POLICE CHECKPOINTS: INEFFECTIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT TOOL

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

I am making this post regarding the issue of police checkpoints and internal border patrol checkpoints. My interest in this issue was sparked when my wife encountered a checkpoint two years ago.

If you are not too familiar with checkpoints, they are sometimes described as a short term dragnet that takes places in a particular area. Law enforcement waits for motorists to approach them for an encounter. DWI checkpoints are the most well-known type of checkpoint, but there are many others. The other checkpoints are efforts to make sure everyone is complying with law or attempts to discover civil and criminal violations. Examples of these checkpoints are seatbelt, proper child seat installation, car registration, car insurance card, driver license, fireworks, hunting, vehicle inspection, and citizenship.

My research after my checkpoint encounter showed some startling evidience. I looked at police reports, research, and many documents showing that checkpoints are ineffective. There is evidence showing saturation patrols ALWAYS work better than checkpoints. There is research showing that checkpoints DO NOT deter people from drunk driving. There is evidence of police interacting with mostly law abiding citizens while criminals roam free. There is evidence that internal border checkpoints are encouraging and allowing illegal activity at the U.S.-Mexican border.

My question is whether anyone here is interested in the ineffectiveness of checkpoints. I would also like to hear from anyone who has taken action regarding checkpoints and efforts to stop them.

[RandomThoughts]

1. Although nothing to do with any militaries.

heh, maybe RME :)

Checkpoints, Ha, I laugh at checkpoints, just crash the shack.

Stripes.
http://www.zuguide.com/#Stripes


In the RV.

[ixion]

2. Not only uneffective, but unconstitutional

In such a day as we had a Constitution.

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

3. Research showing ineffectiveness

Well, I guess I should post some of my evidence. This is a just a sample of the research I've gathered over the last couple of years.


1.The FBI compared saturation patrols vs. checkpoints in Ohio, Missouri, and Tennessee. The study showed that, “Overall, measured in arrests per hour, a dedicated saturation patrol is the most effective method of apprehending offenders.” (Source: FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, January 2003)

2. "I'm no big fan of them," Chief Deputy Pat Butler said about checkpoints. "They're OK for informational purposes, but I think DUI saturation patrols are much more effective." (Source: Kansas City Star, July 8, 200 cool

3. "States with infrequent checkpoints claimed a lack of funding and police resources for not conducting more checkpoints, preferred saturation patrols over checkpoints because they were more "productive," and used large number of police officers at checkpoints." (Source: Accident Analysis and Prevention, November 2003)

4. “If you look at statistics, statistics will probably tell you a saturation patrol is more successful…” said Lt. David Kloos, barrack commander for the Maryland State Police Hagerstown barrack. A typical checkpoint uses about 10 troopers for five hours and costs about $2,000, he said. During the last State Police checkpoint in Hagerstown, held Oct. 31, troopers stopped 880 cars and made three DUI arrests, Kloos said. Saturation patrols watching alternate routes around the checkpoint made one additional DUI arrest, he said. A saturation patrol without a checkpoint requires only three or four troopers and costs a fraction of what a checkpoint costs. (Source: Hagerstown Herald Mail December 28 2008)

5. I personally corresponded with Boone North Carolina Police Chief Bill Post regarding a November 20 2008 checkpoint in Boone. Chief Post told me that 10% of drivers are impaired after 10pm. This would mean (he said) that 10% of drivers are arrested per checkpoint. In fact, the arrest rate at the November 20 checkpoint was 1-2%. (Source: Correspondence with Chief Post November 28 2008)

6. A checkpoint in Tucson Arizona yielded a less than one percent arrest rate. A total of 571 vehicles passed the checkpoint, with 4 DUI arrests, a rate of 7/10 of one percent. (Source: Pima County Sheriff’s Document October 5 2005)

7. A Sept. 28 2007 Summit County, Ohio checkpoint failed to make one drunk driving arrest. Officers stopped 1,242 vehicles on Canton Road in Lakemore and didn't find a single drunken driver. (Source: Akron Beacon Journal October 2 2007)

8. People do not support checkpoints when they know the facts. This survey is from Washington State:

From trafficsafetyinfo.net, 2008:

Gov. Chris Gergoire’s plan to institute checkpoints to catch drunk drivers has stalled in Olympia. Judging by the results of an online poll by the Whatcom County Traffic Safety Task Force, local residents wouldn’t have taken too kindly to it either.
From Traffic Safety Coordinator Doug Dahl:
Two weeks ago our online poll asked Whatcom County drivers if they wanted sobriety checkpoints in our state. Visitors to our site overwhelmingly voted “NO” to DUI checkpoints. The final results were as follows:
yes: 20% (30 votes)
no: 80% (117 votes)

9. Checkpoints are also not the deterrent that law enforcement and others claim: "To date, there is no evidence to indicate that this campaign, which involves a number of sobriety checkpoints and media activities to promote these efforts, has had any impact on public perceptions, driver behaviors, or alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes and injuries. This conclusion is drawn after examining statistics for alcohol-related crashes, police citations for impaired driving, and public perceptions of alcohol-impaired driving risk. (Source: Health Promotion Reports, July 1 2009)

[mrcheerful]

4. I remember when Michigan tried the DWI check points, the media was there as the police set up there

while the police were setting up their blockade to capture arrests and put them on TV the next days 6 o'clock news cast. Within 10 minutes of the blockade all the local bars got phone calls from customers stopped at the check point telling the other bar customers where the check points were so when they left the bar they could find routes home that would by pass the check points. The police haven't tried that again in my city at least.

