Over the Top Policing

[Shannow]

Interesting the War on drugs thread, and my observations driving home from work the last two nights...also some of my "thin end of the wedge" posts on other issues.

Driving home the last few weeks, there have been RBT stations (Random Breath Test) either on my side of the highway or the other. I don't (didn't traditionally) have a big problem with either them, or the random cheek swabs.

Last night driving home, there was the flashing lights for an RBT on the other side of the road seen from a distance.

As I got closer, there were more vehicles, white wagons and trucks, Police in white overalls allover the place, and dogs searching vehicles.

Seen it before when there's been an escape at the jail.

Going to work this morning, nothing at the same spot.

Driving home this arv, the same scene cars with doors open, dogs poking their heads in the doors, and I think mirrors on sticks...was tempted to flip a U turn and join the queue to see what was going on.

If it was a manhunt, then why did they stop overnight last night ?

If it's just to show us that they can....

 

[Silk]

They find a lot more on RBT's than drunk drivers....and judging by the runners,some people have a lot to hide.I find it funny that they set them up at 8.00am,but I guess some people drive to work drunk.We often have a few beers after work...and they set the booze bus up on the far side of the bridge where you can't see it from the otherside...until it's too late.Lucky they don't stop me on my pushbike...

We had the white overalls and scene lights at a house less than a km from home a few weeks ago,I went passed as they were setting up.A body had been found not very far away,and had been there a couple of weeks....guess he was killed in that house before disposal.

 

[rshaw125]

So everyone is a suspect.Nice.

 

[Shannow]

Only those passing through the checkpoint.

 

[crinkles]

saw one on main street this morn at 7:30 (RBT copper setting up).

I couldn't believe mine eyes!

 

[JHZR2]

I was near the University of MD around St. Patrick's day, and got caught in an RBT checkpoint. Traffic was horrendous and so many cars were idling that it was spewing all sorts of pollution out. Of course extended idling is against the law too, but I guess it was OK in that situation.

If I was asked to give a test, I was going to refuse and ask them what probable cause they had. Of course I was absolutely sober and hadnt touched alcohol in weeks, so there was no basis besides the fact that it was a college town on SPD.

I don't like the "automatic guilt" that is put onto the population for certain things like asking for ID when using a credit card (against the user agreement), asking for a receipt when leaving a store (when the buzzer does not go off), and asking for breathalyzer tests from the population. There are also other things like forced vaccines and monitoring that are coming down the line that are even more scary.

The reality is that some real sense should be put into any process. It may come across as offensive to some, but will do a much better job of efficiently going after the real trouble and save the rest a lot of time.

 

[rshaw125]

Random cheek swab? What is that? Sounds like another Orwellian like the commission in Canada that ensures your speech is 'approved'.

 

[crinkles]

check for drugs in your system

 

[PF52]

I got stopped randomly in a Detroit suburb a couple years ago and was treated to a 45-minute interrogation and search of my vehicle by the narcotics dog. Nothing was found, of course (I don't do drugs and never did) but nevertheless the stupid dog thought there was "something" there so they did the search and left my car and my belongings a mess. I was not permitted to watch the search either (I was detained behind the squad cars where two of the officers threatened me with bodily harm right there on the side of the road when the dog finds whatever it is I'm lying about). I had nightmarish visions of them planting drugs for the dog to find. Like I said, there were no drugs, but they weren't happy about letting me go. [censored]. I sent the mayor a pointed letter suggesting they put the dog up for adoption if its not accurate enough to do its job.

 

[kb01]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
There are also other things like forced vaccines and monitoring that are coming down the line that are even more scary.


I haven't heard anything about that. Do you have any more details about the forced vaccinations?

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

Originally Posted By: kb01
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
There are also other things like forced vaccines and monitoring that are coming down the line that are even more scary.


I haven't heard anything about that. Do you have any more details about the forced vaccinations?



The vaccines will prevent you from questioning the government's activities on all levels. It's a good thing.

 

[The_Jeff]

They say if you get pulled over and have to leave your car, lock it first.

This is complicated in a world of mostly power windows, where they wouldn't appreciate you reaching for your keys, to roll up the window you rolled down to talk to the officer.

