Long Beach police say they’ll be looking for drivers under the influence and anyone behind the wheel without a valid license at a checkpoint scheduled for Friday night from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Police said the checkpoint would be in the South Patrol Division, which covers the Downtown and Alamitos Beach areas and is bordered to the north by Anaheim Street.
The Long Beach Police Department didn’t say exactly where the checkpoint would be placed, but they said the location was picked based on data about DUI incidents and crashes.
“The primary purpose of DUI checkpoints is to promote public safety by taking suspected impaired drivers off the road,” police said in a statement.
Police emphasized that driving under the influence of cannabis — not just alcohol — is illegal. Certain prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications can also interfere with driving.
“Drivers charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license,” police said.
The checkpoint is being paid for with grant funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.