Facebook and Twitter Killed the DUI Checkpoint

Law enforcement is rethinking sobriety checkpoints  when they find that many people are using Facebook and Twitter to tell others where they are. 

Sheriff's deputies and other law enforcement used to have big checkpoints for hours, but now in our digital world news of sobriety checkpoints spread quickly, according to the Associated Press, and arrests dropped. So now, many law enforcement agencies in places like Missouri and Illinois are focusing on smaller operations on less-traveled roads.
 
At one 9:15 p.m. sobriety checkpoint in Hillsboro, Mo., stopped drivers quickly began texting. Within 45 minutes, one of the Jefferson County sheriff's deputies on duty received a text from his wife forwarding a Facebook posting which told where the sobriety checkpoint was. 

"Check point at Miller and Vogel." Another Facebook user commented, "omg tonight ?!?!"
That's when vehicles began to trickle in and deputies moved to another checkpoint.
 
This throws a wrench into the works because sobriety checkpoints are supposed to catch and deter drivers who drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Perhaps some people believe these advisory tweets and Facebook posts are helpful, but instead they simply let those who may have impaired judgment dodge the law. 
 
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