Thread: ESCONDIDO, CA : CHECK POINTS

LETTERS: NCT, Jan. 3, 2009

By Readers of the North County Times | Saturday, January 3, 2009 12:

Extremely thankful for checkpoints

On the front page on Dec. 31 was another story of the traffic stops and complaints by civil rights groups and Latino activists ("Most breeze through checkpoint"). No, it isn't terrible that the police are trying to keep unsafe drivers off the streets; it's to be commended. Thank you!

On page B-3 was an article of another DUI hitting four cars ("Suspected DUI driver hits four parked cars") and guess what? No license, no insurance.

My husband's car was hit and totaled by someone who had no license, no insurance, no registration and no brakes, plus he had a woman and child in the car to boot.

Please continue to enforce the law and try to keep our streets safe. Thank you!

Elizabeth Nienhaus

Escondido

Let all unlicensed drivers drive cars?

Let me get this straight: Civil rights groups think that traffic checkpoints in Escondido are unfair because they catch the very people that they are intended to catch, i.e., unlicensed drivers ("Most breeze through checkpoint," Dec. 31)? They also think that illegal aliens should be allowed to drive without a license because, after all, they have to go to work and run errands, etc.

Well, then, why not let all unlicensed drivers drive cars? After all, even convicted drunk drivers might have to go to work.

This reminds me of the story of the young man who was convicted of murdering his parents and then threw himself on the mercy of the court because he was an orphan.

Joe Scarantino

Carlsbad

Checkpoint article was superficial

Re: ("Most breeze through checkpoint," Dec. 31): Chris Nichols' article on the use of roadblocks by the Escondido Police Department was disappointingly superficial. Noting that civil rights and Latino groups oppose them, Nichols did not include statements from either. Rather, the article included unchallenged remarks by police that the practice reduces hit-and-run accidents, though there is no evidence. The Escondido Police have yet to explain why there are similar reductions in hit-and-run accidents in other cities where roadblocks are not nearly as frequent. They have also withheld information on roadblocks' cost and the ethnicities of those cited.

Civil rights and Latino groups have pointed out that there is no coincidence that the same city that tried to enact an unlawful rental ban ordinance is now engaging in a practice that seemingly targets those who are ineligible to be licensed drivers. But worse than this, police mischaracterize deportation orders found during these stops as felony warrants, which results in arrests that destroy families ...

The face of the anti-immigrant, anti-Latino campaign appears to have shifted from councilmembers Waldron and Abed to Chief Maher.

Bill Flores

spokesman, El Grupo

Escondido

Ireland wants U.S. amnesty, too

An article in the Belfast Telegraph on Dec. 28 hinted that things might get better with the new Obama administration for the 40,000-80,000 Irish illegal aliens living and working (illegally) in the U.S. (http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/break ... 21827.html).

Apparently, Mexico is not the only country demanding "rights" and amnesty for their law-breaking citizens who ignored our borders and our immigration laws to come to the land of milk and honey (and welfare). Of course, Mexico, being a much shorter swim to America, has far more of their citizens living here illegally, an estimated 10 million-15 million!

Many of the Irish illegal aliens live in the Boston area and work in the underground economy there. There are likely a relatively small number of Irish illegals in San Diego County, but they too are here in violation of our laws and must be deported when caught, just like illegal aliens from any other country.

"I have a dream" that the new administration will restore our system of legal immigration to America in the coming years. We citizens and legal immigrants will certainly continue to push for it.

Jeff Schwilk

founder, San Diego

Minutemen

Vista

LETTERS: NCT, Jan. 3, 2009

LETTERS: NCT, Jan. 3, 2009

ESCONDIDO: Most breeze through checkpoint

ESCONDIDO: Most breeze through checkpoint

ENCINITAS: Suspected DUI driver hits four parked cars

ENCINITAS: Suspected DUI driver hits four parked cars

LETTERS: NCT, Jan. 4, 2009

Checkpoints great; time to put teeth into laws

Re: "Most breeze through checkpoint," Dec. 31: I'm really getting sick and tired of these pro-Latino groups who think American laws don't apply to their people! I have a news flash: They do!

If you ... think you are being targeted by the police, perhaps it's because so many ... people drive without benefit of a driver's license, insurance or a properly registered vehicle.

If you get into an accident, what happens? The poor fool you hit, who is more than likely driving with a license, insurance and a properly registered vehicle that can be traced back to him, gets stuck paying for the damage you caused to his vehicle, and perhaps the occupants of his car, as well.

You simply don't have the right to be on our roads, behind the wheel of a potentially lethal weapon, because in the first place, your very presence here is a violation of our immigration laws. We aren't going to reward that illegal act with a legal driver's license. ...

It's time to put some teeth into our laws and start enforcing them vigorously. The situation is completely out of control, and it is always the law-abiding citizens who get the shaft!

Lora Wainscott

Oceanside

LETTERS: NCT, Jan. 4, 2009

ESCONDIDO: Most breeze through checkpoint
ESCONDIDO: Most breeze through checkpoint

ABOUT TIME!! If you think u are being singled out b/c you are driving drunk or have no drivers lic. (latino,or, not) maybe you should just stay home!!!!!

MVet January 4, 2009 9:45AM PST

Read all of the drunk driving arrests in the coastal area this week. Same stuff, different day. DUI, pursuit, unidentified driver, hit and run, bla bla bla. Then read the excerpt on Bill Flores. BILL FLORES : “Statewide studies show that the main reason people flee accidents — or one or the main reasons, 40 to 57 percent of the time — is because they have no license,â€

Reardon January 4, 2009 10:31AM PST
May I add to my litany of continuing problems with the Democrats and the upcoming Obama administration (Franken, Blagojevich, Princess Caroline, Eric Holden, Roland Burris) The name of Commerce Secretary Bill Richardson, who this morning withdrew his appointment before it ever took place. Richardson is under investigation concerning contracts awarded while he was Gov. of New Mexico. And the beat goes on…

Illegal immigrants have no rights

Re: "Most breeze through checkpoint," Dec. 31: Do illegals really think it's OK to endanger others on the road who have current driver's licenses? It's ridiculous that people are saying our police force is targeting people who are ineligible for driver's licenses.

If you are ineligible because you are illegal, then you have no rights whatsoever! How dare people complain when police are doing their jobs to protect the community from drivers without licenses.

I think, by quoting Virginia Mendez, I'm supposed to feel sorry for her, but I don't. She's not legal yet and she has no rights. People have no right to endanger me or my loved ones on the road, and they certainly don't deserve "legal rights" for entering this country illegally!

I don't understand why people think they're better than others and do not have to abide by the law. If we were involved in an accident together and you didn't have a license, is it safe to assume you don't have insurance? If you were stopped with an expired license, I'm sorry, you should have kept up-to-date with that. If you were illegal and pulled over for not having a license, don't complain because you have no right!

Stephanie Michael

Oceanside

LETTERS: NCT, Jan. 4, 2009

ESCONDIDO: Six arrested during DUI checkpoint

By North County Times | Sunday, January 4, 2009 9:06 PM PST


ESCONDIDO ---- Police arrested six people Saturday night, including four suspected of driving while intoxicated, during a checkpoint in the 700 block of West Grand Avenue, officials said.

The checkpoint, which saw 1,836 vehicles, ran from 6 p.m. until just after midnight, Sgt. Dana Ray said.

Four people were arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and two were arrested for alleged unspecified criminal misdemeanors, Ray said.

Officers issued 63 citations and impounded 51 vehicles, Ray said.

Driving without a license was one of the most common offenses observed at the checkpoint, which netted 39 unlicensed drivers, 13 drivers with suspended licenses and 14 without car insurance, he said.

ESCONDIDO: Six arrested during DUI checkpoint

MVet wrote: January 4, 2009 11:22PM
WAY TO GO ESCONDIDO PD. The last check point yielded 1 illegal driver every 4 minutes and 48 seconds, for a total of 25 cars impounded. This check point averaged about 1 illegal driver every 7 minutes for 6 hours. I'll put my money on 6 hour check points any day. When will people learn that the laws apply to everyone. I have license and insurance, do you?