A possible synonym for “checkpoints” from a thesaurus could be “inspection points”.
Both “checkpoints” and “inspection points” refer to locations where people or items are examined or screened. For example, “There are several checkpoints along the border.” could be rephrased as “There are several inspection points along the border.” In both cases, the emphasis is on places where scrutiny occurs.
Another synonym could be “control points”. This implies that these locations are used to exercise control or regulation. For instance, “Drivers must pass through checkpoints on the highway.” could be changed to “Drivers must pass through control points on the highway.” It shows that these points are used to manage and monitor the flow of traffic.
“monitoring stations” could also be considered a synonym. While it may have a slightly different connotation, it still suggests a place where observation and assessment take place. For example, “The military set up checkpoints to monitor the area.” could be expressed as “The military set up monitoring stations to monitor the area.”