Thread: ESCONDIDO, CA: Demonstrators picketing DUI/DL CHECKPOINT

ESCONDIDO: Protestors say police harassed, videotaped them

Demonstrators were picketing sobriety checkpoint

By EDWARD SIFUENTES - esifuentes@nctimes.com North County Times - Californian |

Posted: Monday, October 11, 2010 7:44 pm

Demonstrators at an Escondido checkpoint Saturday night said they were harassed by police officers who told them to move, threatened to cite them, and videotaped and photographed them.

A spokesman for the Escondido Police Department said Monday that officers were trying to get the group to move to a safer location.

The group, including Escondido City Council candidate Carmen Miranda, her two teen daughters and about a dozen others were holding signs at the intersection of North Broadway and East Lincoln Avenue, warning drivers of a police checkpoint ahead.

Some of the signs read: "Checkpoint," "White Collar Crime Ahead" and "Car Thieves Ahead," members of the group said.

Police held a sobriety and driver's license checkpoint from about 6 p.m. to midnight a few blocks away on Lincoln Avenue and East Fig Street.

Miranda said her daughters and several adults held signs on the southwest corner of the intersection, near a park-and-ride lot, and that she was with another part of the group across the street on the southeast corner of the intersection.

About 7:30 p.m., an officer driving a volunteer patrol car approached Miranda's daughters and told them to move across the street, Miranda said.

Miranda said her daughters asked him if he was a police officer or a volunteer.

According to Miranda and others who were there, the police officer answered: "I am a police officer and I have a gun."

"To the girls, it was a threat," Miranda said.

Lt. Tom Albergo, who heads the department's traffic division, said the area where the group was standing, at the intersection of Highway 78 and North Broadway, was dangerous because of the speeding traffic coming off the freeway.

Police were asking them to move to a safer location, he said.

The police officer's words may have been misconstrued by the group, Albergo said.

"We don't know if that was taken out of context," Albergo said. "If I am in full uniform and I have a badge and I have a gun and someone asks, 'Are you a police officer?' and I say, 'I am a cop and I have a gun,' I don't see anything inappropriate with that because that's a statement of fact."

Jenifer Leiendecker, an Escondido resident who frequently protests police checkpoints and was standing near the girls when the incident occurred, said the same officer started to take pictures of the group.

"(The officer) begins to take pictures of all of us, literally getting up into our faces and taking several pictures of everyone," Leiendecker said. "He yells at my husband to show his face and not to hide behind the sign he is holding."

A few minutes earlier, she exchanged words with another officer on a motorcycle who parked in front of her, Leiendecker said.

That officer also pulled out a camera, but she turned her back and did not see if he took pictures, she said.

When she asked the officer if he was going to cite her, he said, "Just keep doing what you are doing," Leiendecker said.

That comment, and comments the other officer made, led her to believe that she was being threatened, she said.

Albergo said police often document the checkpoints by taking pictures and video.

He said that when people hold signs at checkpoint locations, police document those incidents, as well.

Since 2006, the Escondido Police Department has ramped up its checkpoint program in an effort to curb traffic safety problems, including hit-and-run crashes, police officials have said.

Critics say the checkpoints are alienating the Latino community, including some members who are illegal immigrants and are ineligible for driver's licenses.

The checkpoints often result in dozens of vehicles being impounded from unlicensed drivers.

During the six-hour operation Saturday, more than 2,500 vehicles passed through the checkpoint. Police conducted 13 sobriety tests; five people were arrested for drunken driving and six drivers did not have a license.

Seventeen vehicles were impounded, Albergo said.

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

NORTH COUNTY TIMESl

"We don't know if that was taken out of context," Albergo said. "If I am in full uniform and I have a badge and I have a gun and someone asks, 'Are you a police officer?' and I say, 'I am a cop and I have a gun,' I don't see anything inappropriate with that because that's a statement of fact."

Of course it's a statement of fact which any rational and reasonable person would recognize. But in this case you’re not dealing with rational nor reasonable people. You're dealing with uber - sensitive La Raza cohorts who believe measures to remove drunks and non-licensed drivers off the road are aimed specifically at their raza.

Some of the signs read: "Checkpoint," "White Collar Crime Ahead" and "Car Thieves Ahead," members of the group said.

"White Collar Crime Ahead?"

How should that be perceived?

''Critics say the checkpoints are alienating the latino community,including some members who are illegal immigrants and are not eligible for drivers licenses''
I say keep up the good work Escondito Police Department.Whenever my Police Department has a drivers license checkpoint,and i am traveling in the opposite direction,i will turn around and go through it to thank them for their good work. I always thought someone could be cited for interfering with law enforcement by holding or placing signs warning(illegal alien scofflaws) in advance of a law enforcement checkpoint.
The lunatics have been in charge of the asylum for far to long,hopefully in november they and their bleeding heart policys will be thrown out along with the garbage.How could anyone with half a brain,protest a drivers license or sobriety checkpoint!

I hope Escondito alienates the entire alien community - all the way back to their home countries.

The group, including Escondido City Council candidate Carmen Miranda, her two teen daughters and about a dozen others were holding signs at the intersection of North Broadway and East Lincoln Avenue, warning drivers of a police checkpoint ahead.

I don't know but to me this should be against the law! It's like flashing your lights at oncoming traffic warning of a speed trap, you can and will be arrested for doing this. These people are a menace, they could cause all kinds of accidents when people suddenly duck out of their lane to avoid being checked!

Why doesn't Cali have "chase cars" lined up to catch people avoiding the check points on purpose? They do it here in NC! They honestly should give those people one warning about what they are doing, then start hauling their butt to jail!

They should be arrested for being a nuisances and interference of an officer of the law trying to do their job!!

Did he check their papers?

Originally Posted by SOSADFORUS

They should be arrested for being a nuisances and interference of an officer of the law trying to do their job!!

Did he check their papers?

What that is a racist statement, "check their papers", God Forbid that would mean they are doing the job they were hired to do!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know but to me this should be against the law! It's like flashing your lights at oncoming traffic warning of a speed trap, you can and will be arrested for doing this. These people are a menace, they could cause all kinds of accidents when people suddenly duck out of their lane to avoid being checked!

Hey flashing your lights is common law!!!!!!! Since when is that illegal, now there is illegal and there is illegal....

I hope Escondito alienates the entire alien community - all the way back to their home countries.

"Now there you go again" they come here but don't want to assimilate in our society.....these people don't want to abide by any of our laws.....and this is one law that they excel at, driving while intoxicated....

It never ends does it....

kathyet

Can't wait for my t-shirt to arrive. It reads: DEPORT 30MIL...just do it!

I think some American citizens should go out there and hold signs of their own!


Free Housing Ahead
Get your free Drivers License ahead
Food stamp applications taken ahead
W.I.C taking applications 1 mile ahead
Vote Yes for Dream Act in 500 ft


Lets see how many illegals get picked up then

If we do not stop Amnesty and reverse Illegal Immigration this high level of lawlessness will spread all across our country .

Calif. is the canary in the coal mine. Florida is not far behind.