From the Maryland State Police, Bel Air Barrack:
The Maryland State Police Bel Air Barrack and the Bel Air Police Department held a sobriety checkpoint which netted the arrests of four suspected impaired motorists.
The arrests stemmed from operation “Checkpoint Strikeforce” which was conducted on E/B MD Rt. 22 @ Bynum Park, Harford County. The operation was conducted from 11:01 pm to 1:56 am Friday morning. 328 vehicles were checked during the operation. The checkpoint was manned by 11 Troopers from the Bel Air Barrack and 8 Officers from Bel Air Police Department.
During the checkpoint, four motorists were pulled to the side for additional field sobriety testing. Of these, 2 were arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, 3 juveniles charged with underage alcohol restrictions and 2 were arrested for controlled dangerous substance. The checkpoint was assisted by members of the Bel Air Fire Department.
328 cars in just under 3 hrs?!?! Good job!! Imo,multiple checkpoints should be set up at the same time all over the county.
Yes, good job illegally searching every vehicle with no warrant.
It is not illegal to verify the operator of the vehicle is fully licensed and sober.
A check is not a search, but those arrested will have their vehicle inventoried and the idiots that consent to a search (or talk themselves into giving the officer probable cause for a search) deserve what they get.
It is not illegal for police to conduct traffic checkpoints. They are completely following the law to the letter. They can even conduct a dog sniff on your car as long as the K9 can be there in 15 minutes. Remember, driving is a priviledge, not a right and you must conform to the officers as they are performing their duties during a checkpoint on a state/county owned road, giving you absolutely no 4th amendment protections. The truth is they can say they smell marijuana and search your car and it is completely legal, even if they don’t smell it at all.
“The truth is they can say they smell marijuana and search your car and it is completely legal, even if they don’t smell it at all.”
The real truth is; they can say they smelled marijuana, even it they didn’t, and search your car, but that does not make it “completely legal”. The fact they lied makes it illegal.
Whatever, you would never prove they lied. Please keep in mind that the odor of marijuana can linger on your person or car and that would not be questioned in court.
It’s is legal if they find marijuana, if none is found then they have a problem…..
So if marijuana is found, and later in court the officer is asked if he really smelled marijuana and the officer says no, then you say the search is legal and the evidence is not tainted fruit from the tree? Or does the officer just continue to lie in court about smelling the marijuana and that makes everything OK?
Ralph, you truly raise stupid to a fine art.
Jack Rabbit,
Maybe Ralph missed your humor or your sarcasm if either was intended. If you intended neither, then you have lowered ethics to a new standard in Harford County.
Oh yeah where does the 4th amendment say you are openly subjected to be searched in public? You’re a tool for the police state. The 4th amendment in fact says the opposite.
4th amendment : “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
On foot in public is “in their persons”, “effects” means private property a.k.a. a car or anything else you own. I can not be searched without a warrant which had been signed by a judge, which had to have had probable cause in order to be approved. A warrant also must be specific in who and what is to be searched and seized.
Police can’t legally pull you over and question you for traveling on a certain stretch of roadway without you being accused of a crime or traffic violation. You also don’t have to show identification if on foot when asked unless you are being accused of a crime.
Driving is a privilege. The state licenses you to be able to drive legally on public highways. If you choose not to abide by the rules, the state can take your license away. Is this hard to understand?
Since when does the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Dept. get involved in law enforcement activities such as this.
Removes the health related problems having an EMS standing by.
The Bel Air VFC got involved when they were asked by law enforcement to support the scene with lighting.
Thanks,
Rich Gardiner
Spokesperson, Harford Co. Vol Fire/EMS
When will Jesse Bane make a statement taking credit for his role in these arrests?
Laws being what they are, where\when was this checkpoint announced? It is a requirement that they inform the community of the location of a check point prior to it. Maybe it was in the newspaper and I missed it? Otherwise, I call shenanigans. Remember, they can’t arrest you for hooking a U-turn prior to the checkpoint (provided you do it legally). Most states require there be alternate non-checkpoint paths available after the sign but before the stop. And if you get stopped, give them the license, registration, and proof of insurance, and don’t answer any other questions. Its none of their business what I was doing before I got there so long as I’m licensed and sober.
I was working on the checkpoint. I can tell you we let about 75% of the buzzed go. We only went after the serious drunks. These random checkpoints are an excellent way to get the serious dangers off of the road. We typically let the people who have had 4-6 drinks go and arrest those with 7+. Our top priority is safety, not to destroy the lives of a couple that went out for date night…
Thanks All!
The MSP runs billboard adds saying buzzed driving is drunk driving. You are stating that you come into contact with intoxicated individuals, then let them drive off. Glad to see my tax dollars wasted on billboards and radio adds that apparently dont mean anything.
So you ask them how many drinks they’ve had or do you give a breathalyzer test? You aren’t in law enforcement, you’re a poser trying to create hate, discontent and chaos and impugn the work of people you simply despise.
2 people arrested for DUI and you let 75% go…..
Not only are you a poor troll, you fail at 4th grade math….
Ok you got me. But I think the number of arrests seem a little low for a saturday night. I’m guessing they had to let some that were lightly buzzed go?
Well since it was Thursday night into Friday morning I suppose reading a calendar another day you missed in school.
To save some time and speed things up at the checkpoints, they need to have different lanes, One that says drunks only, the other lane should say no need to stop, keep going and increase your speed.
Something to think about ….. I believe/understand all these agencies have a ride along/participation program that is open to the public to help the public (in general) see from “behind the badge.” BUT PLEASE KEEP IN MIND, “YOUR” safety may come 1st. Sign up! And if I understand correctly, these (all) agencies do accept and advertise openings for employment. May I pls. suggest signing up for the southern precinct (HCSO) or I95 (MTA/MSP) on a Thurs., Fri or Sat. ride along, hrs. of maybe … 1800->0600hrs so you “C” what the sworn have/expected to do and deal with. PS. When the officer exits the vehicle and LOCKS the patrol car doors it’s for YOUR safety, not theirs.
Especially try for a Thurs-Sat night that falls on the 1st of the month, Friday the 13th or a full moon. It always seems the strangest things happens on those nights.
Every time we do a checkpoint this conversation is rehashed, how many times do we have to listen to the criminals cry about checkpoints unfairly catching them in their criminal acts while the people that want to drive around safely argue in favor of them? The numbers simply don’t support any of the arguments that the crooks and conspiracy theorists cook up. We arrested a handful of people while processing several hundred cars in a few hours. If we were fudging facts to illegally search vehicles then A) we would have dozens of arrests if not more B) we never would have made it through so many vehicles in so short a time. A short sighted person asks, “Since when do volunteer fire companies duties involve law enforcement?” If he would have just let his brain mull it over for a few seconds, then he might have remembered that their job is to keep people safe and adequate lighting in an area where people will be stopping/walking in the street is a decent if not excellent idea. We’ve all heard the saying, ” An ounce of prevention is worth….” and that’s what this is about more than anything, deterring drunk drivers while minimally inconveniencing law abiding citizens. The numbers support our belief that we accomplished that.