Posted on 06/02/2005 1:59:57 PM PDT by Stew Padasso
Police Use New Tool Against Seat Belt Violators Officers Issue 111 Citations At Checkpoint
POSTED: 6:46 a.m. EDT June 2, 2005 UPDATED: 7:34 a.m. EDT June 2, 2005
Story by nbc4.com
ROCKVILLE, Md. -- A piece of electronic equipment that's often used by military personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq is now being used by police in Maryland to catch seat belt violators.
Wednesday night at a seat-belt enforcement checkpoint, police from several Maryland agencies started using night-vision goggles to see if motorists were buckled up.
After a briefing at the Maryland State Police barracks in Rockville, where strategy was discussed, officers hit the streets in search of violators.
Authorities said 40 percent of drivers are less likely to wear their seat belts at night and that could be deadly. Maryland State Police Cpl. Kevin Sherwood said the night-vision goggles are an effective way to catch those drivers.
"Often times you can see inside, but other times you can't because the light is directly ahead," Sherwood said. "What this does is amplifies the ambient light inside the vehicle so you can actually see inside the car and see whether they actually have their seat belt on."
Police said officers will continue using the night goggles.
When people don't wear seat belts and get ejected from their vehicle, Sherwood said the chance they could receive injuries that could lead to death, or become maimed increases.
Maryland authorities said they issued 111 citations Wednesday night as part of their "Click It or Ticket" campaign.
Nanny State Funnies!
The same state has it ILLEGAL to ask immigration status when you do get pulled over (or get caught doing any crime)
Big Brother is watching you with a cool new set of night vision goggles.
Of course it is done under the guise of our "safety" -
Police Departments in this Country are out of control - They purchase new vehicles every other year, new toys about every month and are continually looking at ways to increase revenues from the general public.
"Maryland State Police Cpl. Kevin Sherwood said the night-vision goggles are an effective way to catch those drivers."
Heaven forbid these morons should use NVGs to stake out high-crime (robbery/rape/murder) areas and forgoe the revenue-enhancing traffic stops...
Chances are they don't give a rat's rootietoot about safety and are after the money from the ticket. After all they gotta pay for the goggles.
It would be asinine to repeal asinine laws.
The sane people would all faint.
"I would vote for ANYONE who would promise to repeal this asinine law."
There is probably federal monies tied into this whole program. Anyone???
There is no logic behind seatbelt laws. If we are to have laws with no purpose other than to protect the individual from himself then we should ticket smokers, the overweight and the sedintary.
Far more money goes into the health care system for those who are unfit than goes into emergency care for those who don't wear seatbelts. I stopped buying tickets to police fundraisers when seatbelt laws were enacted.
It's all fun and games until some annoyed citizen gets a class III laser and modifies a seat belt Nazi's weltanschauung.
Yeah. It's part of the Transportation bill, isn't it? States receive more funding if they have laws authorizing police to enforce seat belt laws, even if that's the only 'law' broken.
All we need is appropriately priced insurance (since there are laws requiring me to buy insurance) for those who don't want to wear the belt and everyone should be free to choose.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Ridiculous! Here we are with a bunch of Special Forces wannabees peering into private citizens cars while our borders are being overrun.
Ever see a cop out doing anything like that while it's raining? I know I haven't. You suppose all the danger of people speeding or driving without seat belts just sort of goes away when it rains?
The word "Liberty" must be expunged from the federal and all state constitutions.
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