DUI checkpoints are really stops to see if you have warrants
Far be it from me to defend anyone who has run afoul of the law (read: minorities) but the pious claim that DUI checkpoints are keeping KC's streets safe from drunk drivers is nothing but good public relations.
Instead, you should see DUI checkpoints for what they really are: Random stops to make sure you haven't missed court, jumped bail, have expired tags or missed a child support payment. This is evidenced by the fact that during DUI checkpoints this weekend police arrested 9 drunk drivers and 22 for "other" traffic charges. Let's not even get into the fact that this
Anyway, the point is that you shouldn't consider DUI checkpoints to be the work of stay-at-home moms (morons) who just want to make sure little Johnny makes it home safely after finger banging Mary-Jane Rotten Crotch. Those housewives were simply used in order provide law enforcement a more effective method to
posted by Tony Permalink
revenue generation in the guise of saftey. same bullshit with red light cameras, they have been poven to increase accidents but that's not stopping cities all over the world from installing them.
Cops don't give a fuck about you or anybody else and neither does city hall.
And why do they need dogs at a DUI checkpoint? AFAIK Dogs are usless in detecting alcohol consumption... unless these checkpoints are really about something else.
DUI checkpoints are set up to detect impaired drivers. That would be alcohol or drug impairment. The dogs would be to sniff out dope on cases where the driver seems impaired, but there are no physical indicators for alcohol. Tony, the flip-side of your argument is that the cops should let anyone go who is not drunk. It's entirely cool that they have a suspended license, warrants (do you really think everyone along Independence Ave. just had harmless parking warrants?), dope, guns, whatever...just so they aren't wasted. It's a twist on the age old white guy argument whenever stopped for speeding..."Why aren't you out there arresting REAL criminals?" Yes, good plan, let's suspend all traffic laws until the crime rate is zero. Anyway, you also have two minor problems with your "they're out to get minorities" argument: As you cite, they have set up checkpoints in prodominantly white areas (Ward Pkwy...and it led to the deaths of those kids about like school bullies led to the Columbine shooting), and the DUI checkpoints are federally funded and the areas they use are directed by stats on drunk driving accidents. They have about 5 places they can go and all must be identified as high crash areas. Highways are exempt.
and Jazo...these cases always get continued 6 zillion times, and they pay the cop to appear at each case, the city is actually losing money on DUIs. The only people making money on DUIs are lawyers.
DUI checkpoints are all about unconstitutional searches under the guise of public safety and adding coins to the government coffers.
Where does "anonymous" live? Lets set a few up in his/her neighborhood.
anon: still not buying the BS about the dog.
anon: rarely do the cops just write one ticket.
Anon,
From another anonymous who actually got a DUI, the real money is made through the "sentencing." You have to go to alcohol school which is basically a one day bullshit class where they tell you not to drink and drive. Running those schools is a very lucrative contract. Kind of like a fee license bureau. Who gets those contracts and how are they handed out? You seem to know so much. Why don't you tell the rest of the class?
and what's wrong with making sure you; "haven't missed court, jumped bail, have expired tags or missed a child support payment."?
Seems like that's the role of law enforcement...catch people that are doing something illegal.
When all of America is treated like a criminal so we can snuff out the few, this is wrong. We are losing our rights here. I am all about catching the bad guy but we must protect our rights. Before too long we will have house checks to make sure we are behaing correctly. When you have the system controlling the masses, you have a loss of freedom. That is the concern. We are being rounded up like cattle. For our best interest? I question the motive.
We have given too much authority to the authorities and it is being abused.
another thing, cops along Indep. avenue are really racist. I know because I live in this neighborhood (just a few blocks north of Indep. Ave on St. John). I got stopped in the DUI dragnets a few times and I always get waved on through. My husband (who is hispanic) gets the 3rd degree. I agree w/ Tony...they are not just looking for drunks. They are looking for all kinds of criminals and also illegal aliens. If the person is black or hispanic, they will run the plates, check license, check insurance, search the car... Sure it gets some criminals but let's not pretend it's just about catching drunks or that it's not racial profiling, b/cause it is.
These checkpoints are a violation of our civil rights. Please check out my site: NoCheckPoints.com
Report checkpoint locations to us: We will notify all of our members in the area via text message.
Highways are NOT exempt.. They blocked off I-35 at Chouteau last year on Memorial Day... Next time you've had a brew or 2 and see one of these coming up, park your vehicle immediately and call someone to get you, or just walk home! Wish I would have...
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