The L.A. County Sheriff's Department today boasted that cops have taken down 1,028 alleged drunk drivers since Dec. 16, when a massive drunk-driving crackdown for the holidays launched throughout the region.

That number is 104 more than for the same period last year.

The operation is part of “Avoid the 100,” which refers to the 100 law enforcement agencies that have geared up statewide to bust drunk drivers. The California Highway Patrol is on “maximum enforcement” duty this weekend, too. According to the sheriff's department:

Task Force operations and local Roving DUI patrols are all part of this region-wide crackdown during the 17-day Winter Holiday Campaign.

The CHP (and many police agencies) will be deploying all available officers during their Maximum Enforcement Period this holiday weekend; Friday 6 PM through midnight Monday.

Sheriff's officials say that even regular patrol units in municipal departments, which sometimes don't like to deal with DUI arrests because they're a pain in the paperwork, are on the lookout.

The LAPD has let us know about the following DUI checkpoints and “saturation” patrols scheduled through New Year's Day:

Friday, December 23, 2011 – Sobriety Checkpoint from 8 PM to 2 AM at Ventura Boulevard at Big Oak Drive in North Hollywood Area;

Friday, December 23, 2011 – Sobriety Checkpoint from 8 PM to 2 AM at Sunset Boulevard at Coronado Street in Northeast Area;

Friday, December 23, 2011 – Sobriety Checkpoint from 8 PM to 2 AM at Santa Monica Boulevard at Bronson Avenue in Hollywood Area;

Friday, December 23, 2011 – Sobriety Checkpoint from 7 PM to 1 AM at Western Avenue at Slauson Avenue in 77th Street Area;

Thursday, December 29, 2011 – Saturation Patrol from 5 PM to 1 AM in Olympic Area;

Friday, December 30, 2011 – Sobriety Checkpoint from 8 PM to 2 AM at Figueroa Street at 9th Street in Central Area;

Friday, December 30, 2011 – Sobriety Checkpoint from 8 PM to 2 AM at Van Nuys Boulevard at Haddon Avenue in Foothill Area;

Saturday, December 31, 2011 – Sobriety Checkpoint from 8 PM to 2 AM at Lincoln Boulevard at Maxella Avenue in Pacific Area; and,

Sunday, January 1, 2012 – DUI Saturation Patrol from 2 PM to 10 PM in Mission Area.

Happy holidays.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

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