| Author | Message | ||
     Corporatemonkey |
On my late night ride this evening, I witnessed 3 separate traffic stops. All three had woman on the white line doing the chicken dance (sobriety test). On my way back I saw 3 tow trucks and people in handcuffs. While I am thrilled to see them off the road, I would prefer them not to be on the road at all. Now this just could be my perception, but I am seeing a lot of this lately. Are DWI (DUI?) stops getting more common, or am I just noticing it more? Or are people really boozing it up that much? | ||
| Paint_shaker |
Sometimes extra details are conducted targeting drunk drivers. | ||
| Hammer71 |
Huge drop in my area of NY which stems from the increased details that Paint reffered to. They are still out there but not to the extent that they were a year ago. I went from 78 DWI arrests 2 years ago to 12 this year. | ||
| Simple |
revenue! | ||
| Mm128 |
SIMPLE, REVENUE.... NOT True in MOST cases. Dept's writing tickets ONLY see a VERY small % of that ticket back... NOW the STATE GOVT does get the revenue but it does NOT reflect where the work came from at all. I know that MY DEPT is HOT and HEAVY on DUI and UNDERAGE Drinking. There is NOTHING worse than to have to knock on someones door to tell them that there family member who was coming back from church.... school....work.... ect... was hit and and killed by a drunk driver. We are doing NIGHTLY ID, DUI, DRUG checks 3 times a week around the University Campus. We are getting ready to incorporate road closures for the checks NEXT week and will putting EVERYONE on the curb to check them out. Matt (LEO SOUTH GA) | ||
| New12r |
MM, why put EVERYONE on the curb? If I was sober and had to get out I would be more than pissed. It is usually pretty obvious when someone is under the influence, no? | ||
| Simple |
some officers personally might feel different but its only about revenue. if it wasnt, there would be more money spent by states on prevention instead of apprehension. i dont mean prevention of accidents by DD's but prevention of drunken actions to begin with. if LEO's are to serve and protect, why not stand outside the bar and grab keys from suspected drunks? then call them a cab for the ride home and say you'll feel better about this in the morning!? there is no money in that course. but you would be serving your community and protecting the public as well as the possible offender. its all about revenue! | ||
| Rah7777777 |
I don't agree with the revenue part at all. Unfortunately I'm pretty sure its illegal to snag someones keys on private property until they have started to drive on a public road. I have heard many cases where cops sit across the street and wait for someone to pull off........hell in my school days I can remember countless parties where they would sit at the intersection down the street and wait for someone to drive past them and they would turn on there lights and if the driver hit there brakes, even if at the time they where doing the speed limit they would stop them (or obviously not staying in there lane) its not all about the revenue, b/c as stated above they DONT work commission! they don't see that $$$ coming back to there pockets. They have to obey laws (for the most part) just as we do. and there are laws preventing them to do what i and most of us think they should be able to do. I started a new job about a month back and I deal with cops everyday now, and its nice to see the nice side of them. in all reality they are just people with a job, just like any other american! get up, go to work. I personally think they do NOT get the proper credit they deserve and on the same note, I personally believe they should have more power to help cease some of the loop holes they have to go through. just my 2 cents..... | ||
| Bonjoxb12s |
Rah... thank you for the support. I don't care who you are, or what dept. you work for.... it's always a chilling reminder of reality when part of your morning attire includes a bullet proof vest. Best of luck to all of you LEO's out there and stay safe | ||
| Akbuell |
