Hi Everyone, as mentioned in my introduction post, BOTL needs quite a bit of updating, patching and whatever else I might come across. Over the next few weekends BOTL may be unreachable on occasion as I do migrations or updates, etc. Just be patient - we'll be back! I'll generally try to keep these maintenances until later in the evenings.
I would say that a closed alcohol container in the cup holders of a vehicle, close enough that the driver could easily reach it, discovered during a DUI checkpoint, provides enough reasonable suspicion for the officer to investigate further and ensure that the driver is not intoxicated. I understand your points, but you have to understand the police officer has a job to do as well. He didn't question you because he didn't like the shirt you had on.
Just curious, but was there a SWAT team with armored personnel carriers and a helicopter overhead, or were they just regular uniformed cops?
Yeah they had an Apache pointed at me hovering at the tree line:hammersma. I'm talking a militarized police force in general, captain literal.
So the police departments would have to monitor Facebook or Twitter 24/7 for DUI reports? Don't see that happening.
Especially valid in this case.....driving is actually a privilege, and not a "right", under the laws of most every state.
Sober guy pisses off another guy at the bar. Pissed guy tweets him out as a drunk driver. Sober guy gets pulled over. Think he will complain about his rights being violated? You bet.
I hear ya and agree with you but sadly as a minority in this country you get used to police pulling you over and checking your car cause "you fit a description" or "reports of a suspicious vehicle in the area" So the idea of sobriety checkpoints isn't that big a deal. Had he been a minority they would of checked the knife and he would of been arrested. Not trying to pull the race card but untill the american people wake up shit like this is just going to be a fact of life.
Also just a side note I wasn't implying they get a tax break, actually they get taxed more then a normal person buying liquor. Since we have friends that own some bars and clubs we thought for our wedding we could buy the liquor and beer through them to save cash when they brought it to our attention that they pay more then us and going to Total Wine would actually save us a good amount more then using them.
Your the one who brought up a "militarized police force". A strong uniformed police presence, with enough staff to effectively and safely control a DUI checkpoint where 100's of cars probably passed through and probably a few arrests made is hardly "militarized". There are plenty of stories about local law enforcement going above and beyond what is necessary and really showing their strength and cool black uniforms and hemet's, but even without me being there I think it's safe to say this wasn't one of those cases.
You make some valid points, however, if you do not exercise your rights, then before you know it they won't be rights anymore.
i carry a gun because I can't carry a cop. It must be nice to live in a utopia where one can walk around and think that nothing will or can happen to them. I was in the Tacoma mall when Dom Maldonado(I actually knew the guy) shot the place up, I saw him with the gun he was 75 yards in front of me. He was walking with his back to me I could have ingaged him. I feel like shit that I didn't carry that day, luckily no one died. That burden would have been huge. Besides I have a family to protect. I hope that one day god forbid something happens that someone will try to protect you and your family for you. Sorry if this came off as being harsh I don't intend for it to come across that way.
