"DUI" checkpoint stops 1,131 vehicles and....

barman · Jul 8, 2009

Arrests 10 people and writes over 100 traffic citations.

The only thing missing?

From Monday's Gainesville (FL) Sun

http://www.gainesville.com/article/...S04?Title=DUI-checkpoint-stops-1-131-vehicles

(bolded emphasis added by Barman)

(Hat tip to Radley Balko's Agitator site http://www.theagitator.com/index.php)

=====================

DUI CHECKPOINT STOPS 1,131 VEHICLES

A DUI checkpoint over the holiday weekend resulted in 10 people being arrested and more than 100 drivers being issued traffic citations.

   The Florida Highway Patrol arranged for the checkpoint to be set up in the 2500 block of Southwest 13th Street in Gainesville between 10 p. m. Friday until 2 a.m. Saturday. FHP Lt. Pat Riordan said that during that time, 1,131 vehicles were checked.

Agencies working with FHP on the checkpoint included the Motor Carrier Compliance division of the Florida Department of Transportation, Alachua County Sheriff's Office and police departments from Alachua, Gainesville, High Springs and Waldo.

"We conduct these checkpoints to enforce and to educate," Riordan said.

"It's a way for us to bring the public's attention to things like faulty equipment they need to fix as well as being a way for us to get people out from behind the wheel who do not belong there."

Although no one was arrested for DUI, FHP said the following actions were taken during the checkpoint:

--Two arrested on outstanding warrants.
-- Seven arrested on felony charges, including six on drug-related charges.
-- One arrested for misdemeanor drugs.
-- 104 traffic citations issued.
-- 10 faulty equipment warnings were issued.
-- 10 warnings were issued.

barman · Jul 8, 2009

"We conduct these checkpoints to enforce and to educate," Riordan said. "It's a way for us to bring the public's attention to things like faulty equipment they need to fix as well as being a way for us to get people out from behind the wheel who do not belong there."

Bar: In that case, they should change the name of the event to "Enforcement & Education Checkpoints"

Trouble with that is that it's been deemed illegal for police to initiate traffic stops without reasonable cause to believe the driver has committed a traffic violation and/or probable cause to believe a criminal act is in progress.

But use the blanket, "DUI checkpoint" and it's legal for them to stop as many vehicles as they wish.

Prudent drivers involved in such stops are best served to display their drivers license (even though it's being asked for under illegal pretext) and then politely refuse to answer any questions. In courteous and persistent fashion, ask to leave the scene ASAP.

tiznow · Jul 8, 2009

fascism rules!!

roadreeler57 · Jul 8, 2009

Fight back www.phantomalert.com www.speedtrap.org

barman · Jul 8, 2009

RR, that's some good stuff

I confess I had not fully considered the potential uses for the ever-growing product line of GPS-devices that are with each day being installed in more and more vehicles.

But it certainly makes sense that smart Americans will add such tactics to their daily life in order to circumvent efforts by the state to unduly interfere with us.

Though I am fully versed on the best way to deal with traffic stops, I myself have not been stopped at a "checkpoint" since probably the late 1980s in Texas. But if I were to get back into any situation where I was driving more at night, I'd love to have a GPS or smartphone interface that would give me an Alert any time a fellow user spotted a checkpoint and messaged the "group", so to speak.