Pubdate: Sat, 28 May 2005
Source: Sampson Independent, The (NC)
Copyright: 2005, The Sampson Independent
Contact:  http://www.clintonnc.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1704

TRAFFIC STOPS A VALUABLE TOOL

If you've ever wondered if traffic stops conducted by law enforcement
officers do anything but irritate motorists, wonder no more.

This week alone, the arrest of several individuals on everything from
methamphetamine charges to possession of large amounts of cocaine and
marijuana came about because of routine traffic checkpoints and
traffic stops.

Which makes the checkpoints and the stops, and the officers conducting
them, vitally important in the war against drugs.

Just look at these snippets:

* A Duplin County man wanted on charges of manufacturing and
trafficking methamphetamine was apprehended after being stopped for a
routine motor vehicle violation;

* A pound of marijuana and a small amount of cocaine was discovered by
Clinton police officers following a traffic stop for a routine motor
vehicle violation;

* Two were arrested near Harrells and $300,000 worth of cocaine (3
kilos) was seized following a seat belt and license check.

In every incident law enforcement officers were conducting routine
stops or checks and discovered far more than routine problems.

The stops and checkpoints stopped three kilos of cocaine from hitting
the streets and being sold to our neighbors, friends and children.

The stops and checkpoints halted the sale of a pound of
marijuana.

And the stops put brakes on the manufacture of meth in at least one
area of the county for at least a short period of time.

While there's never any guarantee that a traffic stop will net more
than a driver without a license or a motorist who forgot his or her
seat belt, chances are good that once in a while they might happen
upon a suspicious driver who is doing far more than just trying to get
from one point to another on Sampson or Duplin roadways.

Though none of those arrested this week have been convicted of any
crimes, the facts bear out that what appears to be cocaine, marijuana
and methamphetamine were seized in each of the incidents, incidents,
we might add, that would have never occurred had officers not been
traveling the roads, setting up checkpoints and conducting routine
traffic stops.

Before we become too critical of what traffic officers do, and before
we question the need to have more officers on our roadways conducting
traffic stops, we should look beyond that forest to see the trees.
Traffic stops are far more than about giving tickets to speeders or
irritating drivers hurrying to and from their destinations. They are
about making drug dealers think twice about transporting drugs in our
county; and they are about seeing to it that should dealers try to
transport that someone is out there waiting, hoping to make the stop
that will halt drugs from hitting our streets.

For that reason alone, traffic stops and checkpoints are needed and
appreciated.
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MAP posted-by: SHeath(DPFFlorida)