How far can LEO go?

[bcp]

"To have reasonable suspicion that would justify a stop, police must be able to point to specific and articulable facts that would indicate to a reasonable person that a crime has been, is being, or is about to be committed. Reasonable suspicion depends on the totality of the circumstances and can result from a combination of facts, each of which is by itself innocuous."


Terry stop - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[EE_Bota]

I live in CT, they had one right on the Berlin Turnpike, in front of the DOT building, definitely no way to avoid it. As I was coming down the road I thought it must of been a horrific accident, bright lights and cop cars all over the place, they had tactical vans and special buses.

I have seen many a time where that 20 minute wait would have been a deal breaker for me simply because of need to get to a restroom. So simply yelling "No!" shows remarkable restraint in my opinion.

Any changes to the CT rules for such things likely were not dreamed up by those in enforcement, rather they were a response to the CT supreme court decision about various abuses in that process.

Although upheld by the Fed. Supreme court, some states find those stops unconstitional according to that state's own constitution, and therefore will not allow those checks. Those states can stop individuals for reasonable cause, but do not allow enforcement to take on all comers.

 

[chuckd1277]

I live in CT, they had one right on the Berlin Turnpike, in front of the DOT building, definitely no way to avoid it. As I was coming down the road I thought it must of been a horrific accident, bright lights and cop cars all over the place, they had tactical vans and special buses.

Took me about 20 minutes to get up to where they were, I was very somber as I thought it was a multi fatality for so much attention, there were 10 cops in the road going up to every car on this side of the 4 lane commercial strip. When the woman officer asks me if I've been drinking tonight?
This is like 8pm when all the families are out shopping. I almost blew up, I'm driving a minivan with my 12 year old in the car. NO! I said loud enough that the other cops in the road turned around, they waved me thru.



JB.

I never said they had to be very visible signs... I knew I should have applied in Newington! :thumbsup:

 

[EE_Bota]

I never said they had to be very visible signs... I knew I should have applied in Newington! :thumbsup:

That's way funnier than running up on folk's bumper like an assailant, only to pass them by so they can find that the idiot following too close was a LEO. We never get tired of that one! :thumbsup:
We affectionately refer to them as "Super Troopers."

 

[Scooby074]

That's way funnier than running up on folk's bumper like an assailant, only to pass them by so they can find that the idiot following too close was a LEO. We never get tired of that one! :thumbsup:
We affectionately refer to them as "Super Troopers."

Great movie!

Dont they get away with these roadblocks under the guise of them being "Informational" not a criminal check? Thats why they tie those stupid ribbons on your antenna and hand out pamphlets.

I know that some local ones are staffed by members of MADD.. they have no enforcement powers in law, but will call over a cop if they suspect something.

 

[MossRoad]

Sobriety check points around here are also placed in bottleneck areas where there is now alternative way out. Any car that tries to leave has to do a U-turn and is promptly chased down.

The one check point that really got me flustered was after one of my daughter's high school football games. We came over a hill to go north through a railroad underpass and there were multiple police personnel blocking the road. They flagged cars to turn east down a side street. We went down the side street, many officers checking in windows, asking for papers, etc... and sending us on our way to the east. The problem was, we need to go under the railroad tracks to resume our trip north and then west. The way they were sending us was a dead end to the north and east, so we had to go south, then west, then north again......which meant, you got it, traveling around the block and going through the check point again. GRRR!!!

 

[smstonypoint]

Sobriety check points around here are also placed in bottleneck areas where there is now alternative way out.

SC troopers have a sense of humor.

My most recent experience with a license check occurred on a highway adjacent to Lake Hartwell, with the troopers being stationed immediately ahead of an access road to a boat ramp. The driver behind me, with a boat in tow, was preparing to turn into the access road when the troopers motioned him forward to the checkpoint.

I had to fumble around for my license, and so the check of the driver behind me was completed before my check. The driver behind me then backed up to gain access to the boat ramp. One trooper said to the other, "Hey, you should ticket him for backing up on the highway." :laughing:

Well, I guess you had to be there to appreciate the humor.

Steve

 

[JB4310]

I never said they had to be very visible signs... I knew I should have applied in Newington! :thumbsup:

They do usually advertise it on the news and in the paper. Don't know if that's a requirement or just a public service, same for the seat belt check points. I don't think they say exactly where they will be though.

Last week it was the click it or ticket seat belt campaign, I saw alot of cars pulled over on quiet streets

 

[loghouse511]

When, the Government fears the people, it's called liberty

When the people, fear the Government, it's called tyranny

Thomas Jefferson

 

[Bird]

You youngsters are worrying about losing "liberties" or "rights" when you don't realize how much the country has gone in the other direction.:laughing: When I started in law enforcement in the mid-60s any officer (in Texas, at least) could stop any vehicle to check for a drivers license anywhere anytime. An officer could just set up his own roadblock anywhere anytime unless his supervisors prohibited such.

And in Texas, stopping a vehicle for a traffic violation was considered an arrest, which meant the officer could conduct a seach pursuant to a lawful arrest, and search the entire vehicle.

Yes, there were abuses, not a lot, but some, and such abuses are what resulted in more restrictive statutory laws and/or case law (court decisions) for law enforcement officers. And of course those restrictions then apply to all officers making the job more difficult instead of only applying to the abusers.

And some of you worry about losing gun rights. Prior to the 1990s, there was no such thing as a license or permit to carry a handgun in Texas. You had to be active duty law enforcement or military to carry a handgun on your person.