Dennis RomeroUpdated after the jump with new location. First posted at 12:05 p.m. Thursday.
This weekend the LAPD is going to be on you like orange on Snooki. Seriously. And the DUI is a gift that keeps on giving — fines, attorney's fees, community service, increased insurance costs.
You don't want Santa to bring you one of these.
So, without further adieu, here is is LA Weekly's weekend DUI checkpoint guide (and a little explanation about why we publish these):
Friday DUI checkpoints:
-7 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Florence and Wadsworth avenues in South L.A.
Update: Ha! They tricked you. You have to be on your toes to keep up with the po-pos. If you're already drunk, then, sorry, but here's the new location: Slauson Avenue and Olive Street, South L.A.
-7 p.m. to 12 a.m. at Manchester Avenue and Figueroa Street in South L.A.
-8 p.m. to 3 a.m. at Reseda Boulevard and Gault Street in Reseda.
-7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. at Highland and De Longpre avenues in Hollywood.
-8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Los Feliz Boulevard and Riverside Drive in Los Feliz.
Saturday DUI checkpoints:
-7 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Olympic Boulevard and Blaine Street in Westlake.
-8 p.m. to 3 a.m. at Lankershim Boulevard and Erwin Street in North Hollywood.
-7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. at Vermont Avenue and 12th Street in Koreatown.
-8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Roscoe Boulevard and Haskell Avenue in North Hills.
Sunday DUI checkpoint:
-12 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the LAPD's Harbor patrol area (no specific streets given).
Now, why do we do this?
First of all, the LAPD sends us notices with the hope that we (the media) will publicize the checkpoints.
While you might think that the element of surprise is key for cops trying to catch drunk drivers, the department also relies on high visibility to scare people into not getting behind the wheel when they've been drinking.
It's a big part of the LAPD's strategy: Getting the word out that officers will be on the lookout. It makes a relatively small department look bigger.
The same reasoning goes behind cops driving black-and-white patrol cars with red-and-blue lightbars instead of going stealth and sneaking up on crime. People feel safer when they see police, and criminals cringe.
Does it work when it comes to DUI enforcement? We don't know.
But don't blame us for publicizing these things. The LAPD wants you to beware.
Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.