No Sobriety Checkpoints In Columbus

In a rare and unexpected move, there will be No Sobriety checkpoints in Columbus.

There will be no grant-funded drunk driving checkpoints in Columbus. The Columbus Division of Police has declined to accept grant funds.  According to the Columbus Dispatch, Sgt. Michael Smith told law enforcement partners, “By order of Chief Jacobs, grant funding has been declined to fund future sobriety checkpoints operations.”

In addition, “It is with great disappointment that I report to you that Columbus Division of Police no longer has a formal OVI task force.” This means that Columbus will rely upon traditional policing to target impaired drivers instead of using checkpoints. There is good reason for this. Typically, no sobriety checkpoints are used to generate arrests. They are used for publicity against drunk driving.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving spokesman, has gone nuclear. He said that cutting sobriety checkpoints will result in more deaths. “The more (officers) we have out there, the less tragedies we have on our roadways. Whatever the cause is, we object to it, because it’s putting the interest of public safety lower than it should be.”

I have long argued that the deterrent effect does not justify the intrusion of the government into your car.  It harkens back to the worst days of the Soviet Union. Freedom of travel was restricted and they regularly stopped cars for no reason at all. I also draw attention to the worst abuses of the Prohibition era.  I think the actions of the CDP will result in more, not less, arrests. If you are in the camp that we should “crack down” on drunk driving, this is a move you should applaud.

Call me today! “All I do is DUI defense.”

I consider this a great day for civil liberties. It is a return to good policing using Constitutionally sanctioned methods to enforce the law. The rule of law and personal liberty won today.  I can only hope that this brave decision is joined by other agencies throughout Ohio.

Don’t live in Columbus? Sign up for Checkpoints alerts to be notified of a checkpoint in your area. 

If you need a DUI attorney, contact Dayton DUI Lawyer Charles M. Rowland II at (937) 318-1384.