DUI Dragnet, 'BAT Mobile' Makes Appearance in Moodus

The East Haddam Resident Troopers, East Haddam Police, and the Connecticut State Police staged a "DUI (Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and/or Drugs) Sobriety Checkpoint" in the Moodus section of East Haddam this past Saturday night. 

Officers and their cruisers, East Haddam's State Police K-9 "Argo," and the "BAT Mobile" (Breath-Alcohol-Testing Mobile) were set up at the intersection of Route 149, Mott Lane and Nichols Road.

Route 149 is a state highway that begins at Route 82 in the village of East Haddam and extends in a northeasterly direction for approximately 12 miles, ending near the Colchester-Hebron town line, in the area of Route 2 and Old Hartford Road.

The area has seen its share of fender-benders, spin-outs, and several tragic and fatal accidents in the past. At night the dimly-lit highway becomes even more hazardous, when combined with speeding vehicles, as well as sometimes distracted or intoxicated drivers.

The BAT Mobile, which was originally put into service on Dec 31st, (New Year's Eve) 2006, is a multi-purpose, mobile enforcement support vehicle. The 38-foot long command-post-on-wheels was originally purchased by the Connecticut State Police through a federal grant for $285,000, and has since been upgraded with an array of state-of-the-art equipment.

On board, there is equipment such as a temporary holding cell for prisoners, (as well as a prisoner processing area) an intoxi-meter (intoxilyzer) machine, a video system able to record checkpoint operations, miscellaneous computer and radio equipment, and a powerful external lighting system that is mounted on top of the vehicle.

The BAT Mobile allows for efficient use of time and manpower at sobriety checkpoints, especially since prisoners can be processed on site, rather than have to be transported to the State Police barracks. It has also been used as a command post for incidents requiring temporary command operations, and to present traffic safety and other educational programs to schools and other groups. It has an external monitor and audio system suitable for this purpose.

The Connecticut State Police, Troop K, in Colchester reported that no arrests were made as a result of this DUI-Sobriety Checkpoint.