PORTSMOUTH
One out of five drivers received a ticket accusing them of having a suspended driver's license or no license at all. Six people were arrested on charges including cocaine possession and carrying a concealed weapon. A .45-caliber handgun was seized.
City police stopped 312 vehicles in four hours Wednesday night at the city's latest traffic safety checkpoint near the intersection of South Street and Des Moines Avenue. In addition to the arrests, they wrote out 94 tickets - 63 for alleged license violations.
"Amazing," said Sgt. Steve Jackson, who heads the police Strategic Traffic Unit. He described it as widespread complacency about driving laws. "They just want to drive so bad," he said. "They just take a gamble."
The roadblocks - to check for license status, drunken driving and other safety or criminal violations - have become routine across the city. They've increased generally across Virginia, but Portsmouth stands out for its number and variety of locations and "odd hours," said Mary Ann Rayment, spokeswoman for the Virginia Highway Safety Office of the Department of Motor Vehicles.
"They pick 10 o'clock in the morning. They pick 4 o'clock in the afternoon. They really do move it around," Rayment said. "They are definitely a little ahead of the game."
Since the beginning of the year, Portsmouth police quietly have conducted about 18 roadblocks either on their own or with Chesapeake police or Virginia State Police, according to the department and Jackson, stopping several thousand drivers.
The same man was charged with drunken driving at two checkpoints in a row. "He said, 'How many checkpoints are you going to do?' " Jackson recalled.
They will continue. The department recently received a $48,534 grant from the Virginia Highway Safety Office for equipment and overtime costs to conduct more checkpoints and extra patrols for a year, beginning Oct. 1, Rayment and Jackson said. That will extend work done under a previous grant, Rayment said.
A national increase in drunken-driving crashes and deaths is reflected here, and so jurisdictions are getting more aggressive, Rayment said.
Police have begun publicizing them after-the-fact. Sites have included Rodman Avenue in the western part of the city, the Hodges Ferry Bridge on Portsmouth Boulevard at the Chesapeake city line, and Airline Boulevard in the southern part of the city.
Police want the word to get out, Jackson said.
"The preventive measures, you can't measure," he said.
Matthew Bowers, (757) 222-3893, matthew.bowers@pilotonline.com
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Well Rick, as to your
Well Rick, as to your responses to my comments, you are either a cop, a prosecutor, a judge, or an attorney. Regardless of how the Supreme Court has ruled, there seems to be plenty of leway and loop holes in their rulings to allow law enforcement to go on an easter egg hunt, and make up a reason. The Supreme Court (in my view) doesn't interpret the Bill of Rights the way they were intended. Especially the 2nd and 4th Amendments. I still think there is abuse and intimidation at these check points. I consider my car private property like my house. The way VA gets around that is they make you title it. And right at the top is the commonwealth of Virginia with you as the title holder. Hence the commonwealth is now an "interested party" to something you own and maintain.
Checkpoint
You are right EALD, but the Supreme Court has ruled that a narcotics dog cannot be randomly run around all cars at a Checkpoint without other probable cause or resonable suspicion to believe illegal narcotics are in the car. SO see KEITHH41833 there is your 4th Amendment rights in full effect at a checkpoint. No one said the police could search without PC or articulatable resonable suspicion. NOTE: A certified narcotics or explosive dog can scan (search) the exterior of any vehicle on a public street or public parking lot. If an officer has the right to be there, the dog can be used and is PC to put the dog inside the vehicle, (Carrol Doctrine) in certain situations and in others the dog is PC for a search warrant.
Drug Pups
I'd like to see the PPD include the use of drug dogs in these traffic stops. Great job PPD! Keep up the excellent work!
I'd also like to commend the Virginian Pilot for their excellent coverage on the positive happenings in Portsmouth.
Well Rick, this is
Well Rick, this is something, in my view, that will lead to abuse. People are so easily ready to give up their 4th Amendment rights just because a police officer wants to search your car or person with or without probable cause.
Get un-licensed off the street
No "rights" being trampled. As mentioned, driving is a privilege, not a right. Police check your license and registration. And from how many people were netted, sounds like we need more of these checks. Police are here to keep us safe. People without a license or cars that are not up to state inspection standards put people at risk.
