Beyond the constitutionality of the checkpoints which lack probable cause, they are advertised as DUI checkpoints but they net anyone stupid enough to drive through without a license, insurance, registration, etc. The city gets grant money to fight drunk drivers and the city makes money impounding vehicles. In my opinion, the agencies should pay back their initial grant funding to their sources. Then as the years go by, cars are impounded, the city makes money, and pretty soon the police department is running a cottage industry.
If the City of Fullerton really wanted to stop drunk driving, there are several specific things that officials could do. The least of them would be to sit outside the bars, watch people stagger to their cars, and watch them drive onto public roads. All 12-20 officers would be making arrests all night long. That would be a good start. All of the parking in our downtown has restrictions on overnight parking. So, no one wants to sleep it off in their car if their going to get a ticket. Then there are the taxi restrictions, lack of late night/early morning public transit, and negligent bartenders. One of these mornings, I'm going to hang out around the bars and take pictures of the ludicrous drunks, their vomit, and the outrageous messes they make.
We should never drink and drive, but I still like to know where checkpoints will be in Orange County, San Diego, and LA. I may use calcheckpoint (www.twitter.com/calcheckpoint) to find out where they are.
As much good as these check points do, I still think that they are unconstitutional.
ReplyDeleteBeyond the constitutionality of the checkpoints which lack probable cause, they are advertised as DUI checkpoints but they net anyone stupid enough to drive through without a license, insurance, registration, etc. The city gets grant money to fight drunk drivers and the city makes money impounding vehicles. In my opinion, the agencies should pay back their initial grant funding to their sources. Then as the years go by, cars are impounded, the city makes money, and pretty soon the police department is running a cottage industry.
ReplyDeleteIf the City of Fullerton really wanted to stop drunk driving, there are several specific things that officials could do. The least of them would be to sit outside the bars, watch people stagger to their cars, and watch them drive onto public roads. All 12-20 officers would be making arrests all night long. That would be a good start. All of the parking in our downtown has restrictions on overnight parking. So, no one wants to sleep it off in their car if their going to get a ticket. Then there are the taxi restrictions, lack of late night/early morning public transit, and negligent bartenders. One of these mornings, I'm going to hang out around the bars and take pictures of the ludicrous drunks, their vomit, and the outrageous messes they make.
We should never drink and drive, but I still like to know where checkpoints
ReplyDeletewill be in Orange County, San Diego, and LA. I may use calcheckpoint
(www.twitter.com/calcheckpoint) to find out where they are.