Police Harass, Threaten to Shoot legally open-carrying Philly man

**dex71** · 05-23-11, 07:41 AM

Thank God in my state, the checkpoints have been deemed unconstitutional. Pulling people over for absolutely no reason is not only bullshit, but a waste of time and manpower. Within 5 minutes of a checkpoint going up (when they had them here), we knew exactly where they were.....so easy to avoid. Around here, they usually yielded less results anyway. This isn't Nazi Germany.....I don't need to be hassled by cops if I'm not doing anything wrong....and conversely, it's a waste of their time to stop people who aren't doing anything wrong.

And, for the record....I'm pretty much a non-drinker. I hit it up maybe 1 or 2 times a year...tops. I hate drunk drivers, and want every last one of them off the road......but the checkpoints aren't the answer....especially with the technology available.

**BrockSamson** · 05-23-11, 08:18 AM

I couldn't agree more with Dex.

There are lines that have to be drawn...its not ok to stop everyone leaving a bar, or search a person's house for dead bodies if they own a gun, or stop anyone leaving a head shop, or anyone going to a motel with a provocatively dressed woman. Even in those cases you at least are able to associate it with a crime and jump to conclusions (very dumb conclusions). When you allow the police to stop you anytime for whatever reason they want you are giving up a huge amount of freedom and individual rights. Not an acceptable answer to the problem.

Flame, thats an idea that would definitely work, but I don't think anymore laws need to be made. If you look at society now we are far less accepting of drinking and driving. During a time post WWII it was a common socially acceptable thing. I say we are already moving in a positive direction. I just could never sign up for a law that allows the government to track what I put into my body.

I also agree with deathgodusmc, you can't right a wrong with another wrong. My least favorite phrase: "the end justifies the means".

In regards to the conceal and carry incident. Like most have said I agree that the guy was probably waiting for an incident like this to happen to prove a point. Who the fuck walks around with a recorder in his pocket? It seems like he got just what he was fishing for: an over zealous cop who was ignorant to his own laws. The cop should be fired. Completely unprofessional and didn't know how to do his job. Police exist to SERVE us. Our taxes pay his salary. Knowing and not infringing on our rights as citizens should be pretty important to him.

**flame** · 05-23-11, 09:46 AM

Brock typically I would agree that a new law isn't best. In this year alone I have seen 4-5 officers struck by drunk drivers, 2 were killed, One very seriously injured. In several cases those officers already had someone stopped for DWI. I dont think things are getting better, at least not here. I prefer we work for a solution that prevents drivers from getting on the road. Then those of us not DWI dont have to worry about illegal road blocks.

**Cojiro** · 05-23-11, 09:48 AM

add a breathalyzer to all cars like they give repeat drunk driving offenders!

**dex71** · 05-23-11, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by Cojiro

add a breathalyzer to all cars like they give repeat drunk driving offenders!

That would be fine by me, but it still wouldn't work. All it takes is an industrious and unscrupulous individual to stand outside of a bar, and charge $5 for a "blow" ( teeheehee).

I'm also for even stronger punishment. Mandatory ankle bracelet time, loss of vehicle, loss of dl, all of it for first offenders. There are far fewer drunk drivers with the laws we have now, than there were when I was in school, when cops were much less likely to give you a DWI than they were to follow you home.

Wasting time pulling over law-abiding citizens, and infringing on their freedom to move about hassle free, has never been the answer.

And now....you can get DWI checkpoint apps for your phones.......

**Nuckle** · 05-23-11, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by Langrad

Boohoo, if your not drunk you shouldnt care. If you are you shouldnt be on the road

Horribly thought process, just horrible. What if I am on my way to close a deal that will pay me $10,000 in commission and by being late to it my client made the decision to use a competitor? Should I plan to arrive 30 minutes early on every visit to allow for jerk off time with the local PD?

If I am speeding, swerving or texting while driving then that is on me. If I am doing nothing then the idiot cop just cost me a pile of money. That is an absolute real world possibility. The police have no business stopping me if I have not violated the law, period. It is already abused bad enough, we would all be for the worse if it was allowed.

Water patrol / marine police seem to violate this law more than any of the others.

**Nuckle** · 05-23-11, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by Cojiro

add a breathalyzer to all cars like they give repeat drunk driving offenders!

I keep one on my boat at all times.

**deathgodusmc** · 05-23-11, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by Langrad

Deathgod how is it an illegal search? There is no search if your vehicle is stopped and you talk to an officer. Your breath at that point is leaving your vehicle putting it in the public domain. There are some minor liberties you give up. It seems we americans these days assume that their inalienable rights extend infinity in all directions. Happily that is not the case. The police arnt there to give you a lolly pop and hold your hand they are there to ensure that the laws in place are followed, if extreme measures are required that is what they will do. A roadblock is probably the most effective way to catch drunk drivers leaving an area with copious amounts of alcohol readily available.

There most certainly is a search. A search isn't limited to your house or your car. This is where they are searching your person and most likely your vehicle while they are standing there. In order to stop someone you must have probable cause. In this case no probable cause is evidant anywhere prior to the stop. For the record i didn't pick the 4th amendment on this the supreme court did.

Those rights you reffer to that are being given up are gaurranted to everyone in this country and yes they extend in every direction for ever person inside this countries boundries. I agree the police aren't there to hold your hand but they most certainly should have never been given a position that allows them to circumvent the constitution of the united states. Road blocks are not effect tools to begin with. Here they have to post where the road block is going to be and its announced on the radio all day long.

This is a clear cut case of wear traffic patrol is going to more effective then sitting still. Unless of course they are sitting still down the road from a bar. As with many crimes punishment is not an effective deterant in this country. We can argue why but its irrelivant to the point at hand. If the punishment doesn't alter behavior then it most certainly does not mean civil rights should be violated to gather more arrests.

No one is advocating drinking and driving and police can do the job without this evasive tool. In fact in the state of florida dui's are on the rise. So how is this tool effective?

**Cojiro** · 05-23-11, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by dex71

That would be fine by me, but it still wouldn't work. All it takes is an industrious and unscrupulous individual to stand outside of a bar, and charge $5 for a "blow" ( teeheehee).

comes with free herpes