State Police Plan Suffolk Sobriety Checkpoint

Massachusetts State Police will be on the lookout for drunk drivers in Suffolk County this weekend.

State troopers will operate a sobriety checkpoint from Saturday, Dec. 8 into Sunday, Dec. 9, according to a press release issued Tuesday.

"The purpose is to further educate the motoring public and strengthen the public’s awareness to the need of detecting and removing those motorists who operate under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs from our roadways," Colonel Timothy P. Alben, superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, said in the press release. 

"It will be operated during varied hours, the selection of vehicles will not be arbitrary, safety will be assured, and any inconveniences to motorists will be minimized with advance notice to reduce fear and anxiety," Alben noted.

The program is made possible by a grant from the Highway Safety Division of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.

Individuals who are found to be driving under the influence of alcohol—with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher—face a 90-day license suspension for the first offense, among other possible penalties.

In Massachusetts, it is also illegal to have an open container of alcohol in the vehicle.