DUI checkpoints: KC double whammy

Kansas City police will conduct not one, but TWO sobriety checkpoints this weekend:

• Northeast KC, Friday night
• South KC, Saturday night

These operations run roughly from midnight to 4 a.m.

A long DUI-related thread last week brought comments from the front lines of the issue, so to speak:

• signalthree said he's been a police officer in a Kansas suburb for 11 years, has made over 300 DUI arrests, and that most people are drunker than they think they are at .08% blood-alcohol, the legal limit.
• ghost said she was a paramedic in KCK for 15 years. "I have seen many innocent people killed and crippled by the careless act of driving drunk. Families wiped out ... fathers or mothers taken ... children sent to the great beyond by some jerk who decided to drive drunk."

Comments

[The DB]

My bets are on 5900 Independence Ave and somewhere south on Wornall...

[Whiny Citizen]

Wow Signal 3, congratulations on the 300.

How many of those 300 blew? Were any of the 300 under .08?

How many had to plea to a reckless charge since you're DA can convict on breath smell alone?

How many did you actually pull over or were these accomplished in Czechpoint Charlies?

Did MADD give you an award? They should, you funneled enough money into their coffers to help support their lobby to push us back to prohibition.

Keep up the good work officer. We need more people with badges in society that believe all laws are good laws. I know, you're just doing your job

[JC_in_KC]

Yes good job signalthree. That is 300 lives you could have saved. Ignore the idiots like whiny, who only want to critisize what you do. Please do tell where you work whiny so we may have the same opportunity to critque your work. If you are on welfare or SSI then just resond as DEADBEAT. Stop Drinking and Driving and maybe you will not have a problem with it. Feel free to drink all you want or drive all you want, just not together. Oh yeah stay out of the stagecoaches as well.

[jamie]

Here we go again. Why must greg put the issues up front of the people that are PRO DWI checkpoints? I don't see where he says anything about those against them.

KC Police must really need some OT this weekend if they are doing TWO checkpoints.

[BS Steve]

Well they gotta make up for that cooking the time sheet incident they got caught on dont they?

[Crime Scene KC]

Hi jamie,

Duly noted. I'll give RIDL a nice post (with their $20,000 challenge to prove drunk-driving kills 16,000 a year, etc.), soon I hope.

The purpose of the post was to point out some front-line people and yes, their comments were positive.

There's opposition to checkpoints, but I don't think there's an equivalence here. Thirty-seven states permit them, and I'd bet they enjoy majority public support, but I'm looking for actual numbers to back that up.

Greg Reeves

P.S. Whiny citizen, you have the same IP address (and exact same RIDL message) as prior commenters X, Bad Laws, Bad Stats, etc. - but you've told me you're not them? This is hard to believe, unless you all happen to work in the same place and share the RIDL view.

Greg Reeves

[jamie]

There probably isn't an equivalence, I won't argue that point. And they comments were positive for their argument.

My point is this - what about those who believe in their rights to drive down the street without being stopped for no reason?

And for the record, I was Anti-checkpoint even before I was stopped for my DWI. And I was not stopped at a checkpoint.

Let the bashing against criminal jamie begin.

[Mickey Mouse]

Oh yeah, Independence Avenue, huh? Well let's do a "get out of your car and we'll search it with no probable cause." Most likely, they will begin at 11:00 not 12:00 midnight! Maybe they can spend their money on a REALLY GOOD cause like getting the meth addicted prostitutes off their working zone. Better yet why don't they check all of the "Texas" licence plates. Have you ever noticed the vehicles with Texas licenses plates are usually chicanos? Legal citizens? hmmmm Do a check point for Texas plates and see how many are actually "legal." Don't profile just check for license and registration....

[cj]

People who drive down the road talking on cell phones are just as dangerous as a person who has had a couple drinks.

[B]

If people would stop drinking and driving there would be no reason for check points. If you don't drink and drive, there is no problem except for a couple extra minutes from your busy lives. Only until you are personally involved with a drunk driver and/or one of your loved ones or friends, will you understand.

