Sobriety Checkpoint in Montgomery County Results in 1 OVI arrest
Did you hear about last night’s (July 2nd) sobriety checkpoint in Montgomery County (Harrison Township on St. Rt. 48). Was it publicized in the Dayton Daily News or on WHIO news as required by law? Despite questionable notification, the checkpoint resulted in over 100 citations being issued. Does that mean that there was a major drunk driving problem deterred by this checkpoint? No. Only one arrest was made for suspicion of drunk driving… ONE! http://www.whiotv.com/news/24129977/detail.html It is high time that law enforcement abandons this wasteful and heavy-handed practice and it is time for us (the common sense citizen) to begin opposing the practice of pulling us over to inspect our papers. The time has come when sobriety checkpoints have become “license checks,” “seatbelt checks,” “immigration checks” and profit centers. A more effective and more respectful approach which actually targets and detains drunk drivers is the practice of saturation patrols. Saturation patrols require police to use scientifically validated law enforcement practices to develop reasonable suspicion of criminal activity and is the traditional constitutionally approved method of detecting drunk drivers. Often, law enforcement will conduct saturation patrols in conjunction with sobriety checkpoints. Why? Perhaps they know that sobriety checkpoints don’t work to catch drunk drivers so they will use an approach that might increase the number of OVI arrests. MADD is responsible for much of this. They support sobriety checkpoints, even if they don’t work, because it serves to instill fear in the public. That’s right, MADD supports ineffective constitutionally suspect fear mongering over scientifically validated, law enforcement approved, constitutionally sound principles that stop drunk drivers. Why do they have a tremendous amount of influence in both the police station and the State House?
Charles M. Rowland II stands with the accused drunk driver and will fight your Miami Valley OVI arrest aggressively. If you have been stopped in a saturation patrol or at a Sobriety Checkpoint, contact Dayton DUI Defense Attorney Charles Rowland today at 937-318-1DUI (318-1384), 1-888-ROWLAND (888-769-5263) or visit www.DaytonDUI.com.
