A decision by the Missouri House to defund law enforcement sobriety checkpoints came after a lively floor debate this week. Led by Republican Budget Committee Chairman Scott Fitzpatrick, the chamber voted for the second year in a row to strip all but $1 from the state funding of checkpoints.
Fitzpatrick says from a budgetary standpoint; saturation patrols are much more cost-effective.
Backers of checkpoints included both Republicans and Democrats, who said the tactic has proven over time to have cut down on drunk driving.
