothing to hide here. If I did have a charge I would hope that I would know if not its their jo
Too bad??
Too bad we don't have random searches all the time?? You wouldn't mind people searching you on demand just in case you were doing something illegal?
great news
WOW! only 9 arrests - great news! Well done responsible persons. I was among you last night.
Bad news 1: What is the return on investment for the dozens of officers on overtime, and special equipment deployment? Yes, I know the "if only one life is saved" argument, but, really?
Bad news 2: In the collateral damage, who had their 4th Amendment Rights infringed upon?
Good news
Good news 1: If one live is saved it is worth it
Good news 2: There is fourth amendment infringement according to the US Supreme Court. See Michigan Dep't of State Police v. Sitz, 496 U.S. 444 (1990) (upholding a sobriety checkpoint at which all motorists are briefly stopped for preliminary questioning and observation for signs of intoxication). See also United States v. Martinez-Fuerte, 428 U.S. 543 (1976) (upholding border patrol checkpoint, over 60 miles from the border, for questioning designed to apprehend illegal aliens).
good news 3
I meant to say there "is no" fourth amendment infringement.