Eyewitness at a STOP DWI Checkpoint

We've heard about them on the news, some of us have driven through them in the past, but do you really know what goes on at a STOP DWI checkpoint?

I was able to witness one (actually two that went on simultaneously) first-hand on Friday night in the town of Evans. 17 officers from various departments - Tonawanda, West Seneca, Orchard Park, Erie County Sheriff's, and the State Police set up checkpoints on either side of the Sunset Bay bars.

It was an interesting thing to observe to say the least. For one, there's a very important procedure to follow (or the court case could be endangered) - so all officers were briefed on what to do, say, etc. at the beginning of the night. As drivers pulled through the checkpoint, they were informed of the purpose of the checkpoint, asked if they had been drinking, and most were allowed to pass.

Officers did pull over several cars and made several arrests, and I was able to witness a few of them. I can't get into the exact details of what happened here, but let's just say in some of the cases what began as a DWI arrest ended with a few more charges for the driver.

For me, this checkpoint was a step forward in better understanding the police officer's role in fighting DWI. Yes, arrests were made, but it's not yet clear how many of those arrested will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The next step is the court case, where the judge makes the final call on what will happen.

A special thank you to all the officers and STOP DWI who extended a warm welcome to Crusade Against Impaired Driving, Inc. It was a long night for yours truly, but well worth it. Not too many people get to observe something like this, and I appreciated the experience.


Deanna