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

5. Michigan outlawed checkpoints

Thanks for that post. The latest technology to warn others is texting.

Michigan vs. Sitz was the original Supreme Court case in the 1990s that gave the go ahead for checkpoints around the country. The court remanded the issue back to the states. It is somewhat ironic that the court approved of checkpoints, but they are still illegal in Michigan.

[mrcheerful]

6. I meant before it was outlawed I heard other cities in the state tried a few check points with few

or no arrest of DUI's or any other type of crimes these check points were supposed to put a stop to before the check points were outlawed.

[applegrove]

7. They had a checkpoint in a town called tweed, Ontario last year. They were

looking for a killer and had a pattern of snow tire in mind. They caught the guy because of his tire patterns. Turns out he murdered two women, sexually assaulted 2 more and stole underwear from like 50 women. He was cycling and was only becoming more dangerous as the days wore on. Guess what else? He was the colonel in charge of the Trenton Air Base.

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

8. I'm confused because murderer was not apprehended at checkpoint

That was an interesting case in Tweed Ontario. The officers got their man, but I have to wonder if that was the most effective way of apprehending the murderer. I would think that the police would have found out the manufacturer and distributor of that unique tread tire and found out who bought them or owned them. The town of Tweed is about 5,000 people, so would it be hard to track that down?

I’m also not clear on this case because the murderer was not apprehended at the checkpoint. He turned himself in to police days later.

[applegrove]

10. I can't remember the details but he lived in Ottawa part time so looking for buyers

of snow tires in the tweed, belleville, trenton area likely would not have worked. I forget the details about how he was arrested but he did become a suspect because of the road side check looking for a specific snow tire pattern.

Don't ya see drinking and driving as a real danger?

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

11. Checkpoints still less effective than other means

I’d have to say if the tires were unique enough for someone to attempt to quickly identify them at a checkpoint, then they would be unique enough to track them down through a retail purchase. I can’t imagine more than a few dozen of these tires in that area.

The police in Tweed might have been shrewd in that case, or maybe they were just lucky that day. I’d have to say police apprehending drunks at checkpoints are lucky. There was a study showing that 50% of drunk and drugged drivers are not even identified at checkpoints. Police WILL catch drunks at checkpoints, but they would catch so many more drunks if they used roving patrols and saturation patrols. Compare these two techniques in the U.S. state of Maryland:

Worcester County, Maryland:


August 27, 2010 checkpoint
739 cars
0 DWI arrests
Arrest rate: 0%


August 27, 2010 roving patrol
32 cars
2 DWI arrests
Arrest rate: 8%


Source:
www.delmarvanow.com
August 29, 2010


No, I don’t see drinking and driving as dangerous. I see DRUNK DRIVING as dangerous. A friend/co-worker was killed in an alcohol related crash years ago. My wife and I don’t even like to go out after 10pm because of the drunks on the road. I want drunks off the road. I want the police to use the most effective means to achieve that goal.

[applegrove]

12. Have you ever been inside the 'local' garage that sells tires? Not much in the way of paperwork done

there. I know I got four new tires this spring and I don't think there was a database informing my garage who they sold tires too. Plus it would take a monumental effort to organize what records you could find. Nope that just wouldn't work at all. Spot checks are the only way.

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

13. Checkpoints are the stuff of drama

I have been in many garages and personally know mechanics that own their own shop. Not only is it possible to track down those tires, it would not be that difficult. If the tires are SO unique that you can identify them at a checkpoint, then it would not be hard to pinpoint them through records.

Auto shops have databases of their customers and list the type of work that customers have done. If you have even looked at your itemized repair receipt, then you know this is the information that came out of the auto shop's computer. All new tires have warranties, so the brand and type is going to be recorded.

The name "spot" checks even reveals the hit-or-miss and "spotty" nature of checkpoints. This unique tire tread business is the stuff of forensic fantasy TV shows. It MIGHT have happened in this case, but the murderer was still not caught at the checkpoint. I even read a Canadian article today that indicated he was caught by what some people told the police.
IF the perpetrator was caught because of tires, then this case is the exception. Relying on exceptions and anecdotes is not good technique. It might win you a spot on TV's 48 Hours, but you will not apprehend many criminals by relying on it.

Police catch criminals by talking with people. They also catch criminals by active policing such as roving patrols. Waiting for criminals to come to the police at checkpoints is inefficient, costly, and the stuff of TV drama.

[applegrove]

14. I don't agree. We will have to leave it at that.

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

9. Confused about Tweed Case

double post

[NikRik]

15. In checking out the law

for some other reason having to do with a driver license problem. I found out that the 14th amendment under the right to travel. That these check points are illegal and each time someone is stopped their civil rights are being violated ! Check out the Right to travel law and how many times its being ignored by local law enforcement !
Take Care ,Nick