Missouri public-safety officials are cracking down on DUI and other violations this Independence Day holiday. There will be more officers than usual patrolling Columbia throughout fourth of July weekend. In addition to at least one scheduled DWI checkpoint, officers will also patrol major highways and busy streets for unsafe and aggressive drivers.
Some efforts have already begun. This past weekend one DWI arrest was made in Cole County and 406 vehicles were stopped during a checkpoint at U.S. 54 on Hammond Drive. \
As a part of the statewide effort to make the roads safer, Columbia will participate in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled over campaign July 3-7, 2013.
Chris Perkins is the trafficking unit supervisor for the Columbia Police Department. He says the location of the checkpoint is kept confidential but is intentionally designated.
“It’s a designated location that we pick, that we have criteria that we use based on crisis in the area, that might be impaired driving, a lot of DWI arrests occur in this area,” Perkins said. “So it’s not just we randomly picking a location, we have factors that we look at.”
Perkins also says he hopes this will deter people from driving drunk.
“We don’t care if people go out and party, have a good time, all that stuff,” Perkins said. Just plan ahead and have a safe ride home, and that’s what our ultimate goal is.”
Last year there was a checkpoint in Columbia on July sixth at Rangeline near Blue Ridge. Five D-W-I arrests were made.