'The Drug Whisperer': Drivers arrested while stone cold sober

[bigheadfred]

If this was about stopping impaired drivers, then yeah, do that. But it isn't. It is about money, control, and power. So, no. There is an uptick. But the system has been in place since there were cops.

[rodamala]

My family has been at the raw end of cops on a power trip...

@INVAR

Thanks for the insight. You and I seem to agree on a lot of points, generally speaking.  This story explains a great deal about your take on our liberty.

Respect.

[INVAR]

@INVAR

Thanks for the insight. You and I seem to agree on a lot of points, generally speaking.  This story explains a great deal about your take on our liberty.

Respect.

Yeah, I get a little irritated when people insist we must sacrifice liberty and endure inconvenience for safety and security.

My rose colored glasses were yanked right off my face and my illusions were certainly shattered by harsh reality.

[truth_seeker]

Pathetic that liberty takes a back seat to the want of safety and security.

I favor the "liberty" of a dead person killed by a drunk driver to instead live out their lives, versus your scenario.

Not changing my mind. Too bad about that, btw.

[DB]

I favor the "liberty" of a dead person killed by a drunk driver to instead live out their lives, versus your scenario.

Not changing my mind. Too bad about that, btw.

You are creating straw men. No one here is contesting pulling over and checking suspected drunk drivers. The issues are what followed in these particular cases with due process and assumption of guilt. If these people were all over the road cite them for reckless driving if they pass the under the influence tests. All road related law enforcement should have cameras in their cars and on their person when they exit their cars. There needs to be evidence.

And liberty isn't free. It comes with consequences. I'll take the consequences.

[Smokin Joe]

I favor the "liberty" of a dead person killed by a drunk driver to instead live out their lives, versus your scenario.

Not changing my mind. Too bad about that, btw.

Arresting and processing people who are not drunk does not get drunk drivers off the road.

That does not accomplish your stated goal, and what has been brought up is that it is not compliant with the Constitution, either (in this case, the presumption of innocence in the absence of proof of wrongdoing).

It does, however, tie up valuable resources which could be accomplishing your stated goal, while punishing people who did no wrong.

There is just no way to defend that.

The tests for drug use are out there, cheap, reliable, and available. They would save significant time, eliminate much of the persecution of innocent parties, and free resources for the very aim you desire, even if just used as a screening device.

[EasyAce]

Question: Would you prefer that law enforcement make errors on the side of the other motorists and pedestrians that might be killed or injured by impaired drivers, or the suspected to be impaired driver?

Allowing that law enforcement officers are human and can (and often do) make mistakes, I would prefer
that law enforcement not waste their time rousting someone who isn't impaired, not waste their time
surmising, without any tangible evidence, other than a "look" that someone who isn't impaired is impaired,
and get their butts back on the road running down those who actually are impaired.

The time the officer in question wasted trying to gin up an impairment case on a woman who wasn't
impaired may have been long enough for another driver who was impaired---perhaps one the
officer was too busy with this woman to stop, you never know---to injure or kill someone.

[anubias]

My family has been at the raw end of cops on a power trip, who got the wrong house - busted in without a warrant - beat the living crap out of my two early 20's daughters in their own home and then charged them with 'menacing', 'resisting arrest' and assault on a peace officer'. 

Cost us tens of thousands of dollars to "prove" their innocence.  Amazingly - the video/audio evidence both cops were supposed to have of the no-knock raid went mysteriously missing - and even after being caught lying boldfaced on the stand - the system STILL brought them right on up to trial.   The day of the trial - they dropped the charges but insisted my kids do probation, and after all this time - after spending more money to supposedly 'expunge' their records, the CHARGE of assaulting a cop is still on their records.

I lost my naiveté on how corrupt the law-enforcement/judicial system is in this country.  It was a shock, a blow to everything I thought and awoken me to how far we have truly fallen.

Guilty until you prove yourself innocent.  Talk to ANY Defense attorney who is honest and they will tell you the tis how our system now works.

Pathetic that liberty takes a back seat to the want of safety and security.

I am sorry this happened to you, @INVAR

[truth_seeker]

After over 23 years of AA meetings, I have literally listened to thousands of stories.

I have heard countless stories of bragging, about beating the system, etc. Of privacy invaded. Of bogus searches.

Over 25 years of drinking and driving, I was never even pulled over. At first I felt I had been lucky.

Only later did I realize it would have been much better for me to have been caught and taken of the road. That would have reduced the chance I might injure or kill somebody.

I don't fear the police. Most of them do a dangerous and thankless job, as well as they can.

I have no clue about neighborhoods members live in, or the folks their family members hang with.

There have been no drug busts in my neighborhood that I know about, but one guy for sure was a problem; after his wife kicked him out for drugs/alcohol, he then ran down and killed somebody or a nearby street.

My sympathy and concern goes to the victim of the drunk driver.

--Oh yeah, I realize that I am in a house full of folks that are either stone cold sober, or the epitome of moderation. 

[Smokin Joe]

--Oh yeah, I realize that I am in a house full of folks that are either stone cold sober, or the epitome of moderation.

I'd wager we aren't the only ones here who are sober today because we drank at one time (28+ years for me). No DUI, no accidents, but no more.

[EasyAce]

--Oh yeah, I realize that I am in a house full of folks that are either stone cold sober, or the epitome of moderation.

I happen to be the latter. I like an occasional glass of wine or an occasional bourbon and Coke---short shot, light ice.
I've been that way for most of my adult life. If I have one drink at a party, or a nightclub where I'm listening to or playing
music, that's my self imposed limit and I drink either club soda or plain Coke the rest of the evening.

I applaud your conquest and your AA-aided sobriety. You should be applauded for it. That said, I repeat: if the officer in
the original article hadn't been wasting so much time trying to pin a nonexistent rap on one sober driver who "looked" impaired,
despite all evidence showing otherwise, he might have caught another genuinely impaired driver and thus prevented a needless
death from actually happening.

[geronl]

This far into the thread, no concern for those killed or injured by impaired drivers.

Question: Would you prefer that law enforcement make errors on the side of the other motorists and pedestrians that might be killed or injured by impaired drivers, or the suspected to be impaired driver?

When in doubt, let them go. Err on the side of liberty.