Law-enforcement officers with the Avoid the 12 task force arrested 10 people at a St. Patrick’s Day sobriety checkpoint for driving under the influence.
More than 600 vehicles passed through the Chapala Street checkpoint, which was staffed Tuesday by police officers and sheriff’s deputies from throughout Santa Barbara County. California Highway Patrol officers also arrested four while conducting saturation patrols looking for impaired drivers.
Avoid the 12 combines personnel and resources to target impaired drivers and takes its name from the county’s 12 law-enforcement agencies: state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, CHP, California State Park police, U.S. Forest Service, Guadalupe Police Department, Allan Hancock College Police Department, Lompoc Police Department, Santa Barbara Police Department, Sheriff’s Department, Santa Maria Police Department, UCSB Police Department and Vandenberg Air Force Base Security Forces Squadron. The squad will also be patrolling for Cinco de Mayo, May 5.
— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at lcooper@noozhawk.com.