Keep up the good work and get those illegal drives off the road.
Checkpoint
Hello!!!!! keithh41833,, the PAPERS are the drivers license, registration, and possibly Insurance papers!! All part of the agreement when you sign for your license?? I can't answer regarding any search,I was not there!!! But yes, with probable cause, such as odor of alcohol, drugs, plain view drug paraphalia, bullets, holster, or numerous other factors, a search is legal and proper, (Caroll Doctrine for one) and this is not even getting into the legality of an Investigative Detention, whereas you can be detained and even handcuffed but not be arrested, all perfectly LEGAL! Just because someone doesn't like the law process or does not understand the intriquices of the law, doesn't make it any less legal!
To the naysayers...
...it doesn't bother you how many people they are catching breaking the law??!! It doesn't bother you that these scofflaws are in your communities? It doesn't bother you that they are putting your lives and your safety (and your loved ones) at risk?
The Supreme Court has ruled these checkpoints are constitutional. The number of people illegally driving and committing other violations show that this is a significant public safety issue.
Keep up the great work Portsmouth PD!
To getlaxguy
Your comment on unsolved murders is off base just a little. First off the officers that are involved in unsolved murders are known as "detectives" and the officers involved in the traffic sting operations are known as "Uniform Patrol Officers".
Probable Cause?
MiddleagedRick states "A drivers license is a privilege you earn and when you meet the requirements, you agree to the terms set forth by DMV.By signing your license you agree to, upon probable cause, be tested for DUI, produce your drivers license upon request from a Law Enforcement Official, etc."
Then where was the "probable cause" for one to show ones "papers" and submit to being searched at a check point?
Checkpoint
People,if you are going to comment on something, please at least have a working knowledge of the subject. Please realize that RIGHTS and PRIVILEGES are two different things! You cannot be arrested, searched or have property seized without Probable Cause! They are not "God Given", but rights you have by being a citizen of the USA! Privileges are something you earn, by meeting the necessary requirements. Rights cannot be unlawfully taken away, privileges can! A drivers license is a privilege you earn and when you meet the requirements, you agree to the terms set forth by DMV.By signing your license you agree to, upon probable cause, be tested for DUI, produce your drivers license upon request from a Law Enforcement Official, etc. As stated in the article, the officers were working a GRANT from the Va. Highway Safety Council, this was not on-duty time! Yes, there are other Grants for other t
Tax dollars at work
I would think with all the unsolved murders in the good ole' P-Town that these cops would have bigger issues to tend to than who isn't buckled up or may not have their license physically on them at the time. But sheesh solving a real crime is to much work for the present day men in blue! Lets just park on the side of the road eat donuts and pull over every car that passes and see how many tickets we can write.
Just wait... Your houses
Just wait... Your houses will be next.
Great Work
Now thats what I call proactive. I for one think this is a great idea and that Norfolk, Chesapeake and the neighboring cities should take this as an example. Can you imagine how much less traffic there'll be out there if everyone starts doing random stop checks like this. Keep it up guys, you're on the right track with this one.
Checkpoints............
The Supreme Court has ruled on numerous occasions that these checkpoints are constitutional. The need to get drunk and dangerous drivers off of the road outweighs the slight inconvenience to the law abiding citizens. Congratulations to the Portsmouth Police Department for a job well done.
FANTASTIC !!!
Whether anyone has noticed or not............but OUR Police Depts are constantly at a dis-advantage due our 'rights' as citizens. Dont get me wrong, I DONT want to 'give up' anymore rights.............but when the Police CAN put up a Check-Point and ticket soooooooo many scofflaws in a 4 hr period?
By all means, PLEASE CONTINUE to do so.............
Duh
Look where they set up this roadblock. That's why so many were ticketed this time.
Shear numbers
The shear numbers of people ticketed or arrested is 30%, sounds like a good enough reason on its own to continue to hold more of these stops. Lets get these unlicensed, drunken people off of the roads. Tow their cars, make the fines high so that they think twice about driving illegally. When are the other cities in Hampton Roads going to get the idea and start? Great job Portsmouth police, and also a great job to Va Beach police for their totals in arresting DUIs. Well done!
