question on check points

[manystangs]

I am just wondering how can the police set up traffic check points for seatbelts, drunk driving etc..... I have always been told the police need a reason to pull someone over, lights out or anything else illegal, and couldn't pull someone over for no reason. It seems as if stopping everybody would be unconstitutional. If that is true how can a check point be legal? Am I mistaken????

 

[manystangs]

I see what you are saying, it just seems wrong to me. what's the diff between that and just stopping me because they feel like it, the could say they were checkin for seatbelts etc.....I guess my question would be does stopping everybody to "check for these items" somehow make it better than stopping one person for no reason????I don't need "big brother" to check that i am wearing a seatbelt or not drinking. Don't get me wrong I think drinking and driving in insane, but I don't agree with the check points.

 

[aj0538]

They are technically called safety checkpoints. We routinely arrest between 5-10 drivers a night on a typical 3 or 4 hour checkpoints. Most are for suspended license and outstanding warrants. We also get stolen cars and drugs. Drugs need to get into your town somehow and criminals need to get to the "scene of the crime". It's something law abiding citizens like you and me have to put up with because of the small percentage of dirtbags that can't seem to do anything but commit crime and waste oxygen.

 

[hillie16]

In PA we have to publish in the newspaper that we are having a checkpoint at least 1 day prior.....usually hidden amongst the classified somewhere

 

[aj0538]

I don't figure that the ad hurts much. Not many of the people we deal with even read the paper. Some don't seem to be able to read.

 

[hillie16]

Exactly the point!

 

[LIGHTNINROD]

Manystangs:

Originally posted by manystangs
I see what you are saying, it just seems wrong to me. what's the diff between that and just stopping me because they feel like it, the could say they were checkin for seatbelts etc.....I guess my question would be does stopping everybody to "check for these items" somehow make it better than stopping one person for no reason????I don't need "big brother" to check that i am wearing a seatbelt or not drinking. Don't get me wrong I think drinking and driving in insane, but I don't agree with the check points.

Ditto: Our most esteemed Governor of Atlanta--uh, uh, I mean 'dictator' of Ga. proclaimed recently that there would be 'click-it or ticket' traffic stops set up all over this sovereign state.

Yep, another 'revenue raiser' for the pols.

Btw, some earlier Ga. legislature decreed that a driver of a PICKUP truck did not have to belt-up or 'click-it' if you are 18 or older. I was hoping that I would get stopped at one of these 'check-points'(didn't they have those in Eastern Germany?) so that I could un-click my seat belt and see if someone else was aware of this law. Yes, I always buckle-up(for safety and better handling purposes--use to daily drive a Z281LE with a 5-belt harness) and I taught my son to do the same(he won't start his car until all belts are buckled and tight).

Dan

 

[aj0538]

I know Dan, that damn 14th ammendment to the constitution again.

If you wear your seatbelts and follow the law then you will not be adding to the states revenue. I get stuck in checkpoints all the time. I also participate in them from time to time and we make several arrests from suspended license to no insurance and so on. They are there for public safety. I don't make a dime off the tickets and I have no quota.

BTW, the majority of the $ goes to the department of transportation to improve and build roads. Less than 5% goes to the issuing agency and to be honest that doesnt even cover the officers salary and gas for the vehicle for the time it takes to write the citation.

I also see you live in Macon. Did you know that Macon has the highest number of drive by shootings and gang related violence in the state? I'm talking in the city area but often these gang members go into the outlying areas of the city to steal and commit violent acts. They drive to get to these outlying areas because the city police are generally better prepared to deal with them so they drive where its more likely that they wont be detected. I don't know about you but a safety checkpoint between them and you probably sounds like a good idea about now. Look at the big picture, Waiting in traffic sucks--getting burglarized or carjacked sucks far more.

As far as comparing any part of America /star spangled banner playing in background/ to any other country I say this--I would far rather have to wait in a checkpoint than to wait for 2 hours to buy bread and toilet paper. If this is your biggest problem than you are lucky. Its the price we pay for living in a free country that often values the rights of the criminal over the victim. If you have to be inconvienienced for a few minutes so I can arrest a driver with a suspended license and no insurance and possibly a warrant than I'm sorry. I hear East Germany is beautiful this time of year.

 

[LIGHTNINROD]

Uhhh aj0538: Read my post again. I never complained about waiting at a 'stop'--now, did I ? I wasn't stopped for 'click-it or ticket'. My complaint was about the gestapo tactics that our 'dictator' likes. Also, I said the 'pols'(politicians) got the money--not the officers and I never mentioned a 'quota'(maybe a little sensitive there, are you?)

Don't know about Macon's high vehicle-related violence. The worst case of 'violence' recently was rape and armed robbery at the Bravos restaurant. Btw, most law enforcement only REACT to what has already taken place. And don't take this as a 'slam' against law enforcement--they/you have to go by the 'rules'(except speed limits on I-75--you guys break this law daily on your way to and from the Forsyth training center).

Your trying to turn this into an anti police 'post' won't work. And, no cute remarks about where to vacation--I guess it stung a little bit? Dan

Originally posted by aj0538
I know Dan, that damn 14th ammendment to the constitution again.

If you wear your seatbelts and follow the law then you will not be adding to the states revenue. I get stuck in checkpoints all the time. I also participate in them from time to time and we make several arrests from suspended license to no insurance and so on. They are there for public safety. I don't make a dime off the tickets and I have no quota.

BTW, the majority of the $ goes to the department of transportation to improve and build roads. Less than 5% goes to the issuing agency and to be honest that doesnt even cover the officers salary and gas for the vehicle for the time it takes to write the citation.

