This Friday, the first checkpoint will be at Miles Road and Green in Bedford Heights. Police will stop drivers will be stopped at random looking for DUI offenders. Meanwhile, 7 police departments surrounding that location will increase street patrols.
Called Operation Wolf Pack, this checkpoint and saturation patrol combination will be repeated in different locations throughout Cuyahoga every Friday and Saturday until September 1st. Bedford Heights Commander Mark Kwiatkowski is a spokesman for the DUI Initiative. He says checkpoints publicize the dangers of drunk driving and over the years people are becoming more responsible.
Mark Kwiatkowski: We're getting better - the stats are showing we're getting better. But the stats will also show you that if in fact we don't go out and do these initiatives, all of a sudden the alcohol related crashed seem to rise a little bit.
Last year, 26 people died in Cuyahoga County from drunk driving accidents. In the first half of this year there have been only six.
The following areas have been targeted for the Wolf Pack details:
Friday, August 17
Miles Road / I-480 / SR 43 - The briefing will begin at 10 p.m. at the Bedford Heights sobriety checkpoint on Miles Road at I-480; nine police departments will be working the detail at this location.
Broadway Road - The briefing will begin at 11 p.m. on Fleet at E. 55th; five police departments will be working the detail at this location.
Saturday, August 18
Rockside Road / I-480 / I-77 / Broadview Rd. - The briefing will begin at 10 p.m. at the Seven Hills/Parma combined sobriety checkpoint on Broadview Road at E. Sprague; seven police departments will be working the detail at this location.
Broadway - seven police departments will be working the detail at this location.
Friday, August 24
Mayfield / I-271 - The briefing will begin at 10 p.m. at the South Euclid sobriety checkpoint at 4130 Mayfield Road; five police departments will be working the detail at this location.
Euclid Ave. - The briefing will begin at 11 p.m. on E. 185th at Neff; three police departments will be working the detail at this location.
Saturday, August 25
Columbia Road - The briefing will begin at 11 p.m. at the Olmsted Falls sobriety checkpoint on Columbia Road one mile south of I-480; eight police departments will be working the detail at this location.
Lorain / I-90 - The briefing will begin at 10 p.m. on Lorain at W. 150th; five police departments will be working the detail at this location.
Friday, August 31
Royalton Road - The briefing will begin at 10 p.m. at the North Royalton sobriety checkpoint on Royalton Road at Abbey; five police departments will be working the detail at this location.
US 42 / SR 3 - The briefing will begin at 11 p.m. at W. 25th at Franklin; five police departments will be working the detail at this location.
Saturday, September 1
Mayfield Road / I-271 - The briefing will begin at 10 p.m. at the Lyndhurst sobriety checkpoint on Mayfield Road.; five police departments will be working the detail at this location.
E. 185th / SR 2 / Euclid Ave. - The briefing will begin at 11 p.m. at the Euclid sobriety checkpoint (location TBD); two police departments will be working the detail at this location.