OMG, they have instituted a math question to reduce spam submissions. Look out, some of the public will be asking them to dumb down the questions!
HUH?
Someone please tell us what "due cause" is. Sounds like a cross between due process and probable cause. These is nothing illegal in what the PPD did. If you have done nothing wrong then why be upset? Six suspected criminals are now behind bars where they belong. We can all sleep easier.
I have to ditto Mr. Harold
I have to ditto Mr. Harold Jackson on this one. Give law enforcement an inch and they take a mile.
My point is made
From the majority of posts on this issue it's plain that most would give up their rights for the illusion of being more safe by cops maybe finding a few lawbreakers. Sad our freedom from excessive government is being lost at an alarming rate by citizens too timid or scared to stand up for what the revolution was fought for. It's even more disheartening that so many think this is acceptable. As for the Supreme Court saying the checkpoints were legal, remember the Supreme Court also ruled killing babies in their mothers wombs is legal. If they don't care about a human life do you really expect they will protect the rights of citizens from the police state that is being created?
WoW
That many at out 300 stopped. Just think how many they could get if they went door to door. Im sure that would be acceptable to some also. Police roving door to door "checkpoints" think of all the crimes they could solve or prevent going through your drawers and closets looking for illegal wepons or drugs. You dont have anything to hide do you? No of course you don't. So why should it bother you? Think about and get real. If they are only looking for DUIs, license, or insurance then that is all you should get a summons for! Wake UP People!!!
Hello.....
They do not concern themselves with your exciting life - where you going, where you been , etc. They ask for your license and registration. They also see if maybe there is an odor of alcohol comming from your car. The courts have held that if cars are stopped in a documented order; every car, every third car, etc, it's not a violation of your rights. Being able to operate a vehicle is not even a right. Maybe if you have something to hide, or you have never had anyone lost to an idiot that elects to drive drunk I can then understand why you are against these checks.
Trawling for Crimies
There are an estimated 3000 people roaming the streets in the HR area with felony warrants on them. Random stops of all vehicles is a good way to catch a few perps.
hello........
what happened to "due cause". The right of the people to be stopped for cause?... Again, watch out what you wish for..Do you want to be stopped so they can ask...who are you?,where are you going?, what are you doing?, what are you going to do when you get there? How about your wife or daughter being asked??...where does it end???
Get The Real Problem Makers Off The Road
I'd rather see the police go after people like the guy that hit me last January when he ran thru the stoplight at Airline and Elmhurst then someone who forgot to put on their seatbelt.
good!
HOORAH! I think every city should have them 3 times a week at random locations. Look at the revenue, and the law breakers that are inadvertently caught. 94 people ticketed and 6 people arrested out of 300 checked.. Thats 1 out of 3 people that were breaking the law. Unacceptable, If your license is suspended.......take the bus!
CHECK POINTS DON'T SCARE ME
If you are doing nothing wrong there is no problem. The rights thing I don't know, but it looks like a good way to get a few criminals off the road and in jail so the little right violation is ok with me as long as they keep it to the cars.I don't drink and drive and I have a permit for my gun.
Checkpoints
These things remind me of when I used to drive through Communist East Germany to get to Berlin for visits. You went through East German then Russian checkpoints showing your "papers". Over 90 citations! Great money making gig for the cities! I personally have nothing to fear from these unless a light bulb burns out while I'm approaching one and I'm ticketed for that but I'm sorry; I just think these things reek of something like a police state and I DO NOT support their use.
Have some Cheese with the Whine
Get real!The supreme court ruled traffic check points as perfectly legal years ago! It is a minor delay or inconvenience to catch those operating vehicles under the influence or without proper licenses such as revocations or suspensions, no liability insurance, no child restraints, wanted persons, etc. I, for one, do not mind and invite the delay to catch those individuals responsible for the injury and deaths of other law abiding citizens. Gee... if your mother, son, father or daughter is struck and killed by one of these violators, you'd be the first in line to scream for enforcement. suck it up, don't drive drunk, show your license, move on, grow up and get over it. Bet I'm not alone...
Check points
is their any way to see in advance where they are setting up check points/road blocks?I thought they had to make it avaliable to the public in advance.