A Gorham roadblock Wednesday netted one driver who was operating after suspension.
The police roadblock during evening rush hour was aimed at netting suspended drivers.
“There were a lot of positive comments that we were doing proactive enforcement,” said Lt. Chris Sanborn of Gorham Police.
Gorham Police and deputies from the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department braved the freezing temperatures at the checkpoint. “It was very cold,” Sanborn said.
The roadblock got one driver off the highway. Lauri Cameron of California was summoned for operating after suspension. A licensed driver was called to drive the car because the license of a passenger was also under suspension.
Gorham Police and the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department checked 343 drivers in the roadblock at the West Gorham Fire Station on Route 25 during the evening commute. The four-hour roadblock began at 4 p.m.
Capt. William Rhoads of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department said a summons for an inspection violation and another for an unregistered car were also handed out to drivers. And 20 other drivers received warnings for similar violations.
Rhoads said the “focus” was on nabbing those with a suspended driver’s license who were behind a steering wheel. Using traffic cones, police set up five lanes at a checkpoint in front of the fire station on the westbound side of the road. When a car was directed into one of the lanes, police asked the driver for a name, address and a driver’s license.
A college intern assisting police wrote down the numbers of drivers’ licenses, which were to be checked later. Rhoads said any other suspended driver presenting a license at the roadblock would receive a letter and a summons.
Rhoads said it’s illegal to possess a license that has been suspended. He said this week that the license numbers obtained at the roadblock are still being reviewed, checking for other suspended drivers.
The roadblock, according to Rhoads, was similar to those checking for drivers operating under the influence. He said motorists were only detained less than two minutes at the roadblock. “The traffic was fairly heavy,” he said.
The temperatures were so cold during the roadblock that batteries in police flashlights were dying. Sanborn said the two departments would most likely plan another roadblock together. “When the weather warms up a bit,” Sanborn said.
Gorham officers who participated in the joint exercise were Wayne Drown, Mark Sanborn, Sears Edwards and Dean Hannon in addition to Lt. Sanborn. Besides Rhoads, the Sheriff’s Department had four deputies and a supervisor at the roadblock.
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