D.C. Police to Check Drivers In Violence-Plagued Trinidad

D.C. Police to Check Drivers In Violence-Plagued Trinidad

www.washingtonpost.com

D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier announced a military-style checkpoint yesterday to stop cars this weekend in a Northeast Washington neighborhood inundated by gun violence, saying it will help keep criminals out of the area.

Starting on Saturday, officers will check drivers' identification and ask whether they have a "legitimate purpose" to be in the Trinidad area, such as going to a doctor or church or visiting friends or relatives. If not, the drivers will be turned away.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Not only has this happened before, in NYC, but it has also stood up to legal challenge.

Amazing, simply amazing.

What are the peoples reactions to this? Are they just allowing themselves to be hearded along while their rights, freedoms and liberty are being trampled?

www.washingtonpost.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

The program is aimed at the city's most troubled areas. The 5th Police District, which includes Trinidad, has had 22 killings this year, one more than all of last year. Since April 1, the Trinidad neighborhood has had seven homicides, 16 robberies and 20 assaults with dangerous weapons, according to police data. In many cases in Trinidad and across the city, gunshots are fired from passing cars, victims are found in cars or cars are used to make fast getaways.

The Neighborhood Safety Zone initiative is the latest crime-fighting attempt by Lanier and Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, who have been under pressure from residents to stop a recent surge in violence. Last weekend was especially bloody, with seven slayings, including three in the Trinidad area.

I have lived in the WDC area for many years. There are parts of DC that I would NEVER EVER EVER go to because of how dangerous it is, including this area.

I see no issues with this because the area is invested with thugs.

Im sure the people of the area are SICK of fearing for their own lives. Something has to be done and this is their LAST attempt at fixing the problem.

Do you have any other solutions?

[edit on 5-6-2008 by greeneyedleo]

My sentiments exactly. A star for you, gel.

What would you do if you were in charge, Coshy? Put yourself in the plae of the residents of these areas. They are virtually prisoners in their own homes.

Criminals need to be dealt with harshly in cases like this.

I have to agree with the ladies here yes Becky and Greeneyedleo we are agreeing sound the bells. Anyways keep in mind freedom works both ways and frankly if you are getting a cap in the head your not to free and its the governments obligation to step in and protect the freedoms of the bystanders in that area. I know its sucks but if you know the area is bad maybe you shouldnt be there in the first place.

I'm amazed, I really am.

So according to you three, its OK for someone else to strip away your freedom to come and go as you please and tell you where you can and cannot go?

A stronger and more effective police presence is whats needed, not dictating where a law-abiding citizen may and may not travel. Further I'm curious what constitutes probable cause for police to search cars if they suspect the presence of guns or drugs. Is simply being at that checkpoint, in that area, enough probable cause to justify a search? If the police ask for permission to search and the driver says no, is that probable cause? The driver must of course have something to hide if he wont freely submit to his car and/or his person being searched is flawed logic.

Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. - Attributed to B. Franklin.

They are prisoners in their homes because they allow themselves to be.

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed - U.S. Constitution

First their right to defend themselves and their homes was stripped, now their right against unreasonable search and seizure are being stripped, whats next?

In and of itself this is not a real big deal, but as it is building and expanding on a precedent, well frankly it scares me. I'm not typically one to run around saying the sky is falling, and this action may very well move the criminal element out of this area. But I well and truly believe it is expanding and building on a precedent that if left unchecked and unchallenged could significantly (eventually) erode many of the freedoms and liberties we take for granted.

[edit on 5-6-2008 by Coshy]

This is very different from the check points that are just there to basically harass and find a reason to search, detain, or arrest an individual. This does seem to be in the effort of protecting people. Jesus... I was really starting to think the police didn't do this anymore.

Personally, if I was visiting DC and ended up driving into this area and the police stopped me and told me to turn around because of the dangers in the area I would probably be pretty happy that they did. I don't think anyone likes being in areas like this. It really isn't a lot of fun, especially when you come across a group of about 20 - 25 people just standing in the road taking the entire thing up.

It seems strange and sci-fi that its happening in a way, but I really do think this is in the interest of the people.

Originally posted by mybigunit
I have to agree with the ladies here yes Becky and Greeneyedleo we are agreeing sound the bells. Anyways keep in mind freedom works both ways and frankly if you are getting a cap in the head your not to free and its the governments obligation to step in and protect the freedoms of the bystanders in that area. I know its sucks but if you know the area is bad maybe you shouldnt be there in the first place.

How are the freedoms of the bystanders and travelers being protected ... oh, wait, taking something away so it cant be used could be protecting it.

Why is it the governments obligation to protect them when the government took away their ability and right to protect themselves?

When has depending on government intervention for protection worked out?

