State Police Sobriety Checkpoint Planned For Next Weekend

Labor Day and the busy summer season have come and gone in Essex County, but that doesn’t mean that the State Police will be any less vigilant in its pursuit of drunk drivers.

There will be a sobriety checkpoint in Essex County next weekend, according to Massachusetts State Police Colonel Richard McKeon.

State Police officials are not saying where the checkpoint or checkpoints will be, other than that they will take place in the county from Saturday, Sept. 19 and into Sunday, Sept. 20.

The purpose of the sobriety checkpoint is to educate the public and strengthen its awareness of the need to detect and remove those motorists who operate under the influence of alcohol and drugs from the roadways, according to State Police officials. They state that the checkpoints will operate during varied hours and that the selection of vehicles will not be arbitrary, the safety of the public will be assured, and any inconvenience to motorists will be minimized with advance notice to reduce fear and anxiety.

The sobriety checkpoints are funded through a grant from the Highway Safety Division of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.