November 22, 2010
By: Bruce Berry
An incident with an unloaded gun occurred earlier this month at a Collinsville Police Department checkpoint aimed at cracking down on road safety and catching drunk drivers, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Officers directed vehicles into the parking lot of a Home Depot to be investigated, then checked drivers for license, proof of car insurance or outward signs of intoxication, the Post-Dispatch reported, adding that such operations are part of a more general push to clean up the city's roads.
The gun was spotted by Detective Mark Krug shortly before midnight, the newspaper said, who quickly cuffed and subdued the driver. The car was towed after the incident, and the driver said he had the weapon for self-defense, according to the Post-Dispatch. While the gun was not loaded, a full magazine was found next to it, the paper added.
During busy traffic periods, officers stopped every 10th car which passed by, then increased the fraction to every fifth car, then every third, as fewer vehicles became available, according to the newspaper.
A similar tactic was used last Friday night by Cedar Rapids, Iowa, police officers to inspect 149 cars, according to television news station KCRG.
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