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Posted by Jonathan E. Rooker | Jan 17, 2018 | 0 Comments

Where have the DUI Checkpoints been located?

DUI Checkpoints have been a hot topic in the news as of late.  Fresno is one of the leading areas with some of the highest rates of DUI and Checkpoints in the Nation.  Some people hope to avoid the DUI Checkpoints by installing apps on their smartphones and sharing or checking the information to avoid the hassle and inconvienance of driving through a DUE Checkpoint.  There have been recent youtube videos showing people "asserting their rights" at a DUI checkpoint by refusing to answer any questions, asking if they have been detained or if they are free to go, or even using a ziplock plastic  bag to pass their license and registration to the officer rather than roll down their window and speak with them.  Here is a list of the recent locations of DUI Checkpoints.

The Most recent was January 16th on Brawley ave near the intersection with Clinton.  This is near an areas of nice homes from middle class families and also near the 99 Freeway, Old 99 and some smaller less affluent bars and homes.  A real mixed bag of people would be expected, but as always a high traffic.

Fresno avenue was targeted two more times in January.  Once at Belmont in a what I suspect was a drug, DUI, gang combination and again at Barstow, which would be a College and Fraternity checkpoint for the most part.  Ashlan avenue was targeted at the Marks intersection, which was probable a mixed bag of arrests.

On New Years Even there was a checkpoint on East Belmont Ave at the crossroad of North San Pablo Ave.  This checkpoint is located near the tower district in Fresno, slightly south of it actually.  The Tower District has long been a hot spot for DUI arrests.  The combination of a high density of bars, micro-breweries, night clubs, restaurants, and wine bars in close proximity along with he nightlife and cultural kaleidoscope of mixed personalities, head shops, and hydroponic equipment stores has lead to this area being possibly the most policed areas in Fresno.  The tower also has a reputation as being an area where drugs, narcotics, marijuana and hallucinogenics are readily used. If you are going to the tower district, don't drink and drive.

On the same night there was checkpoint on 1st and Shaw.  This area is a transportation hub, with a road that boarders Fresno State University, the Fashion Fair Mall, several eating and drinking establishments located near by including the Silver Dollar Hofbrau, Shooters Bar, Flemmings Steak House, the Cheese Cake Factory, and numerous other locations.  Several fraternities and Sororities are on or near Shaw Ave in the general vicinity of this checkpoint. It is also a main transportation route between Fresno and Clovis, one of the busiest roads in Fresno.   It is easy to see why this area was targeted.

Same date, similar location.  Old Town Clovis is a DUI hot spot.  The camera system in Clovis allows a birds eye view of the Old Town Clovis area, directly from the old water tower.  The checkpoint was set up on Villa Ave.  Just a few miles from the other checkpoint.  This checkpoint has many of the same location features as the previous one, but is more likely to catch the Clovis bound or Fresno resident who is returning from Old Town Clovis.  It is prior to the Freeway, thus making it likely to catch people from the outlying areas like Kingsburg, Caruthers, Selma, Fowler, Kerman, Madera, Riverdale, Laton, Reedley, Parlier, and various other small communities who commute to Fresno for work or recreation.

The Peach Ave checkpoint at Tulare Ave is set up in an area less likely to catch a DUI, and more likely to be rouge gang, gun, and warrant checkpoint.  The area is a hot bed of gang activity, which can involve guns, warrants, insurance, and registration issues.  This was also over the New Year.

Fresno State University is on Cedar Ave, and not far from the Gettysburg Checkpoint.  Many of the students live in that area, and drinking and college students is are commonly associated.  On the 26th of December 2014 there was a checkpoint at this location.  Cedar is also one of the transportation arteries in that area for students and others who are traveling to and from the freeway, college, bars, and other locations.

Olive Ave and Chestnut ave intersect in and areas south east of Central Fresno.  On the 20th of December a checkpoint occurred.  This appears to be more of a gang, drug, registration and search location than a checkpoint.  It is common to see DUI checkpoints result in 10, 20, 30 arrests, an no DUI arrests.  This areas would be a likely areas to have such results.

Manchester mall is located on Blackstone Ave, it intersects with Shields near Freeway 41.  This areas is one of the most heavily used roadways in Fresno.  The large Manchester parking lot allows the police to set up a mobile DUI command center, conduct blood draws, breath tests, and even detain individuals at that location.

Even the small City of Selma had a checkpoint on the 19th of December.  Floral st provides the first exit from Freeway 99 South of Manning Ave and Wright street is one of the best North-South transportation ways in Selma.  No surprise this location was picked.  If you drove to downtown Selma, Sporty's Bar, The 99 Club, Cattlemens Steak House, Home Depot, or any of the Spanish speaking bars in Selma, there is a good chance you would have to cross this location to get home.

Old Town Clovis was targeted again on the 19th of December.  A checkpoint on Clovis Ave and Palo Alto was set up.  There are numerous bars densely packed together in what is known as old town.  The Cellar, Old Town Saloon, Henry's Cantina, The 500 Club, Kimmies Bar and Grill, Bobby Salazars, Ruby's all within walking distance of each other.  Not far away is Jimbo's, a bar that seems to have people in it all day long.

Same night Firebaugh got in on the DUI Checkpoint act with a checkpoint location on Route-33.  Rare that such a major highway is selected.

Fresno St was again targeted on the 6th of December, this time at 1st street.  There are a few bars in the area, but there is also a lot of gang activity in that area.

Once again a combination that includes bars, gangs, and drugs was targeted on Kings Canyon Rd.  This time the location was at Peach Ave.  It was a part of the Holiday DUI checkpoint campaign that kicks off around thanksgiving and continues through the new year.  Nice of the PD to spread the holiday cheer.

Bullard ave is just the area of Fresno where many people draw the line and refer to it as "north" Fresno.  As Fresno has grown, mainly North and recently East toward Sanger, people have moved farther north.  Bullard High School was once the ritzy or high class school that Clovis North, Clovis East, Clovis West, Buchanan later became.  However there is a lot of "old money" in the Bullard and Marks areas, Van Ness Ave, Van Ness Extention, the Bluffs, Fig Garden, and Old Fig Garden.  There are several bars and restaurants in the Herndon and Marks areas, and Marks Ave in one of the major routes from the Herndon area to the Shaw areas where there are bars such as Tahoe Joe's, Outback, several Sushi and Tepanyaki restaurants, a movie theater, etc. . .   This might have been a DUI / Revenue checkpoint.  I would suspect the Police chief got a call or two on this one.

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