Pubdate: Wed, 22 May 2002
Source: Birmingham News, The (AL)
Copyright: 2002 The Birmingham News
Contact:  http://www.al.com/birminghamnews/today/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/45
Author: Blair A. Stephenson

POLICE FIND EXCUSE TO SEARCH CARS

I was dismayed to read in Ginny MacDonald's Driver's Side column that 
Alabama's law enforcement agencies are embarking on another "Click It Or 
Ticket" campaign. While increasing seat-belt use is a noble goal, the use 
of police checkpoints and roadblocks to achieve it is heavy-handed at best 
and unconstitutional at worst. These tactics belong in bad movies about 
Eastern Bloc dictatorships, not the highways of Alabama.

This campaign is really just a cover for unjustified searches of vehicles. 
I was not surprised to read in The News after the last campaign that the 
arrests and citations issued at these checkpoints for drugs, alcohol, 
firearms, expired licenses, etc., greatly outnumbered those issued for 
seat-belt law violations.

If the Department of Public Safety called its campaign "Stop 'Em and Search 
'Em" at least I could respect its honesty.

Blair A. Stephenson

Hueytown
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth