Thread: DUI checkpoint sites questioned

Yuri Cunza, president of the Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He added: "The population will be frightened."

BS........the illegal aliens will be frightened.

Kelvin Jones, executive director of the Metro Human Relations Commission, suggested authorities take a close look at their practices regarding checkpoints.

"Here it appears to be a disparate impact on a particular community," he said.

Stupid statement Kelvin. No different than when narcs frequent a particular area known for drugs.

Take this poll
http://www.kcra.com/news/4468866/detail.html
Do you agree with the practice of using police DUI checkpoints for the purpose of enforcing other laws with drivers who are not suspected of being drunk?

Choice Votes Percentage of 1708 Votes
Yes, I agree with this practice 994 58%
No, I don't think it's fair 714 42%

Ok we just let ever body go that the way they want goverment wants it.
Vote out the bums

"It has the potential to scare people from talking to authorities," said Yuri Cunza, president of the Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He added: "The population will be frightened."

If you're breaking the law shouldn't you be afraid of getting caught? Isn't that the way it's suppose to be?

This just gets crazier by the day.

It's like Big Brother ... but it may be OK

By: CHRIS TRIBBEY - Staff Writer
North County Times
January 6, 2007

It was shortly after I had moved to Oceanside when I was stopped by a cop between Carlsbad and home. More than one cop, actually. I hadn't done anything wrong. I wasn't speeding, my tags were up to date, no broken taillight, and there are no warrants out for my arrest ---- at least none that I know of. (I did pay those speeding tickets ... didn't I?)

I was nervous. Police officers are intimidating folk, even when they're nice and you're innocent. The officers were extremely polite. They asked for my license. They let me go my way. And then they stopped the guy driving behind me. And the car behind him.

Like many police departments in North County, the Oceanside Police Department was conducting a driver's license checkpoint, where most every driver is stopped.

The Supreme Court of the United States has upheld these checkpoints as legal and constitutional, but like many people, I couldn't help but feel slightly put off that my drive and day had been interrupted. The driver's license checkpoints have a "1984," Big Brother feel to them, where law enforcement needs no cause to stop drivers.

I used to feel that way, until I came to work over here in Escondido, and saw the results of the checkpoints conducted by the Escondido Police Department. Turns out a cause for these checkpoints does exist.

In four checkpoints since Aug. 30 (the most recent was held Wednesday), in different locations and held at different times, each held for about two hours, Escondido police have stopped 4,209 drivers and asked for their license.

Of those they stopped, 114 were cited for having no license, or a suspended license ---- or roughly one in 36 drivers that were stopped. More than 60 motorists were also cited for driving without insurance.

One DUI and one warrant arrest were also reported.

It may not seem like a lot, but think about it when you drive down Valley Parkway, or Broadway, or Escondido Boulevard; you pass 36 other drivers within two or three blocks. If those statistics are even close to an accurate representation of our city's drivers as a whole, another driver you just passed does not have a valid license, and is a liability to everyone around him or her.

The department knows these checkpoints are a hassle for us. When traffic becomes too backed up, officers let everyone through until it clears again. And they know you're going to come away grumbling and unhappy.

But in a city where 900 hit-and-run accidents are reported each year, many of which involve unlicensed drivers, a little hassle is worth it.

Chris Tribbey is the city editor of the Escondido and Poway editions of the North County Times. He can be reached at (760) 739-6673 or ctribbey@nctimes.com.

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/01 ... ogcomments


Comments On This Story

Note: Comments reflect the views of readers and not necessarily those of the North County Times or its staff.

Lisa wrote on January 05, 2007 10:50 PM:"It's not "O.K." with me. Period."

EscRes wrote on January 06, 2007 3:48 AM:"It's great and I don't mind the inconvenience whatsoever; the city could sure use the money, too. Even better would be some sort of automatic sensors at the ends of every street and freeway on/off ramps to check license and insurance info. Fines should be stiffer with mandatory jail for at least 24 hours. I'm tired of paying for uninsured motorists, with no consequences for lawbreakers, etc... when does it start being fair?"

Jay wrote on January 06, 2007 7:07 AM:""YOUR PAPERS PLEASE!" And next we will be screening all pedestrians for correct documentation. I feel safer already."

Jeff wrote on January 06, 2007 7:09 AM:"Lisa, do you have a valid driver's license, or are you just a card carrying member of the ACLU? It is very likely that you will never even be stopped at a checkpoint. In twenty years of driving I never have. Even if I did, I would proudly display my driver's license and move on, knowing the next guy might deservingly get a ticket."

Pow wrote on January 06, 2007 8:11 AM:"I can't help but wonder how many of the drivers without a license or insurance were illegal aliens. Why didn't the police check to see if the drivers they stopped were illegals?"

Escondido resident wrote on January 06, 2007 10:13 AM:"I'll agree with Pow, it would be a good way to find illegals, especially in Escondido. If you are properly registered, insured and a legal citizen, and the officers are not going to give stiff penalties for dead taillight, I support it. It's worth a little annoyance to remove one more illegal driver from the roads, or even save a life. "

BK wrote on January 06, 2007 1:09 PM:"It's too bad that those illegals that are stopped and don't have a drivers license or insurance can't be deported back to Mexico. But that's not the Police department's job. They really don't care if the person is illegal or not...they can't do anything about it. That's the job of the Immigration service and/or Border Patrol. Also, these illegals can't get a driver's license without proper documentation. Bravo for that!"

Add Your Comments or Letter to the Editor

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/01 ... ogcomments

Do you agree with the practice of using police DUI checkpoints for the purpose of enforcing other laws with drivers who are not suspected of being drunk?
Choice Votes Percentage of 1713 Votes
Yes, I agree with this practice 999 58%
No, I don't think it's fair 714 42%

It's like Big Brother ... but it may be OK (Continued)

Bravo Escondido Police wrote on January 06, 2007 2:37 PM:"Kudos to the police for working to make our streets safer. The police department should work with ICE under provision 287-g to train one or more of our police so they CAN act as agents on behalf of immigration. Costa Mesa in OC has signed up for the program and is enforcing it."

Skip wrote on January 06, 2007 5:54 PM:"Where is the outrage! Where are the public demonstrations? How about the "Activists Groups". There are some serious problems going on in Escondido! And I am not talking about rentals or homeless. I am talking about PUBLIC SAFETY and ACCOUNTABILITY! Can you imagine how many cars would be impounded if they did theses checkpoints every day, and for 10 or 15 hours instead of only 2 hours. Is lawlessness a way of life for Escondido? Every Escondido Citizen should be embarrassed at how the city is declining into a third world city, and if that were not enough they should be concerned about public safety. IT IS THE LAW IN CALIFORNIA THAT IN ORDER TO DRIVE A VEHICLE ON PUBLIC STREETS, THAT YOU MUST HAVE A VALID LICENSE, REGISTRATION, AND INSURANCE!" "

Jennifer wrote on January 06, 2007 6:03 PM:"I so appreciate the police looking out for our safety. I thanked them profusely the time I was stopped. I think I'll pick up a few Starbucks gift cards to keep in the car to hand out to them if I'm ever stopped again. I cannot imagine the horror of being hit by an unliscensed/uninsured driver whatever their ethnicity or immigration status."

Add Your Comments or Letter to the Editor

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/01 ... 1_5_07.txt

We are really in trouble when it is discriminatory against Hispanics to have a sobriety checkpoint. I guess we are supposed to shrug and say "Oh well it's a cultural norm for them to drink and drive".

I wish they'd do more of those in the Houston area (sanctuary city!!!) A few weeks ago, some idiot was speeding on a service road alongside a major highway.

This idiot was speeing at over 110 mph on this road where the speed limit is posted at 40 mph.

He proceeded to lose control, cross and inclined grassy median (no exit ramp), kill his son, send two neices to the hospital and he got some scratches, closed the freeway for about seven hours because of the subsequent car flames and traffic congestion since this is major route to Bush International Airport.

As with most of the overnight drunken driving stories on the morning news, the driver was Hispanic (no word on status....) Anything to get these drunken [Mod Edit] off the street has my full support!!

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