I am also suspicious of police dogs, if they have an "ordinary" dog they pretend is a drug sniffing one for example. Then they come to you and say the dog is "marking" something or other and you need to let them search or the dog will yank the stuffing out of your upholstery, etc.

Visa specifically does not allow retailers to require add'l ID if the signature block is legible. MC is not as clear on the issue. I have in the past walked out of Sam's Club not showing my receipt. As a non member buying alcohol, they have nothing on me.

 

[ryansride2017]

While I live in a highly rural area, and I don't mean to give all policemen (women) a bad name, it is astounding to see the number of individuals who were bullies in high school who are now on the police force. It's really no different than they were in high school...except now they carry a firearm and can do it "legally". As always, there are some exceptions. That being said, I enjoy talking to quality police officers who know the boundaries of their job while still being respectful to the public....but they are getting harder to find.

 

[Spazdog]

The cheek swab seems a little more ominous than "checking for drugs". That's usually how they obtain DNA.

So your DNA goes into this database and you wake up one morning with a warrant for your arrest for an "act of terrorism" involving a long lost model rocket you fired too close to the controlled airspace of a major airport thirty five years ago.

Quote:
I got stopped randomly in a Detroit suburb a couple years ago and was treated to a 45-minute interrogation and search of my vehicle by the narcotics dog.

Oklahoma State Troopers did that to me. All they found was camping gear. There's no dope in my car. I'm going trout fishing. Oh! and they did hassle me about "smuggling" beer with an alcohol content higher than 3.2 but then decided that I really wasn't going to make a fortune on two 6-packs of 4.4 Shiner Bock.
They just left my stuff on the side of the road and drove off. I still think they just target cars with front plates. I love camping and fishing in E OK but I'm starting to hate those troopers.

 

[crazyoildude]

Here in New Jersey They dont do that... Where do you live>?
I would fight that in federal court in a heartbeat but of course i dont pay for my Lawyer either,,
let them try to get a warrant and if they claim they have reasonable cause and they find nothing take that to court for your payout but get a great lawyer so you dont ruin it for the rest of us ....
I happen to be very friendly with cops in general so i dont have problems but i would like to say most of them feel the same way as i do
I have a ot of family members that are in law enforcement so i know most cops are great people that will give you the shirt off their back

 

[crazyoildude]

sue them there is millions to be made!

 

[crazyoildude]

the tough acting ones are the ones that are scared and also the ones that usually retire a patrolman if they dont get locked up and lose their pension

 

[Spazdog]

I haven't seen a roadblock here since the weeks following 9/11.

But if they do arrest you on suspiscion of DWI/DUI, they don't use the Intoxilyzer 5000 spectrographic breath analyzer. That piece of machinery is collecting dust in the back corner. They take a blood sample.

If you refuse, a judge comes over and signs a warrant, they strap you in a restraint chair and take your sample by force.

You'd be suprised how many clients I have that have DUIs for prescription drugs in their bloodstream "over therapeutic levels"

That doesn't bother me though. I don't drink and drive. What bothers me is that the towing company on contract does not give a [darn] about your car. They will tow it however they want to and they will not be held responsible for damaging it.

 

[Dave Sherman]

Originally Posted By: css9450
I got stopped randomly in a Detroit suburb a couple years ago and was treated to a 45-minute interrogation and search of my vehicle by the narcotics dog. Nothing was found, of course (I don't do drugs and never did) but nevertheless the stupid dog thought there was "something" there so they did the search and left my car and my belongings a mess. I was not permitted to watch the search either (I was detained behind the squad cars where two of the officers threatened me with bodily harm right there on the side of the road when the dog finds whatever it is I'm lying about). I had nightmarish visions of them planting drugs for the dog to find. Like I said, there were no drugs, but they weren't happy about letting me go. [censored]. I sent the mayor a pointed letter suggesting they put the dog up for adoption if its not accurate enough to do its job.


Things like that scare me. I've been pulled over twice because my car happened to match a report that was called in, but after my description was radioed in they let me go. I once heard some girl talking about how she and her boyfriend were pulled over, the cop took a beer out of the 6 pack they had just bought, opened it, poured half on the road, and cited them for open container!

Now I wasn't there, and it could have been a twisted story on her part, but there would probably be a legitimate charge of assaulting an officer if he tried pulling that with me.

 

[Y_K]

Another jail-break at Silverwater? Red Lucy strikes again?