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About 350 drivers crossed through safety check-points Friday night when University of Maine campus road blocks were set to attempt to combat drunk driving.
UMaine Public Safety Lt. Jeff King said the department has seen an increase in Operating Under the Influence offenses this semester.
“We have seen double the OUIs and it’s only three-quarters of the way through the semester,” King said.
The check-points were made possible through a grant awarded to the town of Orono, who worked with UMaine Public Safety to implement them. Three check-points were set up Friday night with groups stationed at the entrance by the Alfond Arena, Munson Road by Buchanan Alumni House and at the top of Rangley Road.
The check-points began at 10:30 p.m. and ended at 2 a.m., and were manned by eight public safety officers, five Orono police officers and four state police officers.
King said three OUI charges were handed out and the officers gave out one citation for illegal transportation.
King said the officers warned numerous drivers and passengers for regular violations that included unregistered or inspected vehicles, or seat belt violations, but refrained from taking action against such violations because, “we would have had numerous summonses.”
King said the officers attempted to not hold up drivers. He said about a 10 second quick check over was performed on vehicles passing through the roadblock. He said it was very general. Drivers were only asked for their license, registration and proof of insurance if something was out of the ordinary.
King said he received positive feedback regarding the first ever check points.
“They [drivers] were very positive,” King said.
One student was not as excited about the program.
Jason Arsenault, a third-year new media major, was stopped at a roadblock on Rangely Road at 1 a.m.
“The officer looked over the car and myself with his flashlight,” he said. “Then I was ordered to give up my license and questioned to where I was coming from. When I had answered to his satisfaction I was allowed to leave and told to drive slow.”
Arsenault said setting up such roadblocks is “an excuse to interrogate law-abiding citizens.”
“I felt that my rights were violated,” he said. “While I want to stop drunk driving I am not willing to be subjected to such sneaky tactics in order to do so. I think these kinds of stops are perhaps legal, but certainly not just.”
Arsenault said the student body should protest against such roadblocks, as police don’t need reasonable suspicion to stop drivers.
King noted that the officers noticed an increase in taxi and foot traffic than normal during the roadblocks. He said a majority of the people passing through the checkpoints were students. He said about 95 percent of the drivers and passengers were students but also included faculty, other visitors and some students returning from work.
King said he hopes to continue the check-points in the future.
“It [OUIs] has been a concern for us,” King said. “The deterrent is the fear of getting caught.”
