Sobriety Checkpoint Operations

L. R. Bob Jacob, Director, Institute of Police

Technology and Management
Charles Andrew, Major, Alabama Department of
Public Safety

Developing a Foundation
Purpose of Sobriety

Checkpoints
Securing Appropriate
Staffing
Mutual Aid
Support Personnel

Community Support
Public Speaking

Special Interest Groups

Agency Policy
Purpose
Authorization
Media Notification
Site Selection
Operational Plan
Michigan vs. Sitz

Operational Plan
The most critical factor to a

roadblock
Purpose of the Plan
Plan should include:

Who is in charge
Job duties of those involved
Arrest procedures, processing
Documentation of the operation

Problem Identification/ Site

Selection
Traffic History
Alcohol and Drug related crashes
High volume of Traffic Violations
Safety
Speed of traffic
Other conditions
Officer safety is important!

Planning
Authorization
Follow department policy
Approval from High Level Administrator
Traffic Engineering
Motorist and Checkpoint Personnel safety
Obtain Traffic count
Should follow MUTCD
Ask DOT to review plan
Site Property Owner
Permission
Interference with business
Cleanliness

Planning
Assisting Agencies and Companies
Give them advanced notice !!!!
Tow companies
Jail
Breath Testing operators
Fire rescue
Citizen groups
MADD

Planning
Media Coordination
Press release
Increases the deterrent effect
Handled by CO or PIO
Timely
Send them your After Action Report
ASAP !!!!

Planning
Media Coordination
Access to the checkpoint
Access
Set a policy
Be as liberal as possible

Restrictions
CO can limit access as a safety

concern

Planning
Equipment and Facilities
Port-a-potties
Cone and barricades
Advanced signage
Breath Testing Equipment
Message Boards
Light Towers
Camera Equipment
Prisoner Transport

Planning
Site Selection
Conducive Area
Street lights
Portable lighting
Large area
Clear open parking lot
Room for various types of equipment
Room to pull vehicles off for interviews
Room for SFST

Planning
OFFICER SAFETY !!!!!
Agency Approved Uniform
Traffic Vest
Flashlights with light cones
Emergency lights activated at checkpoint

entrance
Wide enough lanes

Planning
Site Considerations
SFST/video testing area
Breath testing area
Booking area
Detention area
Approach lanes
Check Point Lanes
Ticket Staging Area
Vehicle Staging Area

Personnel Selection and

Positions
Command Officer (CO)
Responsibility
Lead member of supervisory rank
Coordinate all checkpoint activities,

staffing, operations, briefing, debriefing,

and overall supervision

Personnel Selection and

Positions
Qualifications
High Caliber, well trained
Proven proficiency in detection of impaired
drivers
Accurately perform SFSTs
Willingness to participate fully in checkpoint
activities !!!!!!!!!

Personnel Selection and

Positions
Initial Contact Procedures
Each agency/Checkpoint sponsor must

adopt and document its own initial

contact statement
Based on needs and ops plan for CRSC
The Checkpoint line personnel must
follow the approved statement, without
deviation

Personnel Selection and

Positions
Roving Patrol Officers (RPO) optional
Patrol adjacent roadways
Make stops as violations occur
Transport drivers to be arrested to the CRSC
and process as if stopped in the CRSC
Public Information Officer (PIO)
Should handle all press releases
Needs to be on scene if press is on scene

Personnel Selection and

Positions
Traffic Control Person (TCP) Optional
Walks CRSC checking traffic control devices
Can survey drivers waiting to enter the
checkpoint
Can see if drivers change position prior to
reaching the line
K-9 Officer (optional)
Follow procedures set forth in the ops plan

Personnel Selection and

Positions
Other Specialized Persons
Multi-lingual personnel
DRE

Checkpoint Operations
Pre-Checkpoint Operations
Task must be performed prior to the

checkpoint and must be documented in the

OPS plan
Approval of the checkpoint from appropriate
authority

Checkpoint Operations
Site selection

Based on appropriate criteria

Notification and permission of

property owners
Approval of traffic flow plan (if
required)
Site diagram prepared and attached
to OPS plan

Checkpoint Operations
PIO does CRSC press release
Interagency Notification
Officer Notification

Checkpoint Operations
Checkpoint Briefing
Everyone participating must attend the

briefing and sign in

Sign in sheet
Should be held in a controlled area
Review officer safety issues

Checkpoint Operations
Contact Procedures
Use of Standard Greeting

Checkpoint Operations
Set Up
CO will designate set up crew
Equipment to set up may include
Traffic cones
Portable lighting
Video equipment
Intoxilyzer
Generators
Sign boards

Checkpoint Operations
Arrest Procedures
Should be outlined in the OPS plan
Arrest documentation
Each officer should fill out an activity log and

turn it in during the debriefing

Checkpoint Operations
Site Conditions and Maintenance
CO should monitor all areas of the CRSC
Traffic control personnel should maintain
approach area
CO should take corrective action

Checkpoint Operations

Proper coordination
No plan is perfect, the CO

should make changes as

needed (Document !!!!)

Checkpoint Operations
Items that require monitoring
Assignments
Officer Safety
Safety of civilians
Adjust traffic flow and selection

sequence (document)
Document all changes

Checkpoint Operations
DOCUMENTATION
Extremely Important in maintaining the

integrity of the stops and arrest made

The Data Collection Scribe should
document all changes or activities

Checkpoint Operations
Information that should be collected
Time CRSC opened
Number of vehicles that passed through the
CRSC
Number of vehicles diverted into the CRSC
Time CRSC closed
Changes in the stop sequence and why
Unreasonable delays and why
Periodic time checks of flow (15 minutes)

Checkpoint Operations
Data Collection Sheet

What ever means is used to collect the

data will be scrutinized by the court

Should include
Name of scribe
Date of CRSC
Start time
Stop Time

Checkpoint Operations
Total number of vehicles passed

through the CRSC

Total number of vehicles diverted
and stopped
Average delay
Change of Sequence
Traffic Back ups
Resume after traffic back up
Number of oversized vehicles
stopped and checked

Checkpoint Operations
Tear Down
Officers wear safety vest
Use marked vehicles with emergency
equipment
Insure all equipment is returned
Clean up

Checkpoint Operations
Press Information Dissemination
Release
ASAP
Just send stats, they can get after action
report later
Send After-action report to:
SAO
Head of lead agency
Head of each agency
Drivers license- Administrative hearing office
Media
Any agency with interest