The funding for DUI Checkpoints in Kansas City is gone - and advocates are concerned

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WEBVTT N KANSAS CITY,MISSOURI.>> The Reporter: HALEY, THEREHAVE BEEN A NUMBER OFALCOHOL-RELATED CRASHES ALONGTHIS STRETCH OF 350 HIGHWAY.KCPD WAS ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TOSET UP A DUI CHECKPOINTS ONSATURDAY TO CATCH SOME OF THEDRUNK DRIVERS, BUT THEY HAVECANCELLED THAT CHECKPOINT, ASWELL AS THE ARREST PLAN FOR THEFISCAL YEAR WHICH ENDS IN OK.DUI CHECKPOINTS LED TO 296ARRESTS IN KANSAS CITY THIS PASTYEAR.>> IN WE GOT ALL THE MEDIAATTENTION WE PUT ON IT, IMAGINEHOW MANY DRUNKS MIGHT HAVE BEENOUT THERE IF THEY KNEW WEWEREN'T GOING TO DO CHECKPOINTS.>> The Reporter: THAT'S THISWOMAN'S NIGHTMARE. IT HAS BEENSINCE 2008.>> I LOST MY FATHER ON AMISSOURI ROADWAY BY A REPEATDRUNK DRIVING OFFENDER AND I GOTINVOLVED WITH MADD.THE REPORTER: STATE LAWMAKERSWANT TO CUT FUNDING FOR DUICHECKPOINTS.>> SO THIS AFTERNOON, MADD WASGIVEN A GLIMMER OF HOPE BY THEMISSOURI BUDGET BEING REOPENED.>>>> The Reporter: THE GOVERNORWILL MAKE A DECISION.WITH FUNDING LOOMING, KCP D'SDUI SITUATION TAKES ANOTHERTURN.>> EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT ASOBRIETY CHECKPOINT IS.>> The Reporter: SOME HAVEARGUED THAT THOSE CHECKPOINTSINFRINGES UPON PEOPLE'S RIGHTS.WHILE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT

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A safety alert in the fight against drunk driving – funding gone for DUI checkpoints in Kansas City, Mo. Police were planning another one of those checkpoints off of 350 Highway this weekend – but now those checkpoints have been cancelled until the fiscal year ends in October. DUI Checkpoints led to 296 arrests in Kansas City last year. On St. Patrick’s Day this year, even after the media promoted the checkpoints, more than 40 people were arrested. “If we got 41 with all the media attention that we put on it – imagine how many folks would have been out there if they knew we weren’t doing checkpoints,” said Sgt. Christopher Bentch. He’s the DUI Saturation Supervisor for KCPD. That’s Le Anne Lewis’s nightmare – and it has been since 2008. “I lost my father on a Missouri roadway by a repeat drunk driver and I got involved with MADD.” She’s now the President of the Heartland Chapter of MADD – Mothers Against Drunk Driving. State lawmakers want to cut funding for DUI checkpoints. “So this afternoon MADD was given a glimmer of hope by the Missouri budget being reopened.” The governor will make a decision. But, with funding looming – KCPD’s DUI strategy will take another turn. Some have also argued that the checkpoints infringed upon their rights. To those people – KCPD says these checkpoints are a small inconvenience that ultimately keep drunk drivers off the streets. For now KCPD plans to use money from a different grant to increase its saturation patrols. In addition – the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department are also considering adding more saturation patrols.