The Honolulu Police Department (HPD) will establish
and operate intoxication control roadblocks in
accordance with the Rules of the Chief of Police
and Sections 291E-19 and 291E-20 of the Hawaii
Revised Statutes (HRS).
DEFINITIONS

A. Intoxication Control Roadblock: A
technique to control and direct the
flow of vehicular traffic using safety
measures on a public way, street, road,
or highway for the purpose of detecting
and apprehending impaired drivers.

B. Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence
of an Intoxicant (OVUII): A violation of
Sections 291E-61, 291E-61.5, or 291E-64, HRS,
for OVUII.

C. OVUII Contact: A situation where a vehicle
is stopped, the driver is suspected of being
impaired, and he or she submits to a field
sobriety test but passes the test.
GUIDELINES FOR ESTABLISHING INTOXICATION CONTROL ROADBLOCKS

A. Location Selection

When a location for a roadblock is being considered,
the following safety considerations of the motoring
public, as well as the officers maintaining the
roadblock, must be taken into account:

1. The direction and volume of traffic;

2. The presence for areas and intersections
controlled by traffic control devices;

3. The need to not unduly interfere with
traffic flow and cause traffic congestion; and

4. The availability of off-street or other safe
areas for parking of police and arrestees’ vehicles
and for conducting OVUII investigations.

B. Minimum Roadblock Staffing

Each roadblock shall be continuously staffed with
a minimum of one supervisor and three officers.

C. Minimum Roadblock Safety Considerations

The following safety considerations shall be
in place prior to and during the operation of
each roadblock conducted in accordance with this policy:

1. Sufficient lighting in the stopping and
investigation areas of the roadblock;

2. Advanced warning of the roadblock operations
in the form of reflective signs, blue police
vehicle lights, and flares;

3. Adequate warning devices sufficiently placed
in advance of the roadblock to provide reasonable
warning of its existence;

4. A sufficient number of police vehicles are
present, including a blue and white car;

5. All personnel assigned to the roadblock are
wearing reflective traffic vests and carrying
proper identification; and

6. Officers must not unduly detain drivers once
an assessment of the operator’s sobriety has been
completed and/or any enforcement action has been taken.

D. Time Limit for Roadblocks

1. No more than three hours shall be spent
actively conducting a roadblock at a given location.

2. Unusual circumstances (i.e. disruptions,
severe weather, or other unforeseen factors)
may justify changing the location or terminating
the operation of the roadblock.

3. In addition, at the discretion of the
intoxication control roadblock supervisor,
the roadblock may be terminated where
unreasonable traffic congestion would otherwise result.

RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Media Liaison Office

On at least a bimonthly basis, the Media
Liaison Office shall prepare and distribute
a news release to the media for publication and broadcast.

B. Intoxication Control Roadblock Supervisor

The supervisor for each intoxication control roadblock shall:

1. Select an appropriate location for the roadblock;

2. Ensure that points of egress in advance
of the roadblock, which would compel motor
vehicles to enter the roadblock, are not obstructed;

3. Predetermine the number or numerical sequence
by which vehicles will be stopped at the roadblock
based on the following factors:

a. Traffic volume;

b. Number of traffic lanes;

c. Number of personnel assigned to the roadblock;

d. Weather conditions; and

e. Lighting conditions;

4. Ensure that appropriate safety precautions
are taken when establishing, operating, and
discontinuing the roadblock;

5. Assign personnel at the roadblock to fulfill
the duties of the intoxication control roadblock
stopping and investigating officers. Depending
on traffic volume, these roles may be filled by
the same person;

6. Supervise the activities conducted at the
roadblock to ensure compliance with this policy
as well as other policies and laws;

7. Complete and submit a To/From report to the
commander of the Traffic Division by the end of
the shift in which the roadblock is conducted.
The report should contain the following information:

a. Date and time the roadblock was established and terminated;

b. The location of the roadblock;

c. The total number of officers, by rank, assigned to the roadblock;

d. The total number of vehicles stopped at the roadblock;

e. The total number of OVUII, OVUII-drug, Zero
Tolerance OVUII, and Habitually OVUII arrests
that occurred at the roadblock;

f. The total number of other arrests at the roadblock;

g. The total number of citations issued at the roadblock; and

h. The total number of OVUII contacts that occurred at the roadblock;

8. Ensure that the roadblock does not exceed the
time period restrictions discussed in this policy; and

9. Complete the Intoxication Control Roadblock
Establishment and Operation Form, HPD-424D, in
the event of an OVUII arrest.

C. Intoxication Control Roadblock Stopping Officer

The officer assigned to stop vehicles as they approach
the roadblock shall:

1. Not obstruct any egress in advance of the
roadblock to compel motor vehicles to enter the roadblock;

2. Stop only vehicles that fit the predetermined
number or numerical sequence pattern, unless the
officer observes:

a. A mechanical or equipment violation (e.g.
defective headlights, cracked windshield,
excessive smoke, seatbelt violations, etc.);

b. Some other traffic violation to include
(but not be limited to) obvious weaving,
impeding of traffic, excessive speed, or
other violations which would suggest the
vehicle’s operator may be impaired; and/or

c. The officer observes some other criminal violation.

Note: The fact that an officer stops a vehicle
for a reason other than that it fit the predetermined
number of numerical sequence pattern does not alter
the predetermined number in the established sequence
or pattern;

3. Notwithstanding other sections of this policy,
not stop or detain operators of motor vehicles
simply because they appear to be avoiding or
attempting to avoid a roadblock; and

4. Direct vehicles to be investigated further
into the holding area.

D. Intoxication Control Roadblock Investigating Officers

The officers assigned to investigate a vehicle
stopped at the roadblock shall:

1. Identify himself or herself and inform the
operator whether the vehicle is being stopped
based on a predetermined number or if any
equipment and/or traffic violations were observed;

2. Observe the driver’s responses, particularly
noting speech, breath, reflexes, condition of
clothing, and/or other signs of impairment;

3. Based on these observations, determine
whether the operator is suspected to be under
the influence of alcohol or drugs or not;

4. Allow operators not suspected to be under
the influence of alcohol or drugs to exit the
checkpoint after any applicable enforcement action is taken; and

5. Further investigate operators suspected
to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs by:

a. Assessing if the operator is able to maneuver
the vehicle to the designated safety area, park
the vehicle, and turn off the ignition;

b. Asking for the operator’s license, insurance
card, and vehicle registration;

c. Having the operator exit the vehicle and
walk to the area designated for testing;

d. Conducting the Standardized Field Sobriety
Test, if possible, using the Form HPD-424A as a guide;

e. Forming a decision to arrest or not arrest
the driver for OVUII or other applicable crimes;

f. Administering the Preliminary Alcohol
Screening, if appropriate, to further assess
the presence of alcohol as an impairing substance; and

g. Arresting the driver if appropriate.