South San Francisco, CA April 22, 2017 Submitted by SSFPD 
On 04-21-17, South San Francisco Police Officers were conducting undercover surveillance operations on known offenders with multiple-DUI convictions who have suspended licenses. Officers were watching a known offender’s house in the area of Country Club Drive at Constitution Way when he was seen driving up to the home. (S) Mohammed Iqbal, 35 years old, of South San Francisco, was stopped and found to be driving with a suspended driver’s license. Iqbal has two prior DUI convictions and multiple driver license suspensions he has received within the last ten years.
Iqbal was arrested at the scene for driving with a suspended license and for a driver in possession of an open container of alcohol. Iqbal was subsequently issued a notice to appear. Iqbal’s vehicle was towed, impounded for 30 days, and is potentially subject to permanent forfeiture.
The South San Francisco Police Department proactively works with the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Office of Traffic Safety on the DUI Hot List program. This is a program that identifies repeat DUI offenders who have suspended drivers licenses. All offenders on the list are provided a notice about their convictions, told about the Hot List program, and are warned not to drive. The South San Francisco Police Department regularly disseminates a list along with photographs of known DUI Hot List offenders to all traffic and patrol officers. Throughout the year, specially-trained officers also conduct undercover surveillance operations on Hot List offenders and watch their homes or workplace. Offenders caught driving are subject to immediate arrest for driving on a suspended license and are subject to additional OMV sanctions and criminal charges.
Studies and research conducted by the DMV shows a staggering 75% of drivers who are convicted of DUI continue to drive despite having their drivers licenses suspended or revoked. Repeat DUI offenders in California are involved in 24% of fatal DUI crashes and 63% of injury DUI crashes. These statistics show why programs like the DUI Hot List are important in our efforts to reduce these numbers.
Funding for surveillance operations is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National High way Traffic Safety Administration.