The Covington County Children’s Policy Council Coalition is once again sponsoring checks to keep alcohol and drugs out of the hands of local teens.

In the coming weeks, local law enforcement will hold sobriety checkpoints and the Alabama Beverage Control will conduct undercover outlet compliance checks.

CCCPCC director Susan Short said this is part of the third year of a strategic prevention framework state incentive grant, which is administered through the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration.

“Key findings are that alcohol compliance checks (roadside checkpoints) are a deterrent for youth drinking while driving or riding with a drinking driver and are in line with national data,” Short said. “Social media chatter and word-of-mouth information about compliance check sites spread rapidly in Covington County and a canvassing of the community confirms this kept individuals from drinking and driving during the period of the compliance checks or at least actively avoiding the areas of the checkpoints.”

Short said agencies such as the Andalusia Police Department set up multiple checkpoints on the same night as a reduction strategy.

From mid-August to September 2014, 10 law enforcement agencies in Covington County participated in similar compliance checks.

A total of 14,217 roadside checks and compliance checks were completed in that timeframe.

THE 411
• APD checkpoints netted 1 alcohol violation and 1 drug arrest.
•  OPD had 9 alcohol violations and 6 drug arrests.
•  FPD found 5 alcohol violations and 31 drug arrests.
• RFPD had 5 alcohol violations and 53 drug arrests.
• GPD had 9 alcohol-related arrests and 5 drug-related.
• CCSO had 5 alochol-related arrests.
• Marine Police arrested 2 for boating under the influence.
• ABC conducted 15 alcohol compliance checks with 100 percent compliance.