Cops will be watching for drivers under the influence

"Avoid the 14," the 19day Ventura County holiday crackdown on drunk and drugged drivers, began Dec. 15 and will continue until New Year's Day.

It's named for the county's 14 police agencies.

Senior Officer Humberto Jimenez said that officers from several law enforcement agencies in Ventura County screened 1,117 vehicles at the checkpoint, ran six field sobriety tests and issued citations to and towed the vehicles of 17 unlicensed drivers and three with suspended licenses during the campaign's first weekend.

Arrests so far this year are down compared to last year's crackdown during the same period. Police have reported no injuries or deaths in DUI crashes.