Posted on 10/01/2007 6:37:03 PM PDT by elkfersupper
TAMPA - Had a few drinks before getting behind the wheel?
Think again. That harmless-looking minivan in the rearview mirror might be the neighbors on patrol.
That's how Mothers Against Drunk Driving pitched its latest plan to get impaired drivers off the roads.
Called the Traffic Observation Program, the pilot program is slated to begin in Hillsborough County and may become a statewide initiative, according to Don Murray, Florida's executive director for MADD.
The plan: Recruit 20 volunteers armed with donated cell phones and send them out in the middle of the night to watch for telltale signs of drunk drivers.
MADD has worked closely with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, so Murray suggested to other MADD members that the pilot program begin here.
Murray envisions a program that will pair up community members who are willing to go through a screening process, including a criminal background check and an interview to ensure that those going out on the streets have proper training and experience.
He wanted to make it clear that volunteers will not be acting like law enforcement.
"This isn't like a vigilante program," he said. "They won't be attempting to stop or in any way interacting with these vehicles. They're basically just observers."
Volunteers will go out in teams. They will drive their own vehicles and take GPS equipment, so they'll be able to find their way through unfamiliar areas for two to four hours of searching, Murray said. They'll be told ahead of time of the sometimes-subtle clues for drunk drivers, such as driving under the speed limit or lingering too long at a green light, Murray said.
"We certainly don't want our observers to be calling erroneous reports in," he said.
If participants spot a suspicious driver, they will jot down the license plate, a vehicle description and a location and notify the Sheriff's Office. It's up to the deputy to check out the vehicle to determine whether an arrest is appropriate, Murray said.
The program was Murray's idea, he said, inspired by worries of what potential budget cuts could do to law enforcement's DUI teams.
"They'll likely lose officers from the road," he said. "We were looking ahead to try to see what our organization can do."
Hillsborough sheriff's Cpl. Stephen Decatur said the program is just a formalized process for what already happens everyday: People call law enforcement when they see something suspicious.
He praised the idea, but he cautioned that it's vital that volunteers don't try to do the work of law enforcement in apprehending and accusing suspects.
"If anybody's overzealous, if they play outside the guidelines, then they're acting above and beyond just being observers," he said. "We want them to do it in a responsible manner, and it looks like the program is set up to do that."
Tampa police Cpl. Jared Douds had much the same reaction. It sounded like a Neighborhood Watch group for the roadways.
"Obviously anything that's going to get drunk drivers off the road, we're interested in," Douds. "That's certainly a positive for everybody."
although i have to admit they’re not as bad as they used to be.
Gun nut, ex computer guy, not the brightest brightest tool in the shed, nor sharpest bulb in the marquee.
Legit conservative with a bit of a Barney Fife complex. Think he is quite hen pecked.
Needs to quit scrap booking with his wife and go fishing with some guy FRiends over a few cold beers.
These vigilanties will be singing a different song after a couple of false arrest suits against them. Leave law enforcement to the cops. They screw it up bad enough without the help of nosy housewives.
Wrong. A volunteer officer a.k.a reservist is an unpaid, sworn officer with authority to arrest. Most of them are taking law enforcement classes at the local college or have been to POST training. They volunteer in hopes of getting a full time job. I'm really not interested in doing that. I make more than the police chief and the mayor combined. Why would I waste my time trying to be a cop?
The cast of characters that show up on these drunk driving and smoking threads is so predictable. The hateful attitude towards law enforcement suggests many have first hand experience on the wrong side of the law.
I used to call in obviously drunk drivers years ago,it was personal,been hit by one before.But for the past 5 or 6 years you can’t get a cop to respond anymore to even the most dangerous weaving maniac on the road.They only go for the easy pickins’,whats right in front of them.I think the MADD thing will be a failure because it will become to cumbersome to intercept all the DUIs these ladies will be seein’.
Are you kidding me?! Trespassers, burglars on private property? SHOOT THEIR A$$ES!
Thanks for the ping!
Hate to say it...but after that post...even tho you’ve been here longer....I can not believe you are a Freeper. Your posts sound like someone who needs the government to think for them.
That’s because we’re only talking about alcohol drinkers here—not those evil smokers!
You apparently know little about California law. That might fly in Texas. You'll be facing criminal charges until the DA is satisfied that it was a justifiable shooting. Even then, you'll have to deal with the civil suit that they or their families will file against you. Plan to spend at least $100,000 if you have to pull the trigger. Be sure that your life is really in jeopardy. Even Texas is no paradise for what you suggest. Ramos and Campeon are still in jail...and they were just doing their jobs as Border Patrol agents.
Sign up for a ride along with your local PD. You'll be surprised at what you observe. I spent 4 hours and learned a bunch about the real world. I'm not interested in doing that job. My world is designing and building embedded systems, data acquisition, DSP and data communications. It's only dangerous when I have to travel to unfriendly foreign countries to deliver the products. I don't need the government to think for me. It's the other way around...and they pay for it.
Hey Barney, I don’t drink and drive. You on the other hand need another hobby. I like my cigs. You can pretty much kiss my ass over that. I like my beer, but at home. The commercial stuff stinks. I brew my own. As far as you and your Barney Fife attitude, up yours.
You are a nanny stateist fake conservative. You like your guns so you came here, but being the hen pecked frustrated I have to go bust those people person you are, you are a sad case FRiend. Wrong side of the law... as in having a friend become a cop, lose perspective, beat his wife... children... hit his mom... yeah ok. Jonny Law needs to be within the law too eh? Especially when it is in compensation for other inadequacies they may have. Oh by the way, you best not violate your trust now.
There is them watchin ;-)
That wasn't Texas. That was the Dept. of Homeland Security and the U.S. Attorney's office.
Especially at night, in Texas we don't even have to give a warning shot. As it should be.
Long live liberty and long live Texas--Robert Pratt
Did you actually read the article? There are no vigilantes. There are observers. Only law enforcement officers have the authority to detain and arrest. The observers are no different than any member of the public calling the law enforcement dispatch office to make a report. If you read some of my prior posts, you'll note that sometimes the call gets dispatched, sometimes it doesn't. It depends on the resources available at the moment. All the law enforcement is being done by the cops.
When they are done with smokers and drinkers they are coming for the foolish. You are next ;-P... Oh wait, Gun owners next. You are next either way.
but this could get a lot of innocent people in trouble for no reason.
Especially if the "call in" ends up constituting probable cause for fishing expedition searches...
Make sure youre 0.00, get the minivans attention, stop short when a ‘dog’ runs in front of the car, collect your check...
LEO has stated that they will respond to madd calls. you could be jacked up for 'suspicion' on their say so alone...
Try again. They are going to be reporting people driving within speed limit and stopping at red lights, then using this 'observation' to have leo detain people...
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