My daughter was lucky. She was involved in an accident (as a passenger) when the vehicle she was riding in was broadsided by a very drunk driver. The impact was so hard, she hit the windshield (cracked it and had glass shards embedded in her skull) AND she had her seat bealt on. I know that she would have been killed if she didn't have it on. (I Thank God for small favors) She still has problems 3+ years later, but she is still alive.

My take. Go get those SOBs that drive drunk and put them away, far away.

This is from a mother who knows what it is like to get that dreaded call late at night (11:30) from the police.

[jamie]

B.....I have been in a drunk driving crash also - when I was the SOBER one. So I know what it is like. I still disagree with checkpoints. The true "drunks" on the road are the ones who either:

A - never get caught
or
B - get caught and continue to drive

You will never get everyone to stop drinking and driving - this isn't utopia. Just like the government and society can keep cramming the no smoking in public down our throats..do you think that will keep people from smoking? I don't think so.

The government is taking away our rights, little by little and some people refuse to see it.

[JC_in_KC]

Jamie - "what about those who believe in their rights to drive down the street without being stopped for no reason"

What right is this, I was always under the assumption that driving was a privilege. That is what it said when I signed for my license.

[mo4life]

If you support DWI checkpoints, then you probably support unconstitutional wiretaps and USA becoming a Socialist state. We're getting closer and closer every year.

[jamie]

Thank you mo4life - that is exactly what I am talking about.

JC - it is (according to the state) a privilege and NOT a right to drive. Fine.

What about my constitutional rights? Is it a privilege to own a home? And can the police just "stop by" and decide they want to search my house? No. So why can they do that at an unconstitutional checkpoint?

My driver's license may be my "privilege", but I own my car, it is my property, as is my life, and I have the "right" to my freedoms and the Constitution and its' amendments.

[JC_in_KC]

Yes you may own your car, but it is still a privilege to drive it on the street. You have no god given right to drive. By signing the little paper you get when you get a license you acknowledge that driving is a privilege. But you probably did not read the fine print, just sign and go and make up whatever you want as you go along. Oh yeah check points have not been deemed unconstitutional, but if they are I sure you can blame Bush.

[jamie]

Duh........did I not just say above that according to the state, driving is a privilege? I believe I semi - agreed with you on that one. Trust me, I know what fine print is all about and I read it closely.

God has nothing to do with driving - the state does. And I don't agree that that driving is a privilege. Having my driver's license is a privilege - but I feel it is my right to drive when and wherever I want to. Unless you care to be my chauffeur.

I know check points are not deemed unconstitutional - here in the Bible Belt anyways. In some states they are deemed unconstitutional - AS THEY SHOULD BE!

[Mark]

Some people would sell their souls for the illusion of safety.

[Mark]

Also, Greg Reeves seems a lil biased by showing the comments of 2 supporters of checkpoints and offering no counterpoints.

[heather]

I actually went through a check point this weekend and the cops didn't search my car they asked me a few questions like if I had been drinking and then they let me go, so I don't understand why people say they pull you out of the car and search it for no probable cause because none of that happened to me. I was just driving home from my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary hadn't been doing anything wrong it took me maybe 2 minutes to go through the check point.

[jamie]

Well, I have gone through checkpoints where the cops get a power trip and decide to pull you out or pull out someone in front of you and hold up the line for 45 minutes or more.

And god forbid you should turn around and try to go another way - they will chase you down and give you a ticket for avoiding the checkpoint.

[jamie]

<--agrees with Mark

[mark]

"I don't understand why people say they pull you out of the car and search it for no probable cause because none of that happened to me"
Because it didnt happen to you doesnt mean it doesnt happen. Understand?

[Bubba]

I am amazed but shouldn't be by the number of people who try to defend driving drunk.

There are way too many chuckleheads out on our streets who drink too much and then are so stupid they get behind the wheel.

It tells me we need a lot tougher penalties on the fools who drive drunk and on the bars that continue to serve intoxicated customers.

These checkpoints are merely inconvenient if you are sober. If you are not sober, you don't belong behind the wheel.

It is pretty simple.

[jamie]

I disagree. They are inconvenient to me when sober. Why should I sit there for 45 minutes while they are looking for drunks? Why don't they target those habitual drunks and not everyone? If they were smart, it would not be that complicated for the police.

