Posted on 11/19/2013 6:55:25 PM PST by markomalley
Dozens of Texas drivers have been stopped at a police road block, where they were then directed into a parking lot and forced into surrendering blood, saliva and breath samples in a study that has upset civil liberties advocates.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration admitted it was attempting to conduct a government study meant to determine the number of drunk or drug-impaired drivers on the road at any given time.
“It just doesn’t seem right that you can be forced off the road when you’re not doing anything wrong,” Kim Cope, who said she was forced to the side of the road while making her way to lunch, told NBCDFW.com. “I gestured to the guy in front that I just wanted to go straight, but he wouldn’t let me and forced me into the parking spot.”
The tests were made even more mysterious when reporters, alerted to the situation by concerned drivers, were unable to find any officers in the Fort Worth Police Department who had been involved. The NHTSA only admitted its involvement after local media sought answers.
The department, which says its mission is to “save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce vehicle-related crashes,” maintains that participation in the research was completely voluntary. But Ms. Cope said she felt trapped during what seemed to be an investigation.
“I finally did the breathalyzer test just because I thought it would be the easiest way to leave,” she said. “It just doesn’t seem right that they should be able to do any of it. If it’s voluntary, it’s voluntary, and none of it felt voluntary.”
When pressed, the FWPD said it was “reviewing the actions of all police personnel involved to ensure that FWPD policies and procedures were followed.” The NBC affiliate was able to determine that the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, a government contractor, was hired to conduct the check.
An NHTSA spokesperson admitted similar programs were being conducted in 30 other cities throughout the US.
But civil liberties attorney Frank Colosi does not accept the rationale.
“You can’t just be pulled over randomly or for no reason,” he said. “They’re essentially lying to you when they say it’s completely voluntary, because they’re testing you at that moment.”
He added that drivers who refused may have been targeted by police for inadvertently giving the impression they were operating a vehicle under the influence. He also told NBC that fine print on the form told drivers their breath was being tested by “passive alcohol sensor readings before the consent process has been completed.”
This oddity comes just months after Texas state troopers were caught on video conducting vaginal and cavity searches on female drivers at the side of the road. The videos quickly went viral, and attorneys for the women filed federal lawsuits against the troopers.
“It’s ridiculous,” Peter Schulte, a former Texas police officer and prosecutor, told the New York Daily News earlier this year. “I was a law enforcement officer for 16 years and I never saw anything like it.”
I did not realize that shooting people who had not violated any laws was part of their job.
I kind of like everyone needing to know the laws of the road. Otherwise, who is to say you have to stop at a red light? Inspections, especially the emissions, now that is where the laws should be minimized. Breaks, tires, windshield wipers, lights. Period.
I don’t know what your talking about. I’ve lived overseas and in Mexico. A polite I’m sorry and a few bucks and your on your way. Here we have dog killings, swat teams for baby deer. This ain’t the land of the free by a ling shot.
Collecting samples without a warrant is doing their job?
I live in the USA and follow the laws therein. I expect others to, as well. The 4A is there for a reason.
I cannot believe you think this was all right because it is worse elsewhere. That makes no sense.
Although you are correct about other countries, our rights and freedoms are not graded on how much worse anywhere else is. Our rights are our rights, not some abstract based on a comparison with a 3rd world country, or any other country for that matter.
The fact that most of the world sucks does not make fascist infringement of our Constitutionally enumerated rights any less heinous. The reason I say enumerated is because it does not give us our rights, it simply states them and restricts the authority of the government to infringe. upon them.
It doesn't matter how you feeeeeeel.
Pulling someone over without witnessing an actual infraction or having a reasonable, articulable suspicion of a crime violates the 4th amendment of the Constitution.
It is an outrage.
Tell you one thing about Chicago for all the grief it gets. The cops are pretty cool. Un less your some scumbag gang banger they’d just as soon give you dressing down..and as long ad you day sorry sir I’m heading home. They let you go. They got bigger fish to fry. No road blocks or anything.
You wouldn’t ask what’s the purpose of them having your DNA?
Are they going to store it? And why? You wouldn’t be concerned at all?
Just think of the possibilities. For them.
Yep. That is the price of the freedom to live in a law-abiding country. Laws, rules, regulations...all of the above.
That's the price of freedom!?
Are you listening to yourself!?
Having to involuntarily give up fluid samples without a warrant is THE EXACT OPPOSITE of freedom.
It doesn't matter if the boot on your neck is the boot of the socialist authoritarians enforcing EPA guidelines, or the boot of a law-and-order, thin-blue-line type trying to "make the streets safer", it's still a boot on your neck.
You need to study the Constitution, study the reasons that the founders enshrined our freedoms in the Bill of Rights, and until you do that, you need to re-consider whether you are on the right forum.
You are an idiot!
I served my country for 22 years — TEN of them abroad.
We are NOT other countries, and the US constitution is THE ULTIMATE law of the land. The 4th Amendment is part of that ULTIMATE law and cannot be violated just because some cop wants to do so.
Those who violate, including cops, government officials and even the US Military are DOMESTIC ENEMIES whom I SWORE to oppose.
Bump!
One of the things I really don’t like about this, is I can’t be sure where that needle has been before they stick it in me to get blood. I can easily see getting AIDs or something because a cop forgot to use a clean needle. No thanks!
Hmmmm. Now I wonder why they aren’t doing this on the South Side of Chicago. Actually, no I don’t. This is not a safety enforcement operation, this is purely a test to see how much resistance there will be to enacting a police state. If the people of Texas comply, then they can assume the rest of America will as well.
Great post!
Thank-you for your service.
yes, and alot of Alabamians told them to go get a warrant.
Ping...some very scary stuff here!!!
I think Texas has turned to the dark side..
We are all pucked.
Read further, this was overseen and directed by the National Highway Transportation safety Administration. Some FWPD officers were stupid enough to participate, but Federales were calling the shots.
You know nothing about the U.S. Constitution. In fact, I doubt you are even a U.S. citizen and you definitely are not a constitutional conservative.
This is a blatant violation of 4th amendment rights and if it is allowed to stand will be one more step on the road to serfdom. You should really be ashamed covering for these guys. Nazis and Communists had lots and lots of rules and regulations, and were very orderly. I hope you wouldn’t say that is a reason to support what they did! (Although, as I said, this is a VIOLATION of our country’s ultimate set of rules and regulations, our constitution.)
And by the way, the same thing happened in Alabama and the “Study” was discovered to be linked to George Soros and the TIDES foundation, one of the most evil, progressive/communist promoting organizations in the country. Maybe you support George Soros and the TIDES foundation? Maybe you work for them?
IBTZ
You missed the memo.
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