As a retired LEO who spent 23yrs putting on a ballistic vest before going to work, some thoughts: I have personally stopped people at their car, on a public street, and advised them not to drive, and offered options for getting home. Waited 10mins down the street, and arrested them for DWI after they drove past. As to confiscating their keys before they drive, the 4th Amendment 'controls', as they say in court, and is illegal. As to a revenue source: A DWI arrest is the most complicated arrest an officer can make, second only to a murder investigation. The best I have been able to do is about 2hrs from initial stop to completing the report. And that involves a very cooperative suspect, another officer handling the impound, ect. An impound form, an evidence form, an Implied Consent Warning, the breath test checklist, ect, ect. Then there is the pay for at least one clerk, a prosecutor, a judge, a courtroom, and the staff at the state level to process the license revocation paperwork, and overtime (usually) for the officer to testify in court. The list goes on. The fines and associated fees don't even begin to cover the costs. Gov't entities would make a lot more money buying bonds, or having a savings acct. Thankfully, public perception is changing, as DWI is no longer viewed as a minor offense, it is considered a serious crime, as it should be. Ride safe, have fun, Dave | ||
| Paint_shaker |
DUI enforcement is not about revenue. PERIOD! DUI enforcement is about getting drunks off the road so they do not kill you, your family or anyone else (including themselves)!! DUI arrests are time consuming and paperwork intensive, but well worth it to get the drunk off the road. Some LEOs hunt DUIs, some deal with them as they come across them and others do everything possible to NOT "find" them.... In Florida, you have to be in actual physical control of the vehicle (ie; in the car with keys in the ignition) before you can be arrested for a DUI. This includes private parking lots such as those at bars, restaurants, etc that are open to the public. I recently arrested a drunk driver who was driving on the wrong side of the road... Not only was he under the influence of alcohol, but prescription medication as well... To do as suggest to confiscate a drunk's keys before he drives would violate that person's consitutional rights and would cost me my career and what little $$ I have. Now for the real kicker.... Months down the road, the drunk appears in court (sober of course) with his defense attorney trying to suppress everything about the stop.... The ONLY one who makes $$ from a DUI is a defense attorney.... IF you don't believe me, ride along with a LEO sometime, as well as visit the court for a DUI hearing/trial. | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
I am glad departments are stepping up enforcement. I wish officers did get a % of the revenue from DUI stops. It would encourage more enforcement. As someone who was taken out by a drunk, and has a mother that has ongoing injuries from another drunk driver incident, these people really need to be strung up. | ||
| Thumper74 |
I just stopped drinking out. I may have a single beer when I'm out at dinner or at a bar, but that's it. It's too risky on the bike. If I'm going to get drunk, it's in the comfort of my own home where I don't need to worry about driving, no fighting, it doesn't matter where I pass out, etc. The last time I was at a bar was January... | ||
| Merlyn |
As much as I think most traffic enforcement is nothing but a revenue generator for the municipality doing it, I *don't* believe that applies to DUI enforcement. Like a couple of the LEOs here have mentioned, it's just not cost effective. Standard traffic stuff is a different story (some of the small towns where I grew up budgeted 10% more than the town's income and made up the difference in various fines- FACT!) Personally, I think there should be 2 standards- DUI, .08 BAC. No change in penalty, and DWI: .10 or better- make that one a felony and subject to "3 strikes" 3rd offense = BIG prison sentences. Every time I hear about someone with 10+ DUI convictions killing someone while driving around on a suspended license I want to scream- and it happens ALL THE TIME. Merlyn | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
There was a segment on a local tv channel's news about this. From what I understand there's a Federal directive on curbing drunk driving and the Feds are giving local PD's funds for extra enforcement. Drunk driving here in Wisconsin is about as common as people cutting their grass, pretty sad really. | ||
| Edgydrifter |
I'm with Thumper on this one. Getting behind the wheel with beers under your belt is stupid, and throwing a leg over your bike in said condition is suicide. I much prefer to do my drinking at home--it's cheaper, the only folks around me are ones I like, and nobody gets on my case if I pee on the azaleas. My hat's off to the LEOs yanking drunks off the roads. A question though--how hard is it to arrest a motorist for reckless driving when alcohol and/or drugs aren't a factor? I only ask because, like most of you, I see a lot of Driving While Stupid every day and it makes me wonder how badly someone has to drive before they get pulled over; and if they do get arrested how likely is it that they can beat the rap in court? |
