Collegiate Times

The Virginia Tech Police Department has been setting up DUI checkpoints on West Campus Drive, Southgate Drive and occasionally on Washington Street for the past decade.

West Campus Drive and Southgate Drive have become popular locations to set up checkpoints. The police consider these spots to be at high risk for traffic-related accidents because of the fact that the road design cuts through campus and serves as a corridor for faculty, students and local residents. Washington Street is also a viable option for the Police Department because of its popularity for motorists and construction.

Sgt. Scott Poff of the VTPD has been coordinating the DUI checkpoints for four years. Checkpoints can be set up anywhere on the Tech campus, though the police department has the ultimate say in their final location.

"When we choose sites, we also have to take into account site distance, additional room to put in support vehicles and lighting," Poff said.

Sgt. Poff is in charge of coordinating with various law enforcement agencies, mainly the Montgomery County police, the state police and occasionally the local Blacksburg police, to provide additional assistance at the checkpoints if needed.

"(At) the West Campus Drive checkpoint, our plan says we need 10 officers, but we usually go well beyond with 20 or 25 officers," Poff said. "We need a minimum of 10 for Washington Street, but once again, we go above and beyond. The biggest thing with the checkpoint is, once word gets out, people will hopefully avoid driving intoxicated. It's a good deterrent."

The Virginia Tech Police Department last set up a DUI checkpoint on Nov. 1, 2008, in an effort to eliminate intoxicated drivers from the road and thus reduce the chances of injury.

The Nov. 1 checkpoint, set up on Southgate Drive from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. and then on West Campus Drive from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m., was considered a success by the VTPD. The checkpoint resulted in 80 individuals receiving arrests and summons.

Of these 80, the most serious offenses consisted of two individuals driving under the influence, 20 underage possession charges, two possession of marijuana charges, and one individual was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to sell. A total of 361 vehicles were checked at Southgate Drive, while 426 vehicles were checked on West Campus Drive.

The checkpoints are required to be set up 48 hours prior to being implemented. The form, which describes the plans to be implemented, VTPD 214, is a diagram showing how things will be set up and what lanes will be used. The form also has dates and times that the checkpoint is to be set up and provides an alternate location to use in case something unforeseen, such as lack of adequate lighting, occurs. The plan includes what agencies will be participating in the checkpoint.

"We know these checkpoints are successful in removing some impaired drivers from the road and arresting them, but it's difficult to measure what you're preventing," Assistant Chief of Police for the VTPD Thomas Foster said.

The Blacksburg Police Department is responsible for setting up the checkpoints off campus.

"The department has a list of predetermined locations," Lt. Joe Davis said. "We have 10 to 20 locations around town that are justified by local traffic data and approved by local judges."

Davis considers their checkpoints a success because they serve as a deterrent and added that, "Anytime you limit intoxicated drivers, you drop the chances of someone getting seriously injured."

The last Blacksburg Police Department checkpoint that was in operation was on March 21, 2009. The checkpoint, set up in the 1900 block of South Main Street, resulted in more than 30 traffic related charges, none of them DUI related.

Neither police department discloses when it will hold a checkpoint - once a judge approves the location, the department may decide when and where (from among the list of permitted sites) to set up.

"We see a lot of encouraging things at checkpoints, such as students that are using designated drivers, organizations that are being responsible," Foster said. "We are always thankful when student organizations who are holding parties are being responsible; this is good. Our main goal is to make sure everyone gets home safely."