But no, they would rather stand around, get OT, and eat donuts.

[heather]

If they pull you out of the car and check you then they probably have probable cause because you are acting like an idiot or being a smart ass. An yeah they will pull you over if you turn around to avoid the check point because most of the time it is the drunks who turn around to avoid getting DUIs. I had no problem going through the check point because I knew there was nothing in my car and I hadn't been drinking.

[heather]

Jamie didn't you say you have had a DWI you said they should target habitual drunks well if you have had a DWI before then you deserve to have to sit through the checkpoints because you have once before put other peoles life in danger it's people like you that make check points necessary.

[jamie]

Well, heather, I was not being a smart ass, so don't judge me and assume things. You know what they say about the word "assume".

I was not drinking when I turned around one time - I have better things to do then sit in line for 45 minutes wasting my time. As far as I know, my time is still mine. Or is that a "privilege"?

I do realize that most of the time those who turn around are the drunks. But once again - I was not drinking and had nothing in my car to hide. There you go - assuming again.

"I am amazed but shouldn't be by the number of people who try to defend driving drunk."
I am amazed that you cant see that nobody is defending drunk driving. Quote it and i'll believe it.

[JC_in_KC]

Jamie - "but I feel it is my right to drive when and wherever I want to." See now that is where you are wrong. It is your privilege to drive your car when and where you want. You do not have a right to drive. Hell no would I chauffer you anywhere. If you do not like the restrictions placed on having a DL then turn it in to the state and ride a bike (no license needed).

[jamie]

You don't know me or my situation, so don't make your judgements.

One DWI does not make a "habitual drunk." People like me do not make checkpoints necessary, thank you very much.

I am referring to those who have 6, 7, 10, 12 DUI's and are still out there driving. These NOT responsible enough to follow the law.

I did my crime, and I am doing my time. I am not driving for 30 days now, so you judgemental people can rest easy that I am a law-abiding "habitual drunk". Oh wait - I think that is a double negative.

[heather]

So you think 30 days is doing your time when you could have easily killed someone and punished their families for a life time. I don't think 30 days is justice for your stupidity.

[jamie]

JC - do you not know sarcasm when you see it? I would not want you to chauffeur me anywhere - not some ego-driven person such as yourself.

It is my privilege to have a license. It is my RIGHT to drive my CAR. My opinion and I am sticking with it.

Lucky for all those against me, you can rest assured your roads are safe. As I said before, THE CAR IS PARKED.

Heather - there you go again making judgments about how "I could have killed someone". Do you know my situation? No, you don't. Did you know you can get a DUI just sitting in your car? Yeah. How do you know that isn't what happened? Do you know you can get a DUI standing in your own driveway with your car keys in your pocket? Yeah. How do you know that isn't what happened? Do you know you can get a DUI if you are sleeping in your car? Yeah. How do you know that isn't what happened? You don't.

I don't care what you think about my 30 days - that is the law.

[mark]

Heather-
So youve never driven tired or yelled at a kid in the backseat or talked on a cell phone or carried on a conversation with a passenger while driving? You should be taken off the streets and given life in prison if youve done any of these things. You could have killed 100 people. someone call MADD right now. I think im gonna cry.

[BS Steve]

JC_in_KC,

Ok JC if it is a privilege to drive in your mind. I have a few questions for ya and you can answer or not.

1)Why do I have to take a test and pass it on my own (at a state run office in which my taxes pay for) to drive?

2)Why do I have to pay for the lisence I get that my tax dollars have payed for to begin with as far as materials?

3)Why dont these laws (such as checkpoints) which include my right to drive come to the public vote in which the streets I pay taxes to drive on?

Privilege(word)is just an instrument in which to have control made by the lobbiest which control our state and local governs in which the blood hounds are forced to enforce upon us.Get with it people gees.

[Snag]

Why don't they just quit making beer and aclchol.
Geez what a concept.

And please give the poor KCPD a break. They are extremely short handed and are just doing there job. You all NEED to really get a life and a job and quit crabbin on these blogs/sites.

