The San Juan County, New Mexico, Sheriff’s Office will conduct a DWI checkpoint Nov. 6.

According to a news release, the checkpoint is intended “to identify and apprehend drunk drivers and to make the highways safer for the motoring public.”

The Sheriff’s Office receives grant funding to conduct checkpoints, said spokeswoman Kristi Hughes, and there will be more checkpoints throughout the holiday season. The department receives grants through Safer New Mexico Now, a nonprofit working to create safe traffic solutions. Grants are awarded based on area-specific crash and DWI statistics.

The checkpoint Nov. 6 will be used as a required training for new supervisors so they are able to conduct checkpoints in the future. Members from Safer New Mexico Now will be at the checkpoint to administer the training.

At a routine checkpoint, each car that approaches is stopped, asked for license and registration, and officers will ensure they don’t detect any drugs or alcohol, said Lt. Al Jamison with the Sheriff’s Office.

The Sheriff’s Office is not releasing the exact time or whereabouts of the checkpoint, but the department plans the checkpoints based on previous statistics and data related to DWIs.

“In addition to catching drunk drivers on the night of the checkpoints, DWI checkpoints are highly visible,” Hughes wrote in an email to The Durango Herald. “We believe they bring attention to the dangers of driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and raise awareness of the problem in our area.”

smarvin@durangoherald.com