I also see you live in Macon. Did you know that Macon has the highest number of drive by shootings and gang related violence in the state? I'm talking in the city area but often these gang members go into the outlying areas of the city to steal and commit violent acts. They drive to get to these outlying areas because the city police are generally better prepared to deal with them so they drive where its more likely that they wont be detected. I don't know about you but a safety checkpoint between them and you probably sounds like a good idea about now. Look at the big picture, Waiting in traffic sucks--getting burglarized or carjacked sucks far more.

As far as comparing any part of America /star spangled banner playing in background/ to any other country I say this--I would far rather have to wait in a checkpoint than to wait for 2 hours to buy bread and toilet paper. If this is your biggest problem than you are lucky. Its the price we pay for living in a free country that often values the rights of the criminal over the victim. If you have to be inconvienienced for a few minutes so I can arrest a driver with a suspended license and no insurance and possibly a warrant than I'm sorry. I hear East Germany is beautiful this time of year.

 

[aj0538]

yea it was a slightly harsh reply. Its the same argument I often get from people though--"Your just doing this to get money" "this is unconstitutional" "I feel like im in a foreign country".

If our "dictator" uses gestapo tactics that kinda makes me the gestapo. Don't get me wrong, I am not a real big fan of him either for several reasons.


And yes Law enforcement is "reactive". That is the nature of it. Except for checkpoints which are proactive in my opinion.

Some officers do bend the speed limit, I would never argue that. But you'll notice we don't have 5 point seatbelts in our vehicles either.

I am not going to be a hypocrit I don't own a mustang just because I like the way it looks. If that was true I would get a v6 and save some $ on gas and insurance.

I am sure that the majority of the driving population breaks at least 1 speed limit every time they drive. I live off of I-20 and the only time most cars do the 60MPH limit is when they are in the acceleration lane to get onto 20 or stuck in traffic.

And to be honest I think it was the anti goverment tone (don't read into this-- I read it again closely and I'm over it) that bothered me---

also you did complain about checkpoints when you quoted manystangs in your original quote and put "ditto" under it.

I never thought you made any anti-police comments or that this was an anti-police issue. It was a checkpoint issue and how constitutional they were.

As far as getting "stung". yes, any time anyone makes comments about our government and relates them to a foreign government with a history of human rights violations I guess it hits home. That may have not been your intention but making this an anti-police post was not mine. It's all how you read it and interpret it.

 

[LIGHTNINROD]

aj, you still don't get it......

My 'ditto' quoted manystangs' second post in which he agreed/understood your 'constitutinal' argument. He went on to say 'that he still didn't like 'checkpoints'". My post was not about the 'constitutionalty' point.

Yes, I'm anti-federal government and anti-roy barnes(I think we might agree on him?). That doesn't mean that I am not 'patriotic'. I volunteered in '61 for the marine corps and served my time. Also became a Life member of the NRA in '64. Perhaps, I'm more anti-politician than anti-CONSTITUTIONAL government.

Yes, of course checkpoints are 'proactive' -- that's part of my discomfort. Yes, it is 'the nature' of law enforcement to be reactive----and that's where your argument breaks down. When the citizenry might need your services, you might be 'out in the county' or 'in the city' running a checkpoint while a brutal rape/robbery is taking place(btw, in addition to the harm foisted on the victims in this case, the restaurant had to close its doors.).


As far as ' officers bending the law'(and your implication that I speed too), see my post on "Ga. Government law breakers...". I'm not 'a hypocrit' either.

Dan

 

[aj0538]

This will be a never ending argument. I don't agree with you and you don't agree with me. We don't see eye to eye for several reasons.

I take the government for what it is. It is not even close to perfect but its the best there is compared to every other country.

I believe, like you in some respects, that the biggest problem with the government is the politicians.

As far as checkpoints, patriotism, Roy Barnes and the new state flag:fm: --lets drop it and talk about cars/trucks.

 

[LIGHTNINROD]

OK

Originally posted by aj0538
This will be a never ending argument. I don't agree with you and you don't agree with me. We don't see eye to eye for several reasons.

I take the government for what it is. It is not even close to perfect but its the best there is compared to every other country.

I believe, like you in some respects, that the biggest problem with the government is the politicians.

As far as checkpoints, patriotism, Roy Barnes and the new state flag:fm: --lets drop it and talk about cars/trucks.

Kinda fun--got my aged blood goin'

Btw, I use 'it' to clean my ceramic exhaust tips.....see you at the track one day?

Dan

 

[hillie16]

Re: aj, you still don't get it......

Originally posted by LIGHTNINROD
When the citizenry might need your services, you might be 'out in the county' or 'in the city' running a checkpoint while a brutal rape/robbery is taking place
Dan

Extra officers are usually paid extra to work extra hours or volunteer for checkpoint, police coverage is not compromised or diminished in any way.

 

[aj0538]

hillie--I realize that one of the biggest wedges driven between the police and the community is that the community doesn't understand how we are set up and we don't explain it. This fosters the "us Vs. them" mentality in both the police and the citizens.

Before I became an officer I thought I knew exactly how the police worked(or didn't work) so it was easy to be critical. I just wish more people had the time to attend programs like the citizens police academies and other programs to familiarize the public with how their local departments work. I also wish I was given more time to speak with civic groups and neighborhood associations.

 

[aj0538]

Re: OK

Originally posted by LIGHTNINROD


Kinda fun--got my aged blood goin'

Btw, I use 'it' to clean my ceramic exhaust tips.....see you at the track one day?

Dan

Are you kidding--I know how fast those trucks are!! But seriously, If I can break away from the overtime and part times I work I'll try to make it to the track. This is an expensive sport.

AJ