Thread: CA. Fewer people protesting police checkpoints

ESCONDIDO: Fewer people protesting police checkpoints

By EDWARD SIFUENTES esifuentes@nctimes.com
February 26, 2012 8:00 pm

The number of people protesting Escondido driver's license and sobriety checkpoints has dropped significantly since last year, when a dozen or more people routinely would show up with picket signs ahead of the police roadblocks.

Some of the checkpoint protesters said last week that one of their biggest complaints was addressed when a new state law took effect at the beginning of the year. The law gives drivers whose only violation is being unlicensed an opportunity to call a licensed driver to take the vehicles away.

Escondido police have been following the new law, and the number of cars being impounded has dropped significantly.

Some of the most prominent anti-checkpoint activists, such as former City Council candidate Carmen Miranda, said they will no longer protest but will continue to oppose them.

"We don't really need to be out there protesting, but somebody needs to be keeping an eye on them," Miranda said.

Activists started showing up to protest checkpoints about 18 months ago. Some said they opposed the checkpoints because they believed the operations disproportionately affected the Latino community, including those who were in the country illegally and ineligible for driver's licenses.

Police officials have said the checkpoints' only aim was to improve traffic safety.

Lt. Tom Albergo, who heads the Escondido Police Department's traffic division, said the department is following the law and allows motorists to have a licensed driver take the vehicles.

"I'm hoping that people now understand that these guys (police officers) are just doing their job," Albergo said.

During the two checkpoints that have been held this year, police released 22 vehicles to licensed drivers. Before the law took effect, those vehicles would have been seized and impounded for 30 days. Eighteen vehicles were impounded for various violations during the same two checkpoints, according to police.

Before the activists began protesting the operations, police routinely seized dozens of vehicles per checkpoint.

Escondido Police Chief Jim Maher said last week that he didn't like the new law because unlicensed drivers are dangerous.

"It's terrible for the community, because it's just a matter of time before one of those autos is involved in a fatal crash," he said.

Maher said some of the activists had turned to helping the unlicensed drivers by offering to drive their vehicles away.

Jenifer Leiendecker, one of the former protesters, said she also would no longer show up to protest checkpoints, even though she continues to oppose them. She said drivers who were illegal immigrants were being turned over to immigration authorities.

"The new law is working as far as impounds during the checkpoints," Leiendecker said. "But some of us are afraid that the people who are cited are being followed up with a visit from ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)."

The Escondido Police Department has a partnership with the immigration agency, allowing several ICE officers to work out of its headquarters. However, Maher said the ICE officers working with the department only arrest people who have been convicted of a crime.

"Our policy is, if you have been convicted of a crime in America and we stop you, Escondido is not the right place for you to be in," Maher said.

According to a police news release, officers arrested a driver during a Feb. 11 checkpoint on suspicion of having a suspended license. After the officers found out that the driver was in the country illegally and that he had been previously convicted of burglary, he was turned over to ICE.

At least one checkpoint opponent said he will continue to protest. Matt Bologna said checkpoints are an excessive exercise of police powers.

Bologna also said he was baffled by the department's use of Young Marines, a youth program similar to ROTC, to distribute information during a recent checkpoint. He said the Young Marines, dressed in camouflage uniforms, made the checkpoint look "militaristic."

"I absolutely will continue to protest these open displays of tyranny," Bologna said. "I believe in freedom and that does not involve being stopped for no reason and asked to present papers."

Call staff writer Edward Sifuentes at 760-740-3511.

ESCONDIDO: Fewer people protesting police checkpoints

The law gives drivers whose only violation is being unlicensed an opportunity to call a licensed driver to take the vehicles away.

Wonder if this applies to non-latinos? If they impound American's cars somebody better sue for discrimination!

Originally Posted by nomas

Wonder if this applies to non-latinos? If they impound American's cars somebody better sue for discrimination!

This applies to ALL drivers.

The law gives drivers whose only violation is being unlicensed an opportunity to call a licensed driver to take the vehicles away.

Wow, that makes no sense at all. What is to stop the same person (the one stopped) from getting behind the wheel of the vehicle the next day? Heck, for that matter, what's to stop them from getting behind the wheel again laster on in the day?

Originally Posted by MW

Wow, that makes no sense at all. What is to stop the same person (the one stopped) from getting behind the wheel of the vehicle the next day? Heck, for that matter, what's to stop them from getting behind the wheel again laster on in the day?

Shoot, they could go around the corner then drive off in the car! You know darn well it's a relative coming to the rescue, so they could park THEIR car then get the offender and their car and both of them drive off in their car...