San Mateo Police will kick off this holiday season's enforcement of drunk-driving laws with a checkpoint tonight somewhere in the city, although the exact location will remain a secret in an effort to surprise drunk drivers. The location of the checkpoint will not be determined until 9 p.m. and it will begin soon after and run until 2 to 3 p.m. depending on the volume, said San Mateo Sgt. Kevin Raffaelli.
"This is the beginning stage, we're getting ready for the holiday season," he said. "We do these checkpoints to reduce the number of drunk drivers and accidents," Raffaelli said, adding that, most people have four day weekends, and with that often comes partying and drinking. "We're really going to be out there to say don't drink and drive."
After Thanksgiving, police agencies throughout San Mateo County will begin a program they call "Avoid the 23" - run jointly by all 23 law enforcement agencies in the county. Last year's program was successful and Raffaelli hopes this year's will be as well. Last Christmas season, San Mateo proudly led the county in arrests during the two-week period from before Christmas through New Year's, according to Raffaelli.
The concept for "Avoid the 23" began a number of years ago in Alameda County, where it was called "Avoid the 13". San Mateo County's 23 law enforcement agencies then decided to work together and put officers on the streets specifically to curb drunk driving. This year the Chairperson of the county's program is Redwood City Police Chief Carlos Bolanos.
"This year as with every other holiday season we are putting a significant number of police officers out there to vigorously enforce drunk driving laws," Bolanos said. "We've been fortunate in our county to not have had any deaths during the holiday season for many years."
Every department in the county will have law enforcement agents out on the roads to enforce drunk driving laws, Bolanos said. Redwood City will have its first checkpoint of the holiday season on Dec. 15.
San Mateo will continue checkpoints, mostly on Friday and Saturday, this holiday season beginning around mid-December, Raffaelli said.
All the agencies in the county hope to work together through "Avoid the 23" and prevent accidents this season. "People should know they can't drink and drive and they will not be able to avoid the 23," Raffaelli said.
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