Police Plan Sobriety Checkpoint For July 24–25

Police plan to hold a sobriety checkpoint on the night of Saturday, July 24, and the early morning hours of Sunday, July 25.

Police did not disclose the location of the planned checkpoint, which will be held somewhere in Newtown.

Ten patrol officers and two supervisors will operate the checkpoint, which is intended to get intoxicated drivers off the road.

At the stationary checkpoint, each motorist traveling in each direction will be stopped and briefly interviewed by police to determine whether they have been drinking alcohol or using illicit drugs.

Motor vehicle laws, including laws concerning seat belt use and child safety seat use, also will be enforced, according to police Sergeant Christopher Vanghele.

The motorist sobriety program is funded largely with a state/federal highway safety grant.

The sobriety checkpoint slated for July 24–25 will be the 15th such checkpoint held by police during the past several years.

Past checkpoints have resulted in 30 arrests for driving under the influence, three drug-related arrests, a breach of peace arrest, plus hundreds of miscellaneous offenses, including motor vehicle violations.

Police held a sobriety checkpoint on June 12–13, but found no intoxicated drivers.