What is your opinion of DUI checkpoints...

[kentuck]

I know sometimes they set them up here in Colorado and they stop cars at random to check for alcohol or drugs. They usually catch 2 or 3 people out of every thousand they stop. Do you think that is a worthwhile police effort? Does it raise any constitutional questions for you?

I have always thought there could be a better way. Why not put up a small obstacle course, with the traffic cones, to drive thru, with sensors on them? If you failed to drive thru the simple obstacle course, then you might be pulled over for a sobriety check? At least, there would be a reason to check your license? Would that be going too far also?

[ZombieHorde]

1. I hate them. Why not just leave people alone? nt

[OffWithTheirHeads]

2. Just more police state shit.

[valerief]

6. +1 gazillion

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Rex]

5. Yup, same

police state.

[Scuba]

4. There's no probable cause. Illegal search. n/t

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

7. Don't drive drunk ?

As long as arrests/citations aren't being issued for anything other than DUI... I don't really care.

[trumad]

9. they can be though

[NutmegYankee]

8. Ihre Papiere bitte!

Same shit, different decade.

[no_hypocrisy]

10. While they must get *some* DUI drivers, they also use the checkpoints

to give tickets for other stuff.

[leveymg]

11. It's a vestige of the Blue Laws, a morals crime. Some people are impaired drivers sober,

while others can be all tanked up on a cocktail of drugs and alcohol and still make it home safely every time. It's all individualized, and should be treated that way, not according to some arbitrary lowest common denominator, such as a .010 BAC.

[Magoo48]

12. They're a lot more fun since I got sober...

[me b zola]

34. Unconstitutional searches are fun because you are sober?

I prefer for my rights not to be violated.

[MurrayDelph]

13. While I hate drunk drivers

I am against the idea of police hanging around in one spot fishing for offenders, instead of being out patrolling, where they might be useful.

Several years ago, my wife was stopped in an LAPD non-DUI checkpoint. They were not looking for anything specific, just to see how many people they could cite for something.

My wife got a bogus seatbelt infraction (wearing it too low) AFTER the officer had "hinted" about how expensive a ticket would be if he wrote her up.

This is part of why we no longer live in Los Angeles.

[Raine]

32. Totally agree and I HATE drunk drivers, I had a good friend killed

by one but I HATE these checkpoints as much. :mad:

[iris27]

14. I don't even drink, and I *hate* drunk drivers, but I hate these checkpoints even more!

It absolutely seems unconstitutional to me. Having visited an area of town where some places sell alcohol at a certain time does not constitute reasonable suspicion.

There is an area known as "The Loop" in St. Louis, with shops, restaurants, and a couple small concert venues...great little area. We always took "the back way" when leaving, though, because it seemed like every weekend, they set up a damned checkpoint on the main road out. I do not want to sit in police-created traffic, and listen to an officer make small talk about the logo on my shirt, just so they can violate my rights under the guise of protecting my safety.

[Sherman A1]

17. Ah, the Delmar Loop!

Yup, a great place to set up a check point and violate the Constitution.

[Cirque du So-What]

15. It's an exercise in conditioning

gets the proles accustomed to 'producing their papers' for anyone in a position of authority.

[CreekDog]

16. anyone who participates in a field sobriety test is testifying against themselves

you don't have to do that.

[wildbilln864]

36. yes you do!

here at least.They suspend your driver's license automatically if you refuse the breathalyzer here!
:shrug:

[CreekDog]

39. no, a field sobriety test is NOT a breathalyzer

:wtf:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drunk_driving_in_the_United_States#Field_sobriety_tests

[brewens]

40. They seem to make you blow no matter how you do on the field sobriety

test here anyway. If they smell alcohol, they make you do their dance and you're on camera, then they make you blow.

The all time idiot award goes to my buddies son. He had a few beers on the river one day, gets pulled over for speeding and has to do the test. He claims he passed no problem and then blew just barely UNDER the limit. The cop said he thought the calibration on his breathalyzer was off and made him wait for another cop to show up and make him blow again. At that point I would think almost anyone would have the sense to tell the cop no way, we're done here! You'd think even the cop would back off and realize he'd have no chance pushing it. The idiot stays and blows just barely over the limit and gets a DUI.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

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[dembotoz]

19. often thought if they would set up at the exit of a brewer or packer game

they could load up the jails for sure Lots a beverage consumed in a fixed period of time.

the concept of probable cause has become of great interest to me
and checkpoints do not trip my trigger


not all that fond of airport checkpoints either, but i really don;t fly much

[Township75]

20. If it saves just one life, then it's worth it.

Not my words, but words used by other people for a different topic....I wonder............

[kentuck]

22. Freedom without any threats or dangers...

Life should not be a gamble. Whatever can be done to protect even one live, no matter how much it might infringe upon another's freedom, is well worth it.

I have a difficult time with that argument. For me, there are no guarantees in life. We should enjoy it.

[Township75]

24. Oh yeah, I agree.

I hear that BS argument I quoted all the time with guns. Im convinced that it is only used by those that don't want to own a gun, so they could care less if it is applied there.

But if you infringe on their privilege to drive by using it....oh, different story.

FOr the record, I personally wouldn't apply that saying to either.

[Yo_Mama]

21. I don't like them

I do think there is a civil liberties issue.

Cops should stop erratic drivers, whatever the cause. I don't think there is adequate justification for stopping all drivers in a broad sweep and I think these operations create additional risks for abuse.

[aquamarina]

23. Personally, I think they are illegal.

I was under the impression you needed probable cause before you could simply stop someone.

Just because you get behind the wheel on a "Friday" or "the weekend" or "a holiday" doesn't mean you've liquored up.

[Lil Missy]

25. It pays the bills. n/t

[reggie the dog]

26. completely unjustified and an assumption of guilt

which puts the burden of proof on us to proove our innocence.

[Marnie]

27. If people are not driving drunkenly, there is no reason to

stop them.


This type of police action requires people to prove innocence where there is no legal cause to suspect guilt.

It is also terrible PR. How may Americans actually like and respect the police as a group? This type of guilty till you prove you are not is just wrong on every level.

[Matariki]

28. Unconstitutional.

[kath]

29. An unconstitutional abomination.

[Selatius]

30. They should be called general checkpoints instead of DUI checkpoints. You need your papers in order.

If you have a broken tail-light, that's a ticket, right there. If your tag just expired the day before, that's yet another ticket. If your windshield is cracked because a small rock on the interstate was flung into it by the 18-wheeler ahead of you a week before, that's a ticket right there as well. They'll ticket you for anything up to and including a DUI.

I can see one day where the checkpoints become permanent fixtures.

[ThomWV]

31. They are disgraceful shows of unlawful force

Just another day in our police state.

[Fire Walk With Me]

33. A DU checkpoint? What, do the Mods ask you what "Casting asparagus" means?

What?

:hide:

[Obamanaut]

35. Do not drive under the influence, and these checkpoints are at worst a minor

inconvenience.

Have all your lights, horn, etc. in working order, and if they get checked at these random stops, at worst it is only another minor inconvenience.

The checkpoint locations in my area are published in the local paper in advance. Go another route if they bother you.

[sarcasmo]

37. Police state horse shit.

[bluestate10]

38. 10000% for them. They get dumb-asses off roads. It least for the night. nt

[Odin2005]

41. It's BS lazy policing.

What ever happened to the friendly neighborhood cop that walked his beat around town, talking to folks and grabbing a doughnut for breakfast?