I find it ironic that your avatar states "Wake up America!" when the implications of this, if left unchecked and unchallenged, could do more harm than good.

DUI checkpoints, Drivers Permit Checkpoints, Vehicle Safety Checkpoints, 'Do You have business here' checkpoints ... I truly dont want to sound like an alarmist, but I cant understand why this doesnt raise all kinds of red flags.

Maybe I'm just being paranoid.

I stumbled across another news link

www.examiner.com...

Anyone who doesn’t live there, work there or have “legitimate reason” to be there will be sent away or face arrest, documents obtained by The Examiner show.

What defines "legitimate reason"?

Since when does anyone have to have any other legitimate reason to drive on a public street than "because I can"?

reply to post by Coshy

Maybe I'm just being paranoid.

Yes. I think so.

Maybe you should drive into DC...into some of these areas at night...and then come back and tell me your experience. Im sure your mind would be changed rather quickly

[edit on 5-6-2008 by greeneyedleo]

reply to post by Coshy

its OK for someone else to strip away your freedom to come and go as you please and tell you where you can and cannot go?

Nothing is being "stripped away". This is legitimately in the interest of public safety.

A stronger and more effective police presence is whats needed, not dictating where a law-abiding citizen may and may not travel.

No one with a legitimate reason is being turned away according to the article. You are reading too much into this. This IS a stronger and more effective police presence. They are trying to stop more violence from occurring in the area by keeping innocent AND unwanted individuals out that could spark more violence.

They are prisoners in their homes because they allow themselves to be.

Are you serious?

First their right to defend themselves and their homes was stripped, now their right against unreasonable search and seizure are being stripped, whats next?

Where is this coming from? They said they got guns off the street... that doesn't mean they went door to door and used unwarranted searches to remove all the guns from the area.


I understand what you are seeing in this, but is this really the same as Gestapo checkpoints? I really don't think so.

reply to post by Coshy



Well, your link to the article on the examiner is a lot more disturbing.

Lanier has been struggling to reverse D.C.’s spiraling crime rate but has been forced by public outcry to scale back several initiatives including her “All Hands on Deck” weekends and plans for warrantless, door-to-door searches for drugs and guns.

This does bother me. No matter what the circumstances are.

rawstory.com...

Another news link, wish I had found these when I started the thread.

reply to post by Coshy


Wow.

I would suggest you edit your original post to include both of these articles as they are much better than the original.

I think that I for one am truly guilty of not looking at the big picture in this one. This is a lot deeper than I had originally interpreted it.

reply to post by Coshy
I completly agree wiith you coshy, I also feel that alot of our rights are being taken away. I wonder if a laywer was just driving around and came upon this check point if he would be turned away? I doubt that. However sense all other forms of private protection has been taken away I dont see what else the poor folks that live there can do. I would suggest private hit squads to take out the bad guys but that would be wrong, so I did'nt say that.

reply to post by Coshy


Unless you live in the district or in the metropolitan area you could not begin to understand how desperate the citizens of that area want the police to do something,walking the beat with more police presence has been tried...this is what's called drastic measures. In this particular situation this is what is needed as many of the people committing these murders are coming from outside the Trinidad area.I for one applaud the DC police for finally stepping up to the plate. This has nothing to do with starting a police state.


[edit on 05/16/2008 by CaptGizmo]

[edit on 05/16/2008 by CaptGizmo]

Originally posted by Coshy
rawstory.com...

Another news link, wish I had found these when I started the thread.

House to house searches are a different story. That is stepping over the line I will agree but if you have a known drug area with lots of shootings and you see people driving around there at 2 in the morning I dont see the issue with pulling someone over to see what the hell is going on. Im sorry but this is a bad area of town and a known bad area and they need to clean it up somehow. Do you have suggestions?

I just attempted to post this same article, and Coshy beat me to it.

THIS IS MARTIAL LAW, DECLARED IN D.C.!!!

If people were allowed to have guns, maybe they wouldn't have this type of problem.

They can arrest you if you don't comply with a search at the checkpoint....goodbye 4th amendment!!!

You can't have a gun........goodbye 2nd amendment!!!

You get arrested for protesting.........goodbye 1st!!!

reply to post by downtown436


Have you walked or driven thru these areas before? Seriously....have you? These are HORRIBLE areas to be in....they are DANGEROUS. Its not safe for INNOCENT people...the people who have lived there their WHOLE LIVES.

The cops have tried EVERYTHING and nothing has worked yet.

This is a last resort because these THUGS must be stopped from terrorizing the area.

Please, go walk these streets at night.

And then please tell us a NEW solution that has NOT been tried by law enforcement to STOP all the murders happening.

[edit on 5-6-2008 by greeneyedleo]