[granite]

California Cops Exploit DUI Checkpoints to Bring in Money for Cities, Police California police are turning DUI checkpoints into profitable operations that are far more likely to seize cars from unlicensed minority motorists than catch drunken drivers.

[supercat]

I wonder whether one could raise the argument that if a checkpoint nets dozens of violations, but almost none are for DUI, the claim that it’s a “DUI” checkpoint is a transparent ruse.

[spintreebob]

re: “inefficient at apprehending drunk drivers”

If a cop sits outside a bar and watches customers come out of the bar, stumble to their car, have a hard time getting the door open, getting the car started, getting out of the parking lot then that cop has REASONABLE cause to stop that driver, IMO. Such as stop has a high batting average.

But courts have held that the cop cannot discriminate and must apply the law equally to all ... thus the movement to low batting average road blocks.

Of course, for such a road block to payoff, they need to enfoce ALL possible technicaliities, DUI, seatbelts, tailights, fuzzy-dice obstructing the windshield, etc.

[JrsyJack]

So…A cop can’t stop you to check for registration or license, possible equipment violations, open containers, seat belt checks, etc

Oh no...in NJ cops frequently do random plate checks where they call in the plate numbers of passing motorists without any probable cause whatsoever in an attempt to "discover" lapsed registrations for which they then issue a ticket.