Missouri: Police Roadblock Harassment Caught on Tape.

TheNewspaper.com ^ | 12/30/2006 | Brett Darrow

[The KG9 Kid]

Missouri: Police Roadblock Harassment Caught on Tape
St. Louis County, Missouri threaten to arrest a teenager for refusing to discuss his personal travel plans.

A teenager harassed by police in St. Louis, Missouri caught the incident on tape. Brett Darrow, 19, had his video camera rolling last month as he drove his 1997 Maxima, minding his own business. He approached a drunk driving roadblock where he was stopped, detained and threatened with arrest when he declined to enter a conversation with a police officer about his personal travel habits. Now Darrow is considering filing suit against St. Louis County Police.

"I'm scared to drive for fear of being stopped at another checkpoint and arrested while doing nothing illegal," Darrow told TheNewspaper. "We're now guilty until we prove ourselves innocent to these checkpoint officers."

On that late November night, videotape confirms that Darrow had been ordered out of his vehicle after telling a policeman, "I don't wish to discuss my personal life with you, officer." Another officer attempted to move Darrow's car until he realized, "I can't drive stick!" The officer took the opportunity to undertake a thorough search of the interior without probable cause. He found nothing.

When Darrow asked why he was being detained, an officer explained, "If you don't stop running your mouth, we're going to find a reason to lock you up tonight."

The threats ended when Darrow informed officers that they were being recorded. After speaking to a supervisor Darrow was finally released.

"These roadblocks have gotten out of hand," Darrow told TheNewspaper. "If we don't do something about them now, it'll be too late."

A full video of the incident is available here. A transcript is provided below as the audio is at times very faint.

[Skywalk]

Just keep in mind that cops could TECHNICALLY get a no-knock warrant because being in AMerica, almost all of us could potentially own a gun that we keep in our home (often the reason given for executing such a warrant.)

SO yeah, in today's AMerica, asserting or maintaining your rights is 'reasonable suspicion.' What a world. If there's ever a civil war with the Leftists, we're going to need to band together and clean up THESE cats too.

[supercat]

How can you 'square' the SCOTUS ruling with the clear words of the 4th Amendment? -- Do you really contend that Court 'rulings' are infallible?

Simple. The Fourth Amendment says people have the right to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures. There's nothing prohibited warrantless searches if the cop conducting them thinks they're reasonable.

Incidentally, the Fifth Amendment requires just compensation when private property is taken for public use, but requires no such compensation when private property is taken for private use. The people whose land was taken for shopping malls etc. should consider themselves lucky they got anything for it.

[tpaine]

Follow-up link.

"The DUI Exception to the Constitution"
Bad Drunk Driving Laws, False Evidence and a Fading Constitution
Address:http://www.duiblog.com/2005/05/09


Great link.. Anyone that reads that & still contends that our DUI 'laws' are constitutional, -- is ~not~ a conservative.

[tpaine]

_Jim... - Sorry, but I could care less what you think; - it's not personal kiddo, just logical.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

I have a lot of empathy for the work of police officers. That said, I find it quite disturbing that the police were harassing this guy simply because he was probably a bit of a "smart ass".

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

While I agree it was a bit confrontational, police officers are held to a higher standard. They are officers of the law and should act accordingly. Another poster made a good point when he/she noted that it would be much easier to be friendly. This is a fact of life, but he should still be treated fairly regardless.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

Arrested for what exactly?

[streetpreacher]

A lot of FReepers are police statists.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

They can engage in a conversation all they want. It is also easy to quickly determine if the person is intoxicated. I'm sure they knew he wasn't.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

You sound crazy.

[TexasTransplant]

Your post struck me as being the most level headed succinct accurate and heartfelt post (I have read them all)

Bravo Zulu

You should have had the last word, alas the discussion must continue. (JMHO)

Your brevity extends to your home page, it says a lot, but still short and sweet.

Do you negotiate for a living? If not... you should.

TT

[TexasTransplant]

>>>>>"c) or he can become a vigalante and pick a fight with every police officer he has the opportunity to meet"<<<<<

You? or one of yours perhaps?

TT

[bondserv]

"There's an authoritarian streak in a lot of cops. Its why they become cops."

Yeah, and lots of people also join the military because they're uneducated and want to hurt people.

That'll leave a mark. Touche!

[bondserv]

[streetpreacher]

Yeah, you're obviously a paragon of rational thinking.

[bondserv]

[An Old Man]

Hi Brent!

I just finished reading 640 post to get to yours. It's been quite some time since emotions have run as high as they have on this thread.

When I was your age, I drove a bright blue 55 Chevy. With that car, used to get a traffic ticket every time I turned a corner. I traded the car after paying for just about every street in town. With my new car, I never got another ticket. Strange isn't it.

Don't let your guard down. Now that they know about you, they will make life hell for you every chance they get.

Semper Fi
An Old Man

[endthematrix]

Nope. I was headed to be a cop, then became a PI and then into private security.

[zeugma]

Should the game warden let him go as an honest fisherman, or arrest him as a poacher?

That's a great analogy of what happens at the typical "dwi checkpoint". Is that original to you? If so, kudos. 

[streetpreacher]

That's the vibe I've always picked up here regarding sign-on dates.