Police Begin Efforts To Curb DUIs

From the Newark Police Department

The will once again participate in a county-wide DUI enforcement campaign referred to as “Avoid the 21”.

This effort is intended to curb the increased number of impaired drivers found on the roadways during the Holiday Season.

The department plans to employ sobriety checkpoints, deployment of dedicated DUI enforcement units, and saturation patrol to remove impaired drivers from our roadways.

Avoid the 21 is a campaign sponsored by the Office of Traffic Safety and the Alameda County Chiefs of Police Association.

There are 21 separate law enforcement agencies in Alameda County and the program is based on education and zero tolerance enforcement of driving while under the influence. The campaign runs from December 16, 2011 through January 1, 2012.

Avoid the 21 is a campaign sponsored by the Office of Traffic Safety and the Alameda County Chiefs of Police Association. Including the Newark Police Department, there are 21 separate participating law enforcement agencies in Alameda County. The program is based on education and zero tolerance enforcement of driving while under the influence.

During this time, and for the entire year, the Newark Police Department seeks your help in spotting and reporting suspected drunk drivers. Possible indicators include vehicles that are swerving or weaving in and out of lanes, traveling much slower than traffic, perhaps without headlights, or being driven aggressively.

Call 9-1-1 to report a suspected drunk driver. You do not have to give your name, but do give a complete description of the vehicle with license plate number if possible. Give the exact location of the vehicle and direction of travel.

Do not try to stop the vehicle or detain the driver. Leave that to a law enforcement officer.

Arrive alive don't drink and drive!

See the full enforcement schedule below via the Avoid the 21 website:

• Friday, Dec. 16: Avoid the 21 Strike Night, Livermore Community Center, 4444 East Ave., Livermore: 200 officers from most jurisdictions in the county will assemble for briefing, dinner, advanced training. The will be deployed to Fremont, Hayward and Union City for DUI saturation patrols until early morning.

• Saturday, Dec. 17: 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.: Alameda Police Sobriety Checkpoint-Within City limits, no further.

• Sunday, Dec. 18: 3 p.m. briefing, 66th Ave. at Coliseum Way, Oakland. 25-member Avoid the 21 Strike Team deployed to find Oakland Raiders’ fans who have had too much to drink before an during the contest with the Detroit Lions.

• Thursday, Dec. 22: 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. San Leandro Police Sobriety Checkpoint-14800 block of East Fourteenth St., San Leandro.

• Friday, Dec. 23: 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.-Union City Police Sobriety Checkpoint-Alvarado-Niles Rd. at H St.

• California Highway Patrol, Dublin, Hayward, Oakland, Castro Valley Area Commands: Maximum Enforcement Period: From 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 23, through midnight Christmas Day, Dec. 25.

• Thursday, Dec. 29: 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.-Newark Police Sobriety Checkpoint-Within City limits, no further.

• California Highway Patrol, Dublin, Hayward, Oakland, Castro Valley Area Commands: Maximum Enforcement Period: From 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 30, through midnight New Year’s Day, Jan. 1.

• Nightly DUI saturation patrols by the Livermore Police Dept. and Alameda County Sheriff’s Office.

• Periodic DUI saturation patrols by police in Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Dublin, E. Bay Regional Park District, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Newark, Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro, U.C. Berkeley, Union City.