It's called adaptation.
Posted on 10/20/2002 7:48:19 AM PDT by SamAdams76
A VA police spokesman was asked during last night's (1:00AM) pressconference about a man who was taken off in handcuffs. He said the man's vehicle fit a witness description of one leaving the site, but the man was released after being cleared.
You are confused about Innocent until proven guilty. The police routinely lock up criminals until their trial is over -- we don't know if they are innocent or guilty yet, but we lock them up. And it's OK.
From your post, it would seem that you want the police to stop possible criminals only after the possible criminals has already stood for trial.
It's called adaptation.
I don't see how it is helpful for you to be hyper critical of the police right now. There is a freak shooting innocent people. Can you imagine for one minute being a cop who has to approach a vehicle in a roadblock who may be this sniper?
I think drivers in these roadblocks have to be scared to death, particularly if they are in a white van. If I were a driver in that area I would understand more than anyone why the police are treating people this carefully. We don't know what the sniper looks like.
I noticed last night that they were looking at vehicles other than white vans also... That makes me feel a little better. I wish the cops luck... The guy slipped through again, and that is the real tragedy.
I wonder how much it cost him to get his van back?
If he was taken off in handcuffs, his van was towed and impounded.
Seems to me his rights have been violated big time.
FBI agents said to oppose inquiry (shooting of Eagle Scout in Maryland)
"There's no middle ground in this thing. You're either with us or against us."
These roadblocks are probably the safest place to be. The likelihood of this sniper being in a roadblock, AND being provoked into action (as opposed to waved through) approaches zero.
Reality check!
If I had a white van, prudence and common sense would tell me that I should expect special attention.
When life is on the line, it is easy to throw off Political Correctness.
I would paint my van, use another vehicle, or be prepared for special attention.
Only a moron would expect to cruise the DC/Virginia/Maryland area now unmolested.
Statement 2: Maybe drivers of white vans are criminals or at least have more criminal propensities than do most of us. I mean the people in the pictures do look rather seedy.
No, I mean that police should approach such situations as though the civilians were innocent UNTIL some indication that such is not the case. The idea of "going in with guns drawn" on a traffic stop is bullbleep, unless there is definite probable cause, and that such procedures are now the norm, are a direct indication of the continuing militarization of police procedures.
That only applies in a court of law. And they sure have probable cause. White vans.
And I'm not buying the fact those people were on the ground solely because they were driving white vans. Ther had to be some other reason, because, if it were so, there would be people laying on the ground from here to New York City just based on the NUMBER of white vans I see on TV.
Hyper-critical?
Listen, there's nothing you can say to convince me that it is okay for cops to drag our citizens out of cars at gunpoint, shove them face-down on the ground and handcuff them simply under the pretext that they happen to be driving a non-descript white van (of which there are thousands and thousands). This just doesn't cut it. This is the United States of America, not Nazi Germany or Soviet Russia. We are supposed to be better than that.
Well, I think the goal here is to get the roadblock up at the right place and right time one of these times. It isn't an easy business.
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