Seal Beach DUI Checkpoint Set for Saturday

The Seal Beach Police Department, girding for impaired pre-New Year's revelers, is setting up a DUI checkpoint for Saturday from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m.

The effort is part of the Avoid the 38 Task Force, whose name refers to agencies banding together to curb impaired driving.

The task force says it isn't playing around. "If you are caught driving impaired, you will be arrested," said Deputy Wayne Howard with the O.C. Sheriff's Department's traffic bureau. "No warnings. No excuses.”

DUI violators can face jail time, the task force reminds drivers, as well as loss of a driver's license and financial consequences that include higher insurance rates, court and attorney fees and the potential loss of job.

Throughout the campaign, the Sheriff’s Department and Laguna Beach, Irvine, Tustin and La Palma police departments have planned DUI saturation patrols. Other agencies have announced these schedules:

• Placentia police: Dec. 31, 8 p.m.-3 a.m.

Remaining scheduled DUI/driver's license checkpoints:

• Anaheim: Dec. 29, 7 p.m.-3 a.m.
• Buena Park, Placentia: Dec. 29, 7 p.m.-3 a.m.

The Sheriff’s Department and Buena Park police have planned to conduct DUI warrant service operations during the campaign but will not announce the dates.

The task force's holiday campaign began Dec. 14 and has included driver’s license checkpoints, DUI saturation patrols, strike team patrols and DUI warrant/probation sweep.

Grant funding for the Orange County effort comes from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.