A DUI/Drivers License checkpoint is planned for Feb. 22-23 in Huntington Beach (Shutterstock).

A driver’s license and DUI checkpoint will be held on Saturday night and Sunday morning of Feb. 22 between the hours of 6 p.m. and 3 a.m. by the Huntington Beach Police Department.

The checkpoint will be held at an undisclosed location in the city.  Checkpoints are placed in locations based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests. Officers will be looking for signs of alcohol or drug impairment, as well as checking drivers for proper licensing.

In 2018, the HBPD investigated and arrested over 1000 drivers and others involved in traffic collisions that claimed multiple lives and caused additional injuries.

Software glitch caused siren alarm

The cause of early morning sirens which frightened some Huntington Beach residents about a possible tsunami has been determined and corrected. On Feb. 7, at about 4 a.m., the City of Huntington Beach’s Emergency Siren system activated in error, causing many of residents to be fearful there was an impending emergency. Since then, the city’s Information Systems Department has been working to resolve the issue in an effort to ensure a false alarm does not happen again.

According to city officials, after the false alarm occurred, the team conducted a thorough review and identified that the activation happened due to a time zone configuration error. It appears that the time zone for the system was set to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), and the sirens activated as part of regularly scheduled monthly testing at 4 a.m., rather than at the normally scheduled time of 12 p.m. (noon).

The time zone was incorrect due to a software upgrade, which was inadvertently “live” prior to staff receiving training. City personnel have now been trained to use the new software, and are ready to test the equipment. All of the sirens were reactivated on Thursday, Feb. 13, during the morning hours. Most of residents didn’t hear this test, and it was done to ensure the sirens are working and the system upgrade is operational.

Suspect sought in brazen robbery

Huntington Beach police are seeking the public’s help in identifying a suspect wanted in connection with a strong-arm robbery at a Home Depot store.

VIDEO IMAGE of suspect in Home Depot robbery (HBPD).

According to the HBPD, the incident took place around 4 p.m. on Oct. 14, 2019. He approached the cashier holding a boxed portable generator and threatened the cashier before leaving without paying, police say.

The suspect later fled in a grey Nissan Altima sedan. He is described as a male Hispanic, 30 to 35 years old, about 5-feet, 9 inches tall, about 160-170 lbs, with black hair and brown eyes.

He was wearing a gray T-shirt and blue jeans.

Anyone with information about the incident or the suspect is asked to call the HBPD at (714) 375-5066.