Today, in my email inbox I found a press release from the Orange County Sheriff's Department with a schedule of "DUI mobilizations" aimed at stopping drunk drivers. Aside from the debate on the constitutionality of randomly detaining and investigating drivers without cause or warrant, the press release shows that the City of La Habra will be the focus of attention from August 27 through September 4. Cops plan on having 6 separate activities during this 9 day period ranging from saturation patrols to checkpoints. For some reason, there is NO
enforcement activity scheduled for La Habra over Labor Day weekend.
Compare La Habra, a city of 63,000, to Anaheim, a city of 354,000, which will have only 4 stepped up DUI related enforcements. If La Habra has 1 DUI mobilization per 10,000 residents, Anaheim must need 35 DUI mobilizations for the same period of time! Those rough numbers work for Placentia's DUI mobilization, too. But Anaheim will get there 4 just like tiny Placentia. Since the number's aren't consistent, my guess is that law enforcement experts base the saturations and checkpoints on some other statistical data, such as past arrests, number of alcohol permits, etc. So why then is Fullerton, a city of 130,000 and countless bars, not mentioned?
Whatever the reason, if you are going to consider having a drink, have a designated driver and stay far from La Habra!
I think I know the answer. You can't do a check point on a freeway. La Habra is one of the few cities in O.C. with absolutely no freeways through or even near it.
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