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.
If a child is abducted, a dangerous felon escapes from prison, etc., should law enforcement have the authority to set up roadblocks and ask questions?
Is there ever a Constitutional reason for roadblocks?
I also think there are some dullards who may argue with somewhat more intelligent quasi-lawyers that having everybody’s DNA and retinal scans and fingerprints and phone numbers in a database would be a groovy thing.
But I think most of the wonks there would finally reach concensus that they don't want their DNA in a databease accessible to each other. :^)
ALASKA WOLF doesn’t care, and it probably doesn’t even believe what it is saying.
ALASKA WOLF IS AN AGITATING TROLL.
Ignore it, it is just trying to stir you up.
ALASKA WOLF IS AN AGITATING TROLL. LOOK AT ITS POSTING HISTORY AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF.
But please stop talking to it, it needs your wrath, ignore it, and it will starve.
Public safety exceptions.
I’m on my phone right now so it’ll be difficult to search.
Give me a bit and I’ll get back right to you.
Why so shocked?
< All those supporters of roadblocks in the USSA will welcome whatever the new Siberia will be called. >
Whatcha wanna bet our Siberia equivalent will be New Jersey? It’s close to DC, where all the Reprogramers and Indoctrinators will be trained. Christie will be the warden. ;-)
Was any of this true in this case? No? Oh, you're just misdirecting again? Being deceptive?
Is there ever a Constitutional reason for roadblocks?
I already answered this to you. I said (and the courts agree with me on this) when there is a compelling public safety rationale.
And then you misdirected. Just like you're doing here! It's remarkable! It's almost as if you don't actually want to discuss the merits or legality or morality of this particular roadblock... you just want to dance around flinging crap and stirring everyone up.
Please by all means lets get him zotted. But I am telling you, IT IS LOVING EVERY SECOND OF THIS. I am saying don’t let it love this, make it hate this.
Who gets to set the public safety standards? You see where this is going, don't you?
Yep
You got it
What if someone ran the roadblock. Do the tests then become involuntary???
The courts do. And they have. Repeatedly. In decision after decision. There is ample case law on this exact issue.
Do you know what happens when the cops see you turn and around and speed off to avoid a (voluntary or not) roadblock?
Yes it is obvious
It is a dilemma if you box conservatives into a definition that is flawed.
A flawed definition that has it’s roots in the brainwashed liberal mentality that you project.
You have no clue.
Yeah, and I’m sure they didn’t take down your license plate number.
“Don’t tell me not to respond when others have responded.”
I was not trying to tell you what to do. I was merely pointing out that it CRAVES this, and now WE are infighting. I believe that was its goal. Do you see that it is REALLY dividing all of us?
IT MUST BE STOPPED!
This is all that is needed to conduct pursue and detain such a motorist.
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.