Massachusetts DUI Sobriety Checkpoint Scheduled for Saturday, April 10, 2010

The Massachusetts State Police recently announced that it will conduct a new “Sobriety Checkpoint” beginning Saturday, April 10, 2010 and continuing into Sunday, April 11, 2010. This roadblock will take place during varied hours on a secondary state highway in Hampden County. Hampden County is comprised of the cities of Holyoke, Springfield, and Chicopee, and several dozen towns.
The State Police often team up with local law enforcement when operating these checkpoints, which may utilize over a dozen officers at a time as well as mobile breath testing equipment. Many of these roadblocks are part of the nationwide “Over The Limit, Under Arrest” mobilization, for which state and federal grant money is used to fund police overtime, equipment and education.
The constitutionality of these checkpoints were recently upheld by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. However, the police must strictly comply with the many requirements that the Court has outlined, and the failure to do so may result in the exclusion of all evidence obtained against a defendant.
If you are arrested following a DUI roadblock or “sobriety checkpoint,” contact an attorney who knows how to defend these cases successfully. Call Brooks & Crowley LLP at 781-251-0555.