Petaluma police announce DUI checkpoint

The Petaluma Police Department plans to hold a DUI checkpoint this Friday at “an undisclosed location” to check drivers for proper licensing and signs of drug or alcohol impairment, according to a news release.

The checkpoint will be between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. Friday, March 15. Its location will be “chosen with safety considerations for officers and the public,” police said. Past locations for checkpoints have included East Washington Street, Petaluma Boulevard North and Sonoma Mountain Parkway.

This will be the first checkpoint of the year, said Sgt. Walt Spiller.

Police said they will focus on an area with a statistically higher frequency of collisions and DUI arrests, giving officers “the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence.” DUI checkpoints are a “proven resource” to reduce the number of people killed and injured in crashes involving drugs or alcohol, according to the release.

Petaluma police made 325 DUI arrests in 2022, according to the department’s 2022 annual report.

Police encourage drivers who visit and travel around Petaluma to plan ahead by either designating a sober driver, using a ride share service or calling a taxi.

Drivers caught with a first-time DUI will have their license suspended and face fees ranging from $13,500 to $20,000.

The DUI checkpoint was funded by a grant through the California Office of Traffic Safety via the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

You can reach Staff Writer Jennifer Sawhney at 707-521-5346 or jennifer.sawhney@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @sawhney_media.