EDITORIAL CAREFUL ENFORCEMENT LAPD MUST BE CAREFUL IN EXPANDING DUI STAKEOUTS.

REPEAT offender drunk drivers across the city might soon find cops camping out in front of their house, just waiting to pop them for driving drunk again.

But as the Los Angeles Police Department starts to apply this DUI crackdown citywide after a pilot program in the San Fernando Valley, officials need to be vigilant in making sure proper controls are in place.

The department is already under a consent decree for violating the civil rights of civilians, and staking out people's homes in the anticipation that they might break the law again opens the door for abuse.

This is not the first time that LAPD brass latched on to a crime-busting program thought up by the department's leadership in the Valley, and its expansion gives props to Valley Cmdr. Ronald Bergmann.

However, for it to work well across the city, this deterrent program must be closely monitored. Hopefully, with some care, it will do what's intended and make the streets safer for all, and not be another black eye for a department well on the way to bringing luster back to the badge.