KC Twitter user fights to alert drivers of police checkpoints

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Law enforcement officials always announce checkpoints without giving away too many details. But now, many drivers take to social media to warn others about which spots to watch out for.

A local man has started an online campaign of his own against checkpoints, taking to Twitter to alert drivers of speed traps and checkpoints. @KCCheckpoint has almost 13,000 followers, but some critics argue his warnings can keep drunk drivers behind wheel.

Find @KCCheckpoint on Twitter: twitter.com/kccheckpoint

For the man behind the KC Checkpoint account, his Twitter presence is also about making people aware.

"We're informing citizens on a regular basis about checkpoints," @kccheckpoint said.

He doesn't use his real name, just his Twitter handle because of his critics.

"It worries people I might somehow enable somebody to drive drunk and get away with it," he explained. "I personally don't think anybody that's excessively drunk is hanging out on Twitter."

From now until Labor Day weekend, Missouri state and local law enforcement will enforce the Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over campaign -- which will include checkpoints.

Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Bill Lowe knows social media is an ongoing hurdle.

"That is something that we can't control," Lowe said. "It's not a matter of just staying away from the checkpoints. There are still officers and troopers out there that are looking for those drivers who are impaired."

The man behind @KCCheckpoint said he started it after he got stopped in a checkpoint in Overland Park back in 2009.

"If they want to pull people over for swerving over the line and breaking laws I think they should," he said. It's pulling people over for no reason other than driving in a specific area at a certain time that he has a problem with.