Sobriety checkpoints to start in the KMC

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RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  Security forces personnel, accompanied by key leaders from local units, will begin conducting sobriety checkpoints throughout the KMC beginning in November as part of an overall campaign to decrease drunken driving.

According to the 569th U.S. Forces Police Squadron, the average blood alcohol level for those arrested in the KMC in the last year is approximately 0.15 blood alcohol concentration, or BAC. While that number is clearly above the legal limit of 0.05, an individual with this level of intoxication is also not safe to drive.

"They represent an extreme danger to themselves and all others sharing the road with them," said Capt. Justin Secrest, 569th USFPS operations officer. "The upcoming sobriety checkpoints are a means to mitigate this problem by giving individuals cause to reflect on consequences and to make proper choices - the correct choice needs to be simply, if you drink any amount of alcohol, do not drive."

While commander's calls and marketing campaigns traditionally serve as popular avenues to address the issue of DUIs, sobriety checkpoints offer security forces personnel a hands-on approach for an issue that seems to increase during the holiday months.

"Our intent is to not only raise the public's perception of being arrested for a DUI, but also to identify drivers impaired by alcohol or other drugs," the captain said, adding that November is traditionally one of the worst months for DUIs.

To accomplish those goals, the checkpoints will consist of an assortment of techniques to identify drunk drivers: passive (alcohol sensing wand) and active alcohol sensing (portable breathalyzer tests), standard field sobriety tests, Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus testing, along with traditional patrolman observations.

"If a driver is under the influence, they will be identified as such," Captain Secrest said, adding that individuals will not be able to avoid the checkpoint or to somehow mask intoxication.

Individuals suspected of being under the influence of alcohol will be processed through drunken driving apprehension techniques and tested by breath or blood.

"While we hope to not have a spike in the numbers, we know these checkpoints are a vital tool in educating our Airmen," said Col. Gus Green, 435th Air Base Wing vice commander. "Driving impaired, no matter how many drinks you've had or how you think you feel, is simply not worth the risk. You risk killing or severely injuring yourself and others - not to mention trauma, financial costs of a crash and arrest, and possibly the end of your military career."

(Information provided by the 435th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Office)