Zachary Staab
Assoc. News Editor

An officer interviews a vehicles passangers at the DUI Checkpoint.
An officer interviews a vehicles passangers at the DUI Checkpoint.

The small town of Millersville, PA is a little safer from drunk drivers after the Millersville University Police Department (MUPD) and the Millersville Borough Police Department (MBPD) conducted a Joint DUI Checkpoint on April 5, 2013. The operation, a first-ever occurrence at the university, was supported by a grant that MBPD received from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. As drivers passed North George Street and East Cottage Avenue, diamond shaped signs and orange cones were clearly visible to alert drivers of the approaching DUI Checkpoint on the 100 Block of North George Street.
During the procedure, 324 vehicle operators were screened for roughly 30 seconds by an officer, then they were allowed continue pursuing their original driving destination. “We arrested eight people on suspicion of driving under the influence,” said Howard Bauman, Deputy Chief of Police at Millersville University, “Seven of those individuals had blood drawn.” One individual, Bauman explained, refused to have his blood drawn and was consequently charged with DUI, which will result in a 12 month driving suspension from Penndot. Charges are pending the result of chemical analysis for blood alcohol content.
In addition to officers from MUPD and MUBD, three Security Officers, two student interns, and two student dispatchers from Millersville University assisted with the check-point. The combined efforts from both police departments, in recent years, has lowered the number of drivers under the influence through education initiatives and public awareness programs. “This checkpoint was not just to enforce the law but also to educate and hopefully prevent DUI in our shared community, “ said John Rochat, Millersville Police Chief. “Publicizing DUI enforcement is nearly as important as the enforcement itself.”

A sign warns drivers of a sobriety checkpoint on the 100 Block of North George Street.
A sign warns drivers of a sobriety checkpoint on the 100 Block of North George Street.

The main goal of the DUI Check-point is to reduce drunk driving deaths and accidents in the community. Almost all drivers were appreciative of offers checking for sobriety to improve safety. Bauman concluded that the operation was a success, and that both police departments are interested in performing a second DUI Check-point in the future.

 

This article was updated on January 9, 2019 to remove the names of students who were listed as being suspected of DUI violations. While up to each editorial board to determine publication standards, the current leadership no longer sees the need to keep the names published in any form, even with updated wording.