Motorists are required to stop at the checkpoints so troopers can check for intoxicated drivers, according to Massachusetts State Police Col. Marian McGovern (pictured).
SPRINGFIELD – Sobriety checkpoints aimed at nabbing drunken drivers are scheduled for Hampden and Worcester counties, according to Massachusetts State Police Col. Marian J. McGovern, superintendent of the statewide law enforcement agency.
The Hampden County checkpoint will be established at an undisclosed location on Friday, May 18, and will continue into early Saturday, May 19, while the Worcester County checkpoint will be in effect from Saturday, May 19, through early Sunday, May 20, McGovern said.
The purpose of the roadblocks is to "educate the motoring public and strengthen the public's awareness to the need of detecting and removing those motorists who operate under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs from our roadways," the colonel said in a release.
McGovern said the checkpoints will be held during "varied hours" and the selection of vehicles will not be arbitrary, but rather all motorists entering checkpoints will be stopped and scrutinized. Any inconveniences to motorists will be minimized, "with advance notice to reduce fear and anxiety," she said.
The routine roadblocks, which crop up at various locations throughout the year, are funded by a grant from the Highway Safety Division of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.