Roadblocks and Checkpoints

05/17/2009 | Guildnavigator

[guildnavigator]

I live in a small town in Southern Maine. Last week I encountered the local police in the process of setting up a roadblock/checkppoint on one of the more heavily-travelled county roads. It was mid-afternoon - not your usual midnight sobriety checkpoint. Apparently the reason for the checkpoint was to screen motorists/vehicles/drivers/passengers for any and all possible violations. My son later drove past the checkpoint from the other direction and saw one of his friends standing outside his vehicle while police searched it. Unknown whether that was a "probable cause" or "consent" search. Several days before that I went to park at Logan Airport's terminal B short term parking while going in to pick up my daughter. In order to pass through the gate to the parking garage I had to consent to have my vehicle searched. A surly attendant demanded that I pop my trunk. He fiddled with the trunk door a bit then wave me through. Increasingly intrusive airport security checks for passengers. Bus stations now require ID to purchase tickets. Cameras log your motorvehicle plate at various locations including intersections and toll booths. If you have a TransPass or similar toll-paying device, you are duly logged and date-stamped for each position. Your cell phones transmit gps coordinates of their current location for "enhanced 911" systems. The list goes on. Where does it end? Why not a camera in every bedroom? I suspect some illegal activity may be going on in there as well. There seems to be little protest. The sheep line up. The cattle shuffle into the shoot. I'd like to hear of other peoples experience with the ongoing violations of the 4th Amendment.

[relictele]

The cattle shuffle into the shoot.

Or chute, perhaps.

[Gay State Conservative]

Years back I was stopped at a drunk driver checkpoint on a major Boston area road.It was just after midnight and I was on my way from work (the evening shift) and hadn't had a drop to drink.I rolled down the window and the cop stuck his head inside.I made sure to give him a good whiff of my halitosis.He said,"OK...move on" and then the other cop yelled "sticker" (my car had an expired inspection sticker).The first cop yelled "stop" but then,a second or two later,said "go ahead".

Turns out the state Supreme Court had ruled that the only way the cops would be allowed to set up these roadblocks was if they ignored *any* other violation other than drunk driving.I assume that "probable cause" was the main issue.

I wonder what they would have done if they had seen the dead body in the back seat? ;-)