Ohio proved reluctant to institute DUI checkpoints throughout the state. However, after years of debate, checkpoints appeared in Columbus, OH, as part of an effort to curb drunk driving in the area. The state publicly announced the location of these checkpoints and affirmed that, despite constitutional concerns, they didn’t violate anyone’s rights.
Prior to this debut, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office had checkpoints throughout the county for over 17 years. Representatives hoped that the checkpoints would educate the public about the consequences of drunk driving while simultaneously improving local safety.
However, the checkpoints aren’t universally well-received. Criminal defense attorney Brad Koffel argues that the checkpoints are part of a larger PR stunt and not an actual attempt by the state to curb DUIs. He instead argues that checkpoints should appear around Columbus’s arena district instead of “misusing taxpayer money throughout the city.”
When the local police department countered and told Koffel that funds for the checkpoints came from a grant, Koffel held firm. He reminded officers that there was no concrete proof that the checkpoints would reduce local DUIs.
