Police Stopping All Cars Entering BWI (Baltimore-Washington Int'l Airport)

ABC 7 News ^

[Sub-Driver]

Police Stopping All Cars Entering BWI Tuesday January 06, 2004 11:20am

Linthicum, Md. (AP) - Maryland Transportation Authority police are stopping all cars entering Baltimore-Washington International Airport for security checks.

Police officials say that the "100 percent security checks" began after 10 a.m. Police say the sweeps are not a response to a specific threat.

Police aren't saying how long they will continue checking every car that enters the airport.

Airport officials say that the sweeps are not expected to create major delays entering the airport. And they still recommend that passengers plan on arriving 90 minutes before their scheduled flights.

[sauropod]

Double that 90 minute time.

[Support Free Republic]

Rank	Location	Receipts	Donors/Avg		Freepers/Avg		Monthlies
Never Never Land		960.00	28	34.29			248.00	20

Thanks for donating to Free Republic!

Move your locale up the leaderboard!

[Viva Le Dissention]

Sounds amazingly unconstitutional, but I guess we've evolved well past that annoying and antiquated document.

[independentmind]

What a nightmare. The traffic around DC is bad enough as it is.

[sr4402]

Are you sure they are stopping ALL cars? In Atlanta Hartsfield, they are stopping randomly. They are also checking licence plates in the parking lot.

I think it has to do with the Orange Alert. Now will the dems scream this is an encroachment on our 'freedoms' after they said that the administration wasn't doing enough? Just wait and see.

[Peach]

My husband feels as you do, that the Rats, who have been complaining we aren't doing enough, will complain when we do more. Can't win with those hateful people.

[Quilla]

Allow me a question, please. Let's say there was a specific threat - maybe a known terrorist is trying to smuggle a bomb into this airport or on board a plane. Would you consider searching all vehicles then?

[sauropod]

I especially like the part about "not inconveniencing" anybody.

Yeah, right!

[dts32041]

Why worry it is a blue state.

[Sub-Driver]

That's what I heard on the radio......they said it was 1/2 mile backup...

[Sub-Driver]

That's what I heard on the radio......they said it was 1/2 mile backup...

[MrConfettiMan]

Ugh. Have to pick up my father-in-law on Friday.

[Viva Le Dissention]

No. The Constitution and the Supreme Court are quite clear on this subject.

No general law enforcement searches without particularized, reasonable suspicion.

In my mind, the Constitution requires probable cause for every search--but this is an issue on which I disagree with the Court--at the very least, though, particularized, reasonable suspicion is necessary.

[independentmind]

1/2 mile is nothing. I drove through DC and Baltimore over the holidays. On the Beltway approaching 95, I averaged a whole 2 miles in 1 hour. Ugh!

[sphinx]

Have to pick up my father-in-law on Friday.

Tell him to take the MARC train. If you must meet him, take the train up yourself. It's easy.

[T.Smith]

Question: If during the course of one of these searches they were to find something illegal but not related to terrorism, could they arrest you? For example, if they find a bag of weed or a pirated copy of "The Reagans", could they arrest you?

I think doing so severely violates the prohibition against illegal search and seizure. That is, if the initial search didn't already.

[eastforker]

If the airport is private or government property and it is a condition to enter the property I don't see a need for a warrant.Like being subject to search before entering the gate when going to work.Don't want to be searched then don't go there.

[Stentor]

Constitution requires probable cause for every search

Does the Constitution give you the right to drive the approaches to an airport. I'm not picking with you. If you feel like it, talk me into it.

[Viva Le Dissention]

Oh, I'm sure they would arrest you.

It's not like they'll catch some drug smuggler and then say, "Well, have a nice day! And, um, would you mind not smuggling those drugs, please? That'd be great. Thanks."