Posted on 06/05/2008 12:59:29 PM PDT by BorisTheBulletDodger
D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier announced a military-style checkpoint yesterday to stop cars this weekend in a Northeast Washington neighborhood inundated by gun violence, saying it will help keep criminals out of the area.
Starting on Saturday, officers will check drivers' identification and ask whether they have a "legitimate purpose" to be in the Trinidad area, such as going to a doctor or church or visiting friends or relatives. If not, the drivers will be turned away.
The Neighborhood Safety Zone initiative is the latest crime-fighting attempt by Lanier and Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, who have been under pressure from residents to stop a recent surge in violence. Last weekend was especially bloody, with seven slayings, including three in the Trinidad area.
"In certain areas, we need to go beyond the normal methods of policing," Fenty (D) said at a news conference announcing the action. "We're going to go into an area and completely shut it down to prevent shootings and the sale of drugs."
The checkpoint will stop vehicles approaching the 1400 block of Montello Avenue NE, a section of the Trinidad neighborhood that has been plagued with homicides and other violence. Police will search cars if they suspect the presence of guns or drugs, and will arrest people who do not cooperate, under a charge of failure to obey a police officer, officials said.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Do they realize that this tiny portion of DC is more dangerous to its citizens than the entire country of Iraq is to American combat troops (comparisons of casualties)?
And do they realize gun bans don't work?
“Baldy” has already had his attornies argue that the 2nd Amendment does not apply within Washington, DC.
Maybe he’s trying for the 1st, 4th and 5th now.
Other link to same story:
http://www.examiner.com/a-1423820~Lanier_plans_to_seal_off_rough__hoods_in_latest_effort_to_stop_wave_of_violence.html
Crime or no crime, this isn’t Constitutional, never mind that bimbo Lanier’s assertion that “as long as we stop every car, it’s legal”.
Looks like it’s open season on the Bill of Rights in D.C.
Why?
The police aren’t responsible for protecting anyone.
I enjoy hyperbole as much of the next guy. But, there are no IED’s going off in DC.
I don’t know why anyone would want to live in that hell hole.
Of course gun bans work. They do exactly what tyrant wannnabes like Fenty and his accomplices want - they disarm the law abiding populace thus preventing any large scale effective protest of unconstitutional government actions. You didn't think gun bans were about reducing crime did you?
I bet they profile and stop only Black motorists.
Gun violence without guns. How has this happened with the strict gun bans? Maybe it’s just pictures of guns or something.
Exactly my point...
I think technically, legally, what they want to do is legal, if they stop every car. That’s the idea behind driver check points to check for drunk drivers. At those checkpoints they check every car. I think there have been court cases on this very subject; maybe someone here knows better. But I’ve heard that justification that if everyone is stopped, nobody can say they were singled out.
Not that I think it’s a good idea to be checking everyone. The police are then not allowed to use their common sense or instincts about people or activities that appear suspicious. It’s the same concept as airport security, where an old lady in a walker or wheelchair is considered to be the same level of threat as a foreign visitor from a middle eastern country. Resources are wasted if we have to consider everyone an equal threat and when profiling based on known risk factors is not allowed.
I am....like.....a 4 star General, and stuff. Like, I have combat ribbons....and everything!
Hey Dilbert, I believe you are correct on that whole “stop every car” concept in fact it occurs to me that the issue may have gone all the way to the SCOTUS where that standard was established.
So instead of “singling someone out” and violating their individual civil rights, by casting a maximum and unconditional big net over EVERY citizen on a given highway or neighborhood, EVERYBODY’s civil rights are violated, but of course that’s not the way they’ll read the law.
It’s for the CHILLLLLLLDREN, don’t they know?!?!
No it's because (are you ready for this) "They just didn't go far enough." (although I don't know how much farther than a total ban they could go) and "It's the ready availability of guns in Virginia." that are causing the crime in DC. Never mind that adjacent areas of VA have about 1/20 of the violent crime rate that DC does. It's those VA guns that are causing the violence.
Is that a BNOC ribbon, bottom center? Odd thing for a 4-star to be wearing.
I think the third one from the top on the left is for eating a 64 oz steak. The one just above it is for writing the most voluminous PC memos in her previous job.
When the Supremes allow DC residents to own firearms again, the residents can set up their own armed checkpoints in their own neighborhoods, without pestering the police to Do Something.
A free people can do that.
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