DEPUTIES ISSUE OVER 300+ CITATIONS DURING STATIONARY VEHICLE CHECKPOINT OPERATIONS
3850 Justice Dr. El Paso, Texas 79938 
NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Deputy Jesse Tovar / PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Direct: (915) 538-2119
Pager: (915) 533-0733 (#5370)
Release Date / Time: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 2:00 PM
WHO: El Paso County Sheriff's Office (UPPER VALLEY / LOWER VALLEY PATROL)
WHAT: OVER 300+ CITATIONS ISSUED DURING STATIONARY VEHICLE CHECKS
WHERE: EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS
WHEN: Tuesday, APRIL 14, 2009 & Early last week
WHY: STATIONARY VEHICLE CHECKS
EL PASO COUNTY, TX- In the past couple of weeks, UPPER VALLEY & LOWER VALLEY Deputies conducted 2 separate STATIONARY VEHICLE CHECK OPERATIONS resulting in over 300+ citations. Both Operations were deemed a success, the break-downs are below:
UPPER VALLEY:
Tuesday morning 04-14-2009 between the hours of 8:00 AM- 11:00 AM, Upper Valley Sheriff’s Deputies conducted a Stationary Vehicle Checkpoint Operation at the 7500 block of S. Desert- Results listed below:
- No Insurance: 65
- Expired Motor Vehicle Inspection sticker : 15
- Expired Registration: 14
- Unrestrained Child : 2
- No Drivers License: 28
- Expired Drivers License: 2
- Fail to Display Drivers License: 7
- Defective Equipment: 2
- No Front License Plate: 2
- Driving while License Suspended: 1
- Arrests: 1 (Traffic Warrants)
TOTAL: 138 CITATIONS / 1 ARREST (TRAFFIC WARRANTS)
LOWER VALLEY:
Last week, Lower Valley Deputies conducted the 1st wave of these 2 Stationary Vehicle Checkpoint Operations in 3 separate locations (all in the county):
-
3800 block of Zaragoza
-
12800 block of Eastlake
-
3800 block of Vista Del Este
Results below:
| HAZARDOUS CITATIONS - Unrestrained Child: 5
- Improper left turn: 4
- Turn on curve or crest or grade: 4
- Defective Headlamp: 2
- Driver’s License Restrictions: 1
- No Seatbelt: 1
- Allow Unlicensed Driver to Operate Vehicle: 1
- Fail to signal turn: 1
| NON-HAZARDOUS CITATIONS - No Insurance: 46
- No Driver license: 43
- Expired Motor Vehicle Inspection sticker : 31
- Expired Registration: 13
- No Front License Plate: 14
- Obstructed Plate: 3
- Obstructed View: 2
- Fail to Display Drivers License: 1
- Fail to Change address on Driver’s License: 2
- Arrests: 3 (Traffic warrants)
|
TOTAL: 174 CITATIONS / 3 ARRESTS (TRAFFIC WARRANTS)
Both UPPER VALLEY / LOWER VALLEY Operations were deemed successful resulting in a total of 312 citations issued to include 4 individuals arrested for warrants.
Of the above results, No Driver’s license (71) & No Insurance (111) are arguably two of the most important factors that affect safe operation of motor vehicles. These results are troubling due to the fact that these two offenses are not probable cause to conduct a traffic stop. There is no way a Deputy can be aware of these offenses until after the traffic stop has been initiated & contact has been made with the violator. Another troubling fact is that 7 citations were issued for Unrestrained Child (child under 5)- It is a well known fact that children involved in motor vehicle accidents are more susceptible than adults to be ejected from motor vehicles if they are not properly secured.
END OF NEWS RELEASE
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office in March of 2001 was the first Sheriff’s Office in the State of Texas to be Internationally Accredited from CALEA and is now the recipient of the First CALEA Tri-Arc award in Texas (4th in the Nation) to have accreditations in: Law Enforcement, Communications, Training Academy.