Posted on 06/10/2013 3:32:45 PM PDT by Bodleian_Girl
PELL CITY, Alabama -- St. Clair and Bibb county authorities are confirming there were roadblocks at several locations in their counties Friday and Saturday asking for blood and DNA samples. However, the samples were voluntary and motorists were paid for them as part of a study, they said.
According to Lt. Freddie Turrentine of the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department, it isn't the first time such roadblocks have occurred in the area.
"They were here in 2007," said Turrentine, the supervisor in charge of the roadblocks, which took place in several locations in St. Clair County Friday night, early Saturday morning and Saturday night and early Sunday morning. "It's just with social media and Facebook now, word of it has just exploded."
Turrentine said the roadblocks were part of a study conducted by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, working with the National Highway Safety Administration. St. Clair County was asked to participate by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs because it had worked with the group six years ago.
Sheriff Keith Hannah in Bibb County said they too had previously participated in the study.
Here's how the road blocks worked, Turrentine said:
Off-duty St. Clair County deputies stopped cars at random at road block areas. The road blocks were marked with signs stating it was a paid survey. Cars stopped were asked for voluntary cooperation. Drivers were offered $10 for a mouth swab, and $50 for a blood test. If they refused, they were free to drive away.
[ POLL: Would you voluntarily submit DNA, blood sample for government study at roadblock? ]
Road blocks took place Friday at the New London Fire Department, Alabama 34 in Pell City near the old Dan's Car Wash, U.S. 231 at Alabama 144, at White's Chapel Parkway and Moody Crossroads in Moody. In Bibb County, the road blocks took place in five areas in the county on Friday night through early Sunday morning.
If drivers participated, they were directed to an area where someone from the group carrying out the study took the samples, he said.
"It was completely voluntary," Turrentine said, saying reports that people were detained if they did not cooperate were untrue. "If they didn't want to take part, they could drive off."
The samples were anonymous, he said.
Poll: Would you voluntarily submit DNA, blood sample for government study at roadblock?
"They were taking the samples in other parts of the country," he said. "They want to find out of all the people surveyed, how many people were driving with alcohol in their system, or prescription drugs, things like that."
This will be the only time this year the survey takes place in St. Clair County, he said.
Turrentine, who was at one of the roadblocks, said the group carrying out the study would ask for a certain number of volunteers. Deputies would stop drivers until that number of drivers needed agreed to the survey. Then they let cars pass while the samples were taken.
"We would have a lot who didn't want to take part, especially at night," he said. "But then we'd have a few that when we'd tell they could make $60 bucks, they said, 'What do I need to do?'"
If you were stopped in one of the roadblocks, or took part, and would like to talk, email eastalabama@al.com.
“My brother has a place in Gulf Shores that he drives to frequently from Illinois and he’s never mentioned being detained at a roadblock.”
Oh, a Yankee. Not a damn yankee since he apparently goes home. Please tell him from me he’s not wanted in please just spend his winters in that god forsaken state he calls Illinois.
I once stopped at a gas station on the way to Tuscaloosa. I was attending the University of Alabama at the time. 1979. Old station, buncha locals hanging around. An older dude from Illinois was in front of me. Said he couldn’t wait to get out of Alabama. Hated the people. Hated the weather. Hated his job. Hated the whole damn state. We were all stupid rednecks. Ignorant hillbillies. Paid for his gas and drove off. Left the nozzle in the car. Hose pulled out of the pump and gas just poured out of the tank.
Gas station owner just rolled his eyes, flipped the breaker to the pump, and said, “happens all the time, damn yankees”.
So I hope it didn’t damage your car when you left....
Nope. Just kind of a jerk and unpleasant.
Yuh tryz to make nice with him and he’s not interested .
The two I went through were just the town cops and sheriff/deps, maybe they didn’t have time to get the shotguns out or anything else, or weren’t looking for a violent offender? They didn’t have guns drawn in any case. It was in an intersection both times, they did have cones. The guy who looked in my car just did so from the outside, no search, didn’t even ask for the license. Both during the day. I had out of state tags, too. One guy asked me to put my seat belt on, but I had it on, just tucked under the arm, he apologized and wished me a good day.
I didn’t know they were looking for people till I was pretty close and could see them just looking through the windows. I can’t recall them popping trunks, I had a bronco II that they could check through the windows.
Freegards
make nice with him and he’s not interested
_________________________________________________
Perfect !!!
I’m in the mood
I tend to agree — he’s a troll.
You post like a liberal.
We were all stupid rednecks. Ignorant hillbillies.
Well you sure are posting like one.
If you say so, but I am NOT convinced, what I said earlier is true, look at his posts for yourself. He just isn’t passing the “sniff test”. Someone will write something, he will take two words, OUT OF CONTEXT, and nail them on it. EXAMPLE:
he was making too much
Have you seen his W-2?
Another:
they protect their women
Stoning women is protecting them, Bill. You’d better be tested for dementia.
I still think he is a troll, or agitator at the VERY least, either way is not acceptable.
BTW he mentions mental health or mental sickness a LOT! Zenata, is this also a tell?
They may have been alerted to a child abduction or something of that nature.
I don’t particularly have anything against most Yankees. Just your relatives.
But hey, he or you could be adopted. Or he might not have been brain damaged at birth. Heck, there’s always a chance.
Oh, BTW. I’d like to hear more about your “tourism stop” theory. That was really a hoot.
BTW he mentions mental health or mental sickness a LOT! Zenata, is this also a tell?
_________________________________________________________
first it’s Zeneta with an “e”.
It’s a moniker that I created for a business many years ago, just so we are clear.
Yes, Alaska tends to introduce insults and grabbing a word or phrase out of context in order to continue his desire for attention.
The tell, is not just his tactics, but the words he focuses on and introduces to the discussion. Words that have nothing to do with the topic, but are more than likely a projection of his insecurities.
If you're not a single digit IQ, liberal, redneck, hillbilly, why do you post like one?
Wow again with the personal attacks. I at least can respond to YOU without stooping to your level.
EVERYONE LOOK AT THIS TROLLS POSTING HISTORY AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF.
HE IS A TROLL!
Yeah, that or mental patient/disabled person who walked away from a facility, or Alzheimer’s victim.
How close were you when you turned around at the roadblock? Did the cops see you or did you just see the line of cars first? I didn’t even realize it was a checkpoint until I was almost right on it, thought they were accidents or something at first, I guess because the line was moving so fast through the intersection.
Freegards
My apologies Zeneta.
Just kidding
But he is a troll
The reason? It was Saturday night. That’s apparently reason enough these days.
It's not a theory. You really need to get out of your county. The USA is a big country.
LOL
Your winning personality informs us once again of your shallow and self serving mission in life.
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.