Essex County Sobriety Checkpoint Planned For St. Patrick's Day Weekend

PEABODY, MA — North Shore drivers are advised to expect the possibility of coming across a sobriety checkpoint in Essex County during St. Patrick's Day weekend.

The exact spot on the checkpoint is not revealed, but it is scheduled for the night of Saturday, March 18 into the early morning hours of Sunday, March 19.

"The purpose is to further educate the motoring public and strengthen the public's awareness of the need of detecting and removing those motorists who operate under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs from our roadways," State Police Colonel John E. Mawn Jr. said. "It will be operated during varied hours, the selection of the 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."

The checkpoint is funded through a grant from the Highway Safety Division of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)