FW: Re: [Peace-discuss] Fwd:[City of Champaign News]Roadside Safety

Sun Mar 23 16:47:13 CDT 2008

Nah.
   --Jenifer

Laurie <Laurie at advancenet.net> wrote:
        v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}  o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}  w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}  .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}                Apart from any other reasons, I would suspect that the choice of location has something to do with (a) the proximity to the University and Campustown, which that corner serves as a gateway to and from and (b) with the fact both University Ave. and Wright Street at that corner are state highways and the grant is from IDOT, a state agency.

  All of the following are considered safety or traffic violations for which checkpoints are regulary established and have been for years across the country:
  > Seat Belt / Child restraint - 6
> Suspended/Revoked Drivers License - 3
> Uninsured Motorists - 16
> Other IVC Violations - 3
> No Drivers License - 8
> Failure to Carry DL on Person - 4
> DUI -1
> Illegal Transportation of Alcohol – 1

  But the police can ticket and/or arrest for any violations of any laws that they may find when making a stop at a checkpoint as long as they are not based on a warrantless search of publically non-viewable areas or cannot show cause for carrying out such a search without warrant or permission.

  As for the demographics of who passed through the checkpoint and, of those who were found to be in violation of some code or ordinance, how many were actually ticketed and/or arrested, as well as their ethnicity, age, and residency would be interesting.  If such data is kept, you might be able to obtain it from the City of Champaign’s Human Relations Department.

    From: peace-discuss-bounces at lists.chambana.net [mailto:peace-discuss-bounces at lists.chambana.net] On Behalf Of Jenifer Cartwright
Sent: Saturday, March 22, 2008 3:38 PM
To: Peace-discuss List
Subject: Fwd: Re: [Peace-discuss] Fwd:[City of Champaign News]Roadside Safety

      Interesting choice of location for a "safety check" as well -- I don't see that there's a safety issue w/ any of those besides the seatbelts and DUI, so what were the police really after?? I'd like to see the demographics of those 500 folks -- I'm betting it's another heavy hit against our black and less advantaged citizens.

     --Jenifer 

    "Morton K. Brussel" <brussel at uiuc.edu> wrote:

    A police state action, search without cause. Outrageous. Somehow, we 
should respond. A letter to the N-G would be first step. Champaign 
residents complain at a Champaign City Council, meeting. --mkb

On Mar 21, 2008, at 3:10 PM, Karen Medina wrote:

> Dear Peace-discuss,
>
> [The following email talks about a Champaign Police traffic 
> checkpoint that was setup on St. Patrick's Day, 2008 on the corner 
> of University Avenue and Wright Street.
>
> 500 vehicles were stopped during the 4 hours. I find the stopping 
> of vehicles without cause really creepy and the grant that paid for 
> the checkpoint an incredible waste of taxpayers' money. -karen medina]
>
> ~~ begin the official report ~~
>
> From: General News 
>
> Greetings from the City of Champaign's email subscription service.
>
> In September of 2007, the Champaign Police Department (CPD) 
> received a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation 
> (IDOT) to conduct a roadside safety checkpoint over the St. 
> Patrick's Day holiday. The grant funds allowed the police 
> department to pay overtime funds to staff the roadside safety 
> checkpoint, in an effort to keep impaired drivers off of the 
> roadways.On Saturday, March 15, 2008, a roadside safety checkpoint 
> was conducted on University Avenue at Wright Street in Champaign, 
> Illinois. Champaign Police Officers in collaboration with six (6) 
> University of Illinois police officers and an IDOT work crew 
> conducted the roadside safety checkpoint from 10 PM to 2 AM.
>
> During the roadside safety check over 500 vehicles traveled 
> through the checkpoint. A list of the cited violations and the 
> types of arrests are as follows:
>
> Seat Belt / Child restraint - 6
> Suspended/Revoked Drivers License - 3
> Uninsured Motorists - 16
> Other IVC Violations - 3
> No Drivers License - 8
> Failure to Carry DL on Person - 4
> DUI -1
> Illegal Transportation of Alcohol - 1
>
> In addition to these violations, officers also arrested two (2) 
> people for outstanding warrants, and arrested another person for 
> Obstructing Justice.
>
> Should a citizen have a "traffic concern" in the City of 
> Champaign, please go to the City of Champaign web page at 
> www.ci.champaign.il.us and click on the link to the Neighborhood 
> Traffic Concerns.
>
>
> You may view the latest post at
> http://www.ci.champaign.il.us/departments/2008/03/19/roadside-safety/
>
> All current online City news items can be read at the following web 
> address:
> http://www.ci.champaign.il.us/departments/?cat=1 
> ________________________________
>>
>> lists at ci.champaign.il.us
>>
>> The following physical address is associated with this mailing list:
>>
>> 102 N. Neil St.
>> Champaign, IL 61820
>> http://www.ci.champaign.il.us
>>
>> _______________________________________________
> Also see "The Police Blotter" link at www.dps.uiuc.edu (University 
> of Illinois' Police Department's web site).
> _______________________________________________
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