Marianna Police set up safety and sobriety check point for "Operation Sober City"

The Marianna Police Department is making a point to remind people to stay safe on the roads this weekend.

They set up a safety and sobriety check point on Penn Avenue near the Dozier School Friday night.

By 10 o’clock, they had 400 cars pull through the checkpoint.

Several law enforcement agencies in the South have teamed up for "Operation Southern Shield" this weekend, which cracks down on speeding and aggressive driving,

The goal is to prevent serious car crashes and save lives.

The Marianna Police Department put its own spin on it, calling it "Operation Sober City" and set up a safety and sobriety checkpoint near I-10.

It wasn’t just about intoxication, but they also checked for licenses and registration, and to make sure everyone is buckled up properly, especially any little kids that may be in the car.

It's been a few years since the Marianna Police Department did a checkpoint like this, but Captain George Owens said they are hoping to make it more of a regular thing to try and stay ahead of the problem.

They kept an eye out for distracted drivers as well.

"Being that it is a checkpoint, hopefully everyone has their cell phone down, but needless to say if someone comes up there with a cell phone in their hand texting while pulling up, then we'll handle that,” said Captain George Owens. “If we can get one drunk driver off the road tonight, then we'll have succeeded right here."

You can expect an increase in officer presence on the roadways this weekend all over the tristate area as a part of "Operation Southern Shield", so be mindful of that.