Law enforcement officers will be out in force in Los Angeles County over the Labor Day weekend, conducting extra patrols and sobriety checkpoints in an enforcement effort targeting drunken drivers and other traffic violators, authorities said.
The “Avoid the 100 Los Angeles County DUI Campaign” is a coordinated effort among numerous law enforcement agencies.
“The consequences from impaired driving are deadly serious,” said Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. Arturo Gomez of the Valley Traffic Division.
“If you have had too much to drink, make sure you can rely on a sober, designated driver to get you home safely, or arrange to take a cab or bus so you do not become a statistic,” Gomez said.
The California Highway Patrol will conduct a “maximum enforcement” effort from 6:01 p.m. today through 11:59 p.m. Monday, during which all available officers will be deployed.
At 7:30 tonight in East Los Angeles, the CHP will begin a six-hour sobriety/driver's license checkpoint at Whittier Boulevard and Hoefner Avenue. Other checkpoints are planned tonight in West Covina, Glendale, Bellflower, Malibu and Gardena.
On Saturday, checkpoints will be conducted in the CHP's West Valley area, the LAPD's Central Area, and the sheriff's Compton Station jurisdiction.
Anyone seeing a suspected drunken driver was urged to call 911.
Funding for the extra enforcement effort is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
