Wondering about an area law enforcement tactic

bwa

The PD in the county seat here set up a "checkpoint" on the city's busiest street from Sat. evening at 10:15 to Sun. morning around 3:00 AM. They stopped over 1100 cars(everybody using the street during those hours), and made around 40 arrests -mostly people not wearing their seat belts, but around 15 alcohol violations, if I remember correctly. I'm all in favor, of course, of getting drinking drivers off the streets; but something about this method gave me pause. I thought I had read some things in the recent past questioning the constitutionality of such tactics. I'm thinking also that Ohio law prohibits LEO's from stopping drivers exclusively for a safety belt violation(must have been guilty of speeding or other unlawful activity ).

Thought I would ask Mr. Nunn, Rugster, University50 and others to educate me about this. Others of course may weigh in also.

DancesWithSheep

When you net for tuna, you're bound to bring up some porpoises. Sobriety checks are great revenue generators.

muley

Here in California, or at least in my county, the LEO's set up sobriety check stations every so often too. However, they always put an ad in the local paper telling everyone who reads, when and where it will be. I don't know if this is a requirement by law, but I suspect it is. Still, they catch a lot of people that are DWI or have open containers in the vehicles. Seat belts are required and they can stop and ticket you only for that. A couple years ago, a City Policeman that I passed, jumped in his vehicle and chased me for three blocks before he caught me. When I saw him jump in his car, I remember saying to myself, "Boy, some idiots in big trouble". Cost me $80.

**I love the smell of Hoppes #9 in the morning**

Alpine

Muley: That Kalif law. Check points must be advertised in local paper, must have signs warning of check point(prior to entry into area), and must have escape route for people to go around checkpoint. Only bone heads get caught in checkpoints.

"If you ain't got pictures, I wasn't there."

leeblackman

To me checkpoints seem like something that belongs in a war torn third world country, not in this one.

If I'm wrong please correct me, I won't be offended.

The sound of a 12 gauge pump clears a house fatser than Rosie O eats a Big Mac !

dads-freehold

greetings, to le'blac'man , you are so right about check points being third world. they are one of the first signs of a decaying society and the forerunner of a police state. like a cancer that can't be cut out it will destroy ,but it is a long and agony death...respt submitted dads-freehold

if your going to be a savage, be a headhunter

doomsknight62

The way it's done around here is a little different, it sounds. Here, they actually route people off the main road and into a parking lot ( usually, the library ) where they have a bunch of cones set up in this little maze. If you can navigate the cones and make it to the other side, you're free to go. There's an exit on the other side, and the officers will stop traffic so you can go. It takes maybe 30 extra seconds out of your day.
Of course, if you start plowing over cones and swerving, yeah, they're gonna pull you over.

" God is in His Heaven, All is Right in the World. "

REBJr

doomsknight62
What part of Ohio are you in, I'm in south central and have never seen that method used, not sayin it doesn't happen. around here they just have the roadblock kind where you're stopped comming into (rural) town and stopped comming back out.-Ralph
PS no as far as I know Ohio still can't pull you for a seat belt only, but I guess maybe they are pulling (in a checkpoint) EVERYONE over for probable cause?

Nothing very, very good or very, very bad lasts for very, very long.

allen griggs

In North Carolina they can pull you over for seat belt violation alone. They target different cities around the state on different weekends, it is called "Click it or Ticket". These "sobriety checkpoints" ought to be ruled unconstitutional and certainly are signs of a police state.

Nighthawk

In VA we can stop a vehicle over a seat belt violation,and from there alone sometimes serious charges are made.Then you think if I was only wearing my seat belt.I agree about Traffic checks being about Money maybe for the State.But for descent LEOs its about getting Drunk Drivers off the road.

Best!!!

Rugster


Toujours Pret

nunn

I don't like checkpoints much. Not just to check for DL, insurance and seat belts anyway.

Targeted checkpoints are somewhat useful. The ones where there is portable breath testing equipment, and the area targeted is known for drunk driving violations. Like a strip of clubs.

I hate clubs and bars anyway. People drive there, then drink, then drive some more. Dumb arrangement. Liquor stores are better. Drive there, buy liquor, take it home and drink. At least you don't kill anybody and you wake up in familiar surroundings.

SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net