[BS Steve]

There is a reason these Gistapo points are not allowed in all 50 states not everyone agrees with illegal search and seizures of property for a little safety and I do mean little look at the number of cars stopped compared to the actuall busts on a night.

Then ask why all the sudden is 2 checks in one night needed hmm maybe they had to make their numbers look a litlle better to the public since the majority is catching on
huh?

[heather]

No I don't yell at kids in the back seat because I do not have any kids and I can carry a conversation with a passenger and look at the rode sorry if you can't. I also believe that driving under the influence is more dangerous than talking to a passenger in the car. And yeah I do know that you can get a DUI while sleeping in your car with the keys in the ignition because that has happened to one of my friends, but I highly doubt that is why you got yours or you would have posted that a long time ago good try though on defending yourself. And I don't know if I believe you about standing in your driveway with your keys in your pocket will get you a DUI why don't you tell me the website so I can go look that up.

[You're a mean drunk R2D2]

I don't know how many times I've had to say my part on this. I think the checkpoints are infringing on our rights as it is something directly out of a military type government. If I swerve across lanes or give off signs of being drunk while I'm driving, then please pull me over. However if I'm on my way home late at night, the last thing I want to do is to be stuck at a checkpoint for another 45 minutes. During that time I could get to the point of being so sleepy while waiting to get through that I end up falling asleep at the wheel and killing someone.

Get rid of the checkpoints and have the police do what they have been trained to do and to go out and find those who are drunk. If they want to run checkpoints at the exits of bars and nightclubs, that I'm fine with. The only ones you are inconvienencing then are the ones who really are drunk and would be more effective.

[BS Steve]

Go to SATOP class on that subject and you will find alot of stuff that you dont believe "SATOP" is one of the many punishments you get for a DUI btw if you wanat to argue bout that aswell.

[Mark]

" I can carry a conversation with a passenger and look at the rode sorry if you can't. "
I can and do. I dont lie to myself though. Just because you are looking at the "rode" doesnt mean you are paying attention. You are paying attention to the conversation. You just admitted to impaired driving and legally could be pulled over for a DUI. Not everything is black and white. Its simpler to think that way but is rarely right. I know it hurts you to think.

[heather]

Check points would probably be more effective if they didn't announce when they are going to have them because people just don't drink and drive for one night to avoid getting into trouble and then the next weekend they are doing the same thing again.

[BS Steve]

Yea Heather I am sure all the 1100 people in the northland awhile back wouldnt of went through that DUI checkpoint if they read the Stars paper.

[heather]

I would rather have people driving around talking to there passengers than people be driving drunk. There is a greater chance that the drunk person will wreck. Also have you ever lost anyone to drinking and driving because about a month and a half ago I lost two friends in the same night to drinking and driving that is why I feel so strongly about this issue. I don't want to lose anymore of my friends and if check points help get drunks off the road then I am all for it.

[heather]

I didn't say everyone but a lot of people know about the check points and then avoid them. I bet there are less people driving drunk through the areas where check points are held when people know in advance they are going to be there.

[BS Steve]

Guess that since you lost 2 friends last month that brings a valid arguement that these checkpoints are not the answer then because they didnt just start this stuff recently.

[BS Steve]

Or is it maybe you want total control and checkpoints on every street everyday of the week or night?

[Not Poncherello]

I'm betting SB Hi-71 at 87th/89th

and...

NB SW TFWY at Valentine.

[heather]

I never said they were the answer but they do help get some people off the road that shouldn't be there. I don't believe that there will ever be a solution that will get all the drunks off the road but getting some off the road is better than getting none off the road.

[Mark]

My dad drives an 18-wheeler and has had a sever wreck with a family of four that swerved out of the way of a drunk driver driving into oncoming traffic and colided with my dads trailer. 3 of the 4 family members died. My dad tried to help get them out of the car when they were pinned underneath his trailer. He even visited them in the hospital during there last days. And yet, fter all this neither he nor I will wipe our asses with the constitution for the ILLUSION of safety.

[BS Steve]

Dunno but Northeast KC and southeast KC are big areas are you sure that holds water? It is not like the drunk drivers know exactly where to avoid (checkpoints).