Police Plan Sobriety Checkpoint For December 17-18

Newtown police and state police will jointly stage a sobriety checkpoint in Newtown on the evening of Friday, December 17, and early morning hours of Saturday, December 18.

Newtown police did not disclose the location of the checkpoint, which is intended to get intoxicated motorists off the road. Eight Newtown police and four state police will participate.

Newtown police Sergeant Christopher Vanghele said that each vehicle passing by the checkpoint will be stopped and motorists will be briefly interviewed to determine whether they are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. Police also check for other violations.

Typically, hundreds of motorists are stopped and interviewed during the course of such checkpoints.

A law enforcement grant will cover 75 percent of the overtime costs related to Newtown police’s participation in the checkpoint. Such grant money also is used to defray the costs of extra police patrols keyed to drunken driving enforcement during December and New Year’s Eve, as well as the Thanksgiving holiday period.

The sobriety checkpoint initially had been planned for December 10-11 but was cancelled due to inclement weather.