Bloomfield Police: Here’s Why We Announce DWI Checkpoints
BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The Bloomfield Police Department plans to hold a DWI checkpoint on Bloomfield Avenue on Saturday, Dec. 29. And they want local motorists to know exactly where and when it’s happening.
The BPD recently announced that its Dec. 29 checkpoint is being held “in response to statistics demonstrating a disproportionate number of impaired driving incidents in the area.”
Police wrote:
“These operations are being conducted to raise awareness of impaired driving by educating motorists and arresting impaired drivers. The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office requires that these notices be posted in advance.”
According to Bloomfield Director of Public Safety Samuel DeMaio, it’s a state law that whenever a checkpoint is done, it must be announced via a press release. But sharing the news about an upcoming checkpoint isn’t done just as a formality, police added.
Bloomfield Lt. Naomi Zepeda said that giving advance notice about checkpoints to the public can help to prevent drunk driving in the first place… which is the ultimate goal.
“If we are able to deter drunk driving by releasing information through the media it adds to the success of the checkpoint and the safety of the general public,” Zepeda said.
Zepeda added that DWI checkpoints are conducted under guidelines established by the Attorney General of New Jersey.
“The guidelines recommend advanced general public notice to deter drunk drivers operating their vehicles in the first place,” Zepeda stated.
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