D.C. Police Checkpoints Prompt Lawsuit

Chief Says Roadblocks Keep Thugs Out Of Murder-Plagued Area, Some Residents Disagree

(CBS)  This weekend, District of Columbia police re-established a series of checkpoints in a neighborhood wracked by a series of shootings and stabbings. And as CBS Evening News Correspondent Thalia Assuras reports, the show of force has both strong supporters and outspoken critics.

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Washington's police chief described the recent violence in the capital's troubled Trinidad section as a brazen assault.

"To shoot two 13-year-old children in the back or to shoot them as they were trying to run away is the most cowardice act I have ever seen in 18 years," said Chief Cathy Lanier.

In the early hours Saturday, one person was stabbed, and seven people were shot -- one of them a 13-year-old boy who later died.

Trinidad, just four miles east of the White House, is a neighborhood in transition -- but in this police district, 22 people were killed through June -- more than double the number last year.

In response, Assuras reports, controversial checkpoints went up in an effort to "fence out" violent intruders. At the edge of the troubled neighborhood police stopped cars and asked drivers about their business.

"Do you have any reason to be passing through Trinidad today?" one checkpoint officer asked a local woman.

"I live two blocks up the street," she answered.

Reaction from residents is mixed.

"I can understand where the police officers are coming from, you know, helping the community," said one woman.

"Do they keep the bad guys out?" Assuras asked another woman.

"No," she answered without hesitation. "They still get in here."

The checkpoints in this area were initially set up last month after a similar spike in violence over nine hours left seven men dead. But the program also sparked a lawsuit.

"For them to take a roadblock and impede my progress, it's unconstitutional," said William Robinson. "That means that I'm living under martial law in a police state."

Robinson, who's lived here for more than 50 years, is part of a class-action suit demanding an end to the roadblock program. He also says it just doesn't work.

But police claim the checkpoints have been a huge success. During the last run -- no one was killed here.

"Until a judge orders me to stop I'm going to do everything I can to protect the people in Trinidad," said Chief Lanier.

Police plan to keep the checkpoints in place for another four days -- at least.

[keithle1]

It''s black men killing blacks. 90% of the time. White men aren''t killing black people like black men are. Young black men are the problem.

If you can challenge that statement, I''d be interested to read your argument.

[meanbiker]

William Robinson is either a criminal, has family members tat are criminals or is mental and unfit to determine what is good for his self or neighborhood and should be in a mental ward..

I lived in DC and you can have it.. if the gangsters don''t get you the politicians will.. Nuke the place and start over..

[cfin5]

"Whereas by supposing they have given up themselves to the absolute arbitrary power and will of a legislator, they have disarmed themselves, and armed him to make a prey of them when he pleases..." - John Locke

[impeach__w]

OPTION #1 WHY YES OFFICER I DO HAVE BUSINESS HERE WHICH IS TO PROTECT MY RIGHTS TO TRAVEL ANYWHERE I SEE FIT ANYTIME I CHOOSE. IF YOU TRY AND STOP ME I HAVE A CONCEALED WEAPON WHICH i HAVE HAD PRIOR TO ANY NEW LAWS IN D.C. FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO THREATEN MY SAFETY OR LIBERTY, TRAMPLE ON MY RIGHT TO TRAVEL FREELY, SEARCH WITHOUT A WARRANT, STOP MY VEHICLE WITHOUT VIOLATION. OR

OPTION #2 YOU COULD SAY IT''''S CERTAINLY NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS AND DRIVE AWAY. (IF THIS DOESN''''T WORK, SEE OPTION #1.

"Until a judge orders me to stop I''''m going to do everything I can to protect the people in Trinidad," said Chief Lanier.

Police plan to keep the checkpoints in place for another four days -- at least.


The judge that orders you to stop will be presiding over either a Murder trial, either a cop who was shot or shot someone. Or a mulimillion dollar lawsuit.

[libsluv2spit]

if these liberals think that the "poelease" are all facist pigs..then san francisco and boston SHOULD DISBAND ITS police force..and let them regulate themselves...LETS SEE HOW FAR THAT GOES..

[libsluv2spit]

OPTION #1 WHY YES OFFICER I DO HAVE BUSINESS HERE WHICH IS TO PROTECT MY RIGHTS TO TRAVEL ANYWHERE I SEE FIT ANYTIME I CHOOSE. IF YOU TRY AND STOP ME I HAVE A CONCEALED WEAPON WHICH i HAVE HAD PRIOR TO ANY NEW LAWS IN D.C. FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO THREATEN MY SAFETY OR LIBERTY, TRAMPLE ON MY RIGHT TO TRAVEL FREELY, SEARCH WITHOUT A WARRANT, STOP MY VEHICLE WITHOUT VIOLATION. OR

OPTION #2 YOU COULD SAY IT''''S CERTAINLY NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS AND DRIVE AWAY. (IF THIS DOESN''''T WORK, SEE OPTION #1.

Posted by impeach__w at 03:07 PM : Jul 21, 2008
+ report abuse
Now let me be sure I understand about this. The Liberals want to put these road blocks on every street corner to protect us. Oh no wait, it''''s the conservatives that want to put up the road blocks. I''''m confused.

Posted by pollroller1 at 02:34 PM : Jul 21, 2008
report abuse
*******

washington dc is as conservative as san fransciso...

so suck it up..its a police department with liberal policies reacting to a runaway liberal society...

