Police Checkpoints

Yes, and giving massive, unnecessary crap to people without a VI license to show.

IT

They sit there every once in a while. They may be rookies in training. One pulled me over once for expired registration. She looked to be about 23 years old. Not only did she give me a ticket, but took my plates and had my car towed.
My fault, I know two weeks over due, but really took my plates and towed!!!!!
so yeah, watch out, make sure you dont let your tags expire..they really keep a watch out for that colored sticker in the window.

They had ads in the paper for this campaign. I believe they get federal money for these promotions. On St. Thomas, there has been an increase in DWI reports in the police blotter. They have a new enforcement van and must have finally gotten some breath analyzer kits. The van was driving around at the Texas Chili Chili Cook-Off.The ads all said that enforcement would be through Labor Day, so maybe they'll stop tomorrow or whenever the van breaks down...

Cops have been aggressively cracking down on registration lately.

Many state side police officers are against "check points" not only because it is or should be unconstitutional but because "directed patrols" are a much more effective even for driving under the influence. It is usually desk Jockey administrators who order check points.

why should they be unconstitutional

DUI check points will routinely pull over hundreds of people and needlessly detain them and the net result at the end of the night will be 2 dui arrests and 2 or 3 suspended drivers' license. Usually law enforcement must have "probable cause" or "reasonable suspicion" to detain someone Good for Nazi Germany ("show us your paypas please"), bad for America. Study after study has shown directed patrols are much more effective. Just my opinion. You are certainly entitled to a differing opinion.

Yeah that's why the police have to have an excuse to pull you over, even if they do make one up.

1 DUI catch at a checkpoint is worth the 1 dead innocent victim of a drunk driver.

Police checkpoints are constitutional if done correctly:
Overview: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random_checkpoint#Legality_in_the_United_States
Supreme Court case: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_Dept._of_State_Police_v._Sitz

Perhaps. Directed patrols might have saved 2 or more. What about the person who gets killed by a drunk driver two streets over while 10 officers are talking to 20 perfectly sober drivers? My point is efficiency.

Again just my opinion MANY in law enforcement disagree and MANY in law enforcement agree. A good debatable subject with no right or wrong opinions. Most times crimes that are prevented using any method are never known.

thanks, i was just curious

Here's the report on the results: http://stthomassource.com/content/news/police/2014/09/03/holiday-crackdown-nets-dui-arrests

According to that report, 4 were moving violations that resulted in DUI, the last 3 were unspecified. I wonder which of those last 3 were from a checkpoint.

Curious about directed patrols. also, if there are so many officers available for check points, why are they not more effective against car jackings, muggings and hold ups? still not enough officers? or something else?

L

lmarion, just curious. Where would you have them patrol for car jackings, muggings and hold ups. there is no rhyme or reason to where these things happen. not like when the restaurant used to get robbed. at least with those you had a clue, especially if they had just robbed one

lmarion, just curious. Where would you have them patrol for car jackings, muggings and hold ups. there is no rhyme or reason to where these things happen. not like when the restaurant used to get robbed. at least with those you had a clue, especially if they had just robbed one

To start with -- Downtown C'sted after dark. Downtown F'sted after dark -- especially the beach bars. Uh, Sunny Isle parking lot(s). North Shore restaurants. Gallows Bay. I rarely see cops there. They're all out on the Melvin Evens giving invalid registration tickets.

I dunno. That's just off the top of my head.

IT

Are officers allowed to work "extra off duty jobs" on the islands? Perhaps a business district could pool money together and hire an officer or two to foot patrol the parking lots and or stand outside the front door of the bar or restaurant as a deterrent. This may attract additional customers because they would feel safe and frequent the establishment more.

Are officers allowed to work "extra off duty jobs" on the islands? Perhaps a business district could pool money together and hire an officer or two to foot patrol the parking lots and or stand outside the front door of the bar or restaurant as a deterrent. This may attract additional customers because they would feel safe and frequent the establishment more.

Yes and they do - on STT anyway. However, it's not cheap and although the "pooling" can work in several areas, many restaurants stand alone with none others in close proximity.

they could patrol those areas, sure but is that necessarily where all the crime happens?

Camden, NJ reduced their crime rates, example : murder by about 53%. Here is link: www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/28/camden-crime-rate_n_5225657.html

probably don't need all of that but I'm tech challenged.

Any opinions on what might work for VI?

L