SSFPD Media Release: DUI Repeat Offender Arrested Again

South San Francisco, CA   June 16, 2020 Submitted by SSFPD

Recently, the South San Francisco Police Neighborhood  Response Team (NRT) received information that a DUI repeat offender obtained a new vehicle and was driving again in violation of his probation conditions and OMV drivers license restrictions. NRT officers initiated a surveillance operation and on 06-15-20, they spotted 61-year-old Michael Flippen from South San Francisco driving his vehicle.

Flippen has a suspended driver’s license (five active suspensions from the Department of Motor Vehicles) and he did not have a court-ordered ignition interlock device installed on his car as required by the court. Flippen is a DUI repeat-offender who has two prior convictions for driving while under the influence of alcohol and three convictions for driving with a suspended driver’s license.

Flippen had an open container (of an alcoholic beverage) in his car and he was found to be under the influence of alcoholic beverage with a blood-alcohol level preliminarily determined to be approximately four times over the legal limit. Flippen was arrested and booked into the San Mateo County jail for driving under the influence of alcohol, driving with a  suspended driver’s license,  driving without the court-ordered ignition interlock device, and driving with alcohol in his blood in violation of court probation. Flippen’s vehicle was towed, impounded, and is being held for  30  days  (subject to permanent forfeiture proceedings).

Even in these challenging times, the South San Francisco Police Department works proactively with the Department of Motor Vehicles and the California Office of Traffic Safety  on the  “DUI Hot List” program. The goal of this program is the safety of residents of  our  communities.  The  program  identifies  DUI repeat offenders with suspended driver’s licenses. A comprehensive list of information on the drivers is compiled and maintained at the Department. Patrol and Traffic officers are provided with the list and they routinely conduct open and/or undercover surveillance operations upon the drivers. Although not required, all drivers on the DUI Hot List are mailed informational notices about these surveillance operations and they are warned not to drive.

The South San Francisco Police Department also has a DUI Apprehension and Reduction (DART) team that routinely conducts enforcement and surveillance  operations  on the  DUI Hot List offenders.  Funding for part of these operations comes from a grant by the California Office of Traffic Safety.