Posted on 02/13/2010 2:56:52 PM PST by reaganaut1
...
Sobriety checkpoints, like the one in San Pablo, have increasingly become profitable operations that are far more likely to seize cars from unlicensed — and often illegal immigrant — motorists, than to catch drunken drivers.
An examination by the Investigative Reporting Program at the University of California, Berkeley, has found that in 2009, impoundments at checkpoints generated an estimated $40 million in towing fees and police fines statewide. Cities like Oakland, San Jose, San Rafael, Hayward and Redwood City divide the revenue with towing companies.
While there is an economic benefit for strapped cities, it comes at a cost to taxpayers. In the last fiscal year, $30 million was authorized to pay overtime for officers working on the drunken-driving crackdowns. That money came from federal taxpayers through the California Office of Traffic Safety, which contracts with the University of California, Berkeley, to help distribute the money.
While the checkpoints do catch some drunken drivers, the police manning them are also leaving sober but unlicensed drivers, like Bernardino, on the side of the road, with no hope of regaining their vehicle for at least a month. Once vehicles are impounded, California law requires towing companies to hold them for 30 days. That can mean storage fees and fines that run from $1,000 to $4,000, municipal finance records show. Unlicensed motorists rarely challenge the impoundments.
Often the owners lack the money to recover their cars. Tow companies do not require vehicle owners to have a driver’s license, but they must bring a legal driver with them to the tow lot.
Perry Shusta, vice president of the California Tow Truck Association and owner of Arrowhead Towing in Antioch, said two-thirds or more of the impounded vehicles were never reclaimed and were sold at lien sales.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I knew it! Sobriety Checkpoints are racist!
Just go to the Gwinnett County website for our “No Drivers License” criminals.
Gwinnett County is north of Atlanta.
http://www.gwinnettcountysheriff.com/asp/docket48hr.asp
Nearly all are Hispanic.
Not racist, just fact.
This article is ridiculous. Are we supposed to feel sorry for this guy and his family? They are breaking the law, they are criminals. How many illegals kill people on our highways every year? No license, driving? Arrest them, deport them. The city isn’t doing anything wrong here.
My buddy missed his train to the airport from Japan, overstayed his visa by ONE DAY. Spent a night in jail —the cops confirmed it was because of the train, but still jailed him.
USA DOING NOTHING UNUSUAL OR WRONG.
Un-Licensed driver quite often also means Un-insured.
“... it comes at a cost to taxpayers...”. That money came from federal taxpayers through the California Office of Traffic Safety, which contracts with the University of California, Berkeley, to help distribute the money.
Do I have this straight? The federal government (you and I) funds the checkpoints but the cities and towing companies split the loot?
I don't mind that we penalize the illegals but this is not right. This gives the local police and tow companies a vested interest in having illegals in this country. Just like the war on drugs is now funding various law enforcement agencies and fueling bureaucracies and careers.
Not to mention our right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure. The police should have the right to pull you over only if you observed doing something illegal. How many of my rights am I supposed to give up so that the police can look for drunk drivers, and now unlicensed drivers? How many other worthy causes can be added to the roadside check points?
The checkpoints and roadblocks here are a serious 4th amendment issue. Some people don’t believe that the 4th (and the other amendments) apply to visitors, not just citizens. But realistically there’s no way to slice it, either everyone is protected or nobody is.
I think the 30 day impoundment, if I understand it correctly, is predatory. It appears to serve no purpose but revenue for towing companies and cities since it appears that a drunk can retrieve his vehicle in a day or so.
As for the illegals without drivers license ...toughy shitzsky.
. Though no federal statistics are kept on murders or any other crimes committed by illegal aliens, a number of groups have produced estimates based on data collected from prisons, news reports and independent research.
. Twelve Americans are murdered every day by illegal aliens, according to statistics released by Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa. If those numbers are correct, it translates to 4,380 Americans murdered annually by illegal aliens. That’s 21,900 since Sept. 11, 2001.
. While King reports 12 Americans are murdered daily by illegal aliens, he says 13 are killed by drunk illegal alien drivers – for another annual death toll of 4,745. That’s 23,725 since Sept. 11, 2001.
While no one – in or out of government – tracks all U.S. accidents caused by illegal aliens, the statistical and anecdotal evidence suggests many of last year’s 42,636 road deaths involved illegal aliens.
. A report by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Study found 20 percent of fatal accidents involve at least one driver who lacks a valid license. In California, another study showed that those who have never held a valid license are about five times more likely to be involved in a fatal road accident than licensed drivers.
Statistically, that makes them an even greater danger on the road than drivers whose licenses have been suspended or revoked – and nearly as dangerous as drunk drivers.
King also reports eight American children are victims of sexual abuse by illegal aliens every day – a total of 2,920 annually.
So IMHO, adding being drunk to not ever holding a legitimate drivers license spells big trouble on our roads.
[From Internet sources] California state Sen. Gil "One Bill Gil" Cedillo (D) submitted a proposal that would exempt undocumented motorists from vehicle-impound laws. Cedillo's bill would exempt those who don't have a license simply because they are not legal U.S. residents . . . .
I did not read the Nytimese article.. so far I do not believe that the bill has become law.
Cedillo needs to be forceably committed.
This must be stopped.
“They are breaking the law, they are criminals.”
What laws? Police, politicians and judges regularly ignore laws with which they do not agree and sometimes make new ‘laws’ up on the spot.
Georgia needs to implement the hold for thirty days vehicles that are driven by illegals.And they should charge them for the ride to jail.
I wonder if the Illegals are then deported or is it “Catch and Release” Program
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.