CBS New Pittsburgh reports that police in PA are forced to move DUI checkpoints because people warn each other about them over Facebook and Twitter:
Social Media Forcing Police To Change DUI Checkpoint Tactics
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The night before Thanksgiving is a traditional party night, and that means police are out looking for drunk drivers.
But social media has forced officers to change their tactics.
Sgt. Doug Ogden, from Moon Township Police, says as soon as they set up a DUI checkpoint, people begin warning others on Twitter and Facebook of the exact location.
DUI checkpoints are horribly inefficient and less than 1% of drivers stopped are actually arrested. When questioned about this, the police tout the deterrent affect of these checkpoints (there is about as much evidence for this as there is for the Boogie Man). They say that drunk drivers find out about checkpoints and stay off the road. If that really is the case, then why are they bothered by people warning each other over social media? Shouldn’t they be happy that more drunk driver are finding out about it and staying of the roads?
Is it about safety or is it about money?
The truth of the matter is the intent behind these DUI roadblocks is to make money. Deterring drunk drivers and protecting the public are secondary. This is why we find DUI checkpoints to be an unwarranted intrusion in to the private lives of law abiding citizens.
If you would like to be alerted about DUI checkpoints in PA or would like to report a checkpoint, please go to:
https://www.paduiblog.com/pa-dui/thanksgiving-dui-checkpoints-in-pa/
Justin McShane
PA DUI attorney Justin J. McShane is the President/CEO of The McShane Firm, LLC - Pennsylvania's top criminal law and DUI law firm. He is the highest rated DUI attorney in PA as rated by Avvo.com. Justin McShane is a double Board certified attorney. He is the first and so far the only Pennsylvania attorney to achieve American Bar Association recognized board certification in DUI defense from the National College for DUI Defense, Inc. He is also a Board Certified Criminal Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, a Pennsylvania Supreme Court Approved Agency.