[jijalagi]

Okay, I%u2019ll get serious for a moment. I am one of those unfortunate few who have had to depend on a gun for my survival against both two legged attackers in the city and four legged attackers in the woods. I pray that I never need to do so again but I pray also that I never need to depend on someone else to defend me or mine. I gave my daughter a .45 auto when she graduated from college because I recognize that she must be able to defend herself. Those who must depend on police are often referred to as victims since the cops can%u2019t be everywhere at once. I prefer to wear the title of survivor. I hope and pray that I never need to harm anyone again. I can and I will if forced. My life and the lives of my family are much more important than those of criminals and dictators. I don%u2019t know how the people of DC put up with a dictatorial government and other criminals. I couldn%u2019t do it. I won%u2019t eat out of a garbage can either.

[impeach__w]

"Until a judge orders me to stop I''m going to do everything I can to protect the people in Trinidad," said Chief Lanier.

Police plan to keep the checkpoints in place for another four days -- at least.


The judge that orders you to stop will be presiding over either a Murder trial, either a cop who was shot or shot someone. Or a mulimillion dollar lawsuit.

[impeach__w]

OPTION #1 WHY YES OFFICER I DO HAVE BUSINESS HERE WHICH IS TO PROTECT MY RIGHTS TO TRAVEL ANYWHERE I SEE FIT ANYTIME I CHOOSE. IF YOU TRY AND STOP ME I HAVE A CONCEALED WEAPON WHICH i HAVE HAD PRIOR TO ANY NEW LAWS IN D.C. FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO THREATEN MY SAFETY OR LIBERTY, TRAMPLE ON MY RIGHT TO TRAVEL FREELY, SEARCH WITHOUT A WARRANT, STOP MY VEHICLE WITHOUT VIOLATION. OR

OPTION #2 YOU COULD SAY IT''S CERTAINLY NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS AND DRIVE AWAY. (IF THIS DOESN''T WORK, SEE OPTION #1.

[pollroller1]

Now let me be sure I understand about this. The Liberals want to put these road blocks on every street corner to protect us. Oh no wait, it''s the conservatives that want to put up the road blocks. I''m confused.

[aggiekat2004]

If you''re not doing anything wrong, then you have NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.

What''s the big deal? If I lived in that neighborhood I''d be thankful that the police were there doing their job.

Gangs, guns, drive by shootings...let me do a little racial profiling here, and I bet I can give you the demographics of this neighborhood. Oh wait...racial profiling is not very "PC."

[bhappy2-2]

Better yet, why not deliver ak-47s as prizes from gumball machines?

Moron.

Posted by IRLiberal

EXCELLENT IDEA! I like the way you think, for a liberal!

[jijalagi]

I don%u2019t know where t he %u201C%u2018" came from. I didn%u2019t type it.

[jijalagi]

If the citizens of DC ever get their constitutional rights the families of criminals in DC will be crying just like the families of the two illegal aliens in Pasadena Texas who tried to steal from the neighbor of a man with a shotgun. A 12 ga. can turn a %u201Ccrime in progress%u201D call into a %u2018code 1'' call in a hurry. No need to rush officer. The armed citizen has made sure the thieves won%u2019t get away.

[ccdsswrkr08]

"I just find it humorous that some of these people think it''''''''s a good thing to be questioned by the police every time you travel from the house..."

Wealthy people actually pay private security to proved this service in their communities. They block off roads and install gates. The police are trying to "police" this area. It''''s what they are hired to do. Once this hot spot calms down they will be gone and the family of the first dead kid afterwords will ask why they left.


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Posted by magoo2u1 at 11:26 AM : Jul 21, 2008

cheers!

[bobnjersey]

[controversial checkpoints went up in an effort to "fence out" violent intruders. At the edge of the troubled neighborhood police stopped cars and asked drivers about their business. ]

why waste time w/ checkpoints ... just do a house to house search ... every day ... looking for bad stuff. anybody resists ... classify them as an enemy combatants ... toss them into guantanamo for seven years waiting for a trial ... or is that a tribunal?

we''ll be safe then.

[xxunknown]

Martial law in the USA? Imagine that.

[steeepe]

I bet that if the constitution and Bill of Rights were up for a vote today, they''d be defeated. Especially the Bill of Rights, which it seems that no Republican likes. Maybe the Republicans of Eisenhower''s era liked it, but not the neocons who love intrusive government. The GOP has mutated into a hideous bunch of moralistic zealots who want the government to check everybody for everything all the time, just like Orwell''s 1984.

[magoo2u1]

"I just find it humorous that some of these people think it''''s a good thing to be questioned by the police every time you travel from the house..."

Wealthy people actually pay private security to proved this service in their communities. They block off roads and install gates. The police are trying to "police" this area. It''s what they are hired to do. Once this hot spot calms down they will be gone and the family of the first dead kid afterwords will ask why they left.

[jijalagi]

I had to stop at a police road block on New Years Eve a couple of years ago. It%u2019s a small town and the cop had seen me before and knew I was probably coming from a church party. He never looked at my licence and never asked anything. He just smiled, greeted me and told me to %u201Chave a happy New Year%u201D I knew he was looking for drunks so it didn%u2019t bother me. .... A different cop at a road block had the audacity to ask where I had been. I started naming the states. Where I have been or where I am going is no one%u2019s business but my own. (And my wife%u2019s) I might just be driving around, I have that right. What%u2019s next, can they tell you where to live too? ... %u201CWhy are you driving a red car? Why are you wearing boots today?%u201D ... Same reason I%u2019m driving down the street. Because I want to.