The Crossville Police Department will be conducting sobriety checkpoints tonight (Wednesday, March 17, 2021) from 6 until 8 p.m. central time. It will be done on Lantana Road, Peavine Road, Genesis Road and Highway 127 in an effort to cut down on impaired driving. DUI arrests are on the rise in the city and in the county. Please use caution when driving in these areas. Do not approach checkpoints with your high-beam headlights on, and always slow down when approaching the checkpoint areas. Please help keep the roadways safe for everyone, buckle up and don’t drink and drive.

Why are the checkpoints announced prior to being held?

The main reason is because they are legally required to do so. In 1990, the concept of DUI checkpoints was legally challenged on the basis that they violated Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures. The case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled that checkpoints were only constitutional if the public was made aware of them ahead of time. Therefore, not publicizing the locations of DUI checkpoints is a violation of the Fourth Amendment, and any evidence obtained at a checkpoint would not be legally permitted in court.