Is there any such thing as a random police checkpoint on roads?

James Dean

In Ontario Canada, the provincial police as well as city police often set up checkpoints during holidays where drinking and driving will be more common.

The OPP (Ontario provincial Police) have decided to stop doing these checks, because the public thinks they are only checking for drunk drivers at holidays. They do look hard every day.

Mistress

Yes, they do it all the time, especially around holidays, ESPECIALLY holidays known for drinking.

jezbnme

it happens here in cali. all the time around the holidays and other big events. superbowl etc. i feel its entrapment but it does keep some people off the street that really shoukd not be there.

buckeyefever7

In America yes, I have seen it before

lonewolf1

Yes, many departments do this, and espically on weekends and holidays, and these road blocks are well enforced and pretty well hidden in curves and dips in the road, and they also have units ready to chase down people who turn around and try and avoid these road blocks.

Cowboy Take Me Away

Absolutely, they are called road blocks. They normally do it no big drinking nights like New Years Eve, Black Wednesday or the 4th of July. I know this because my boyfriend is a Chicago police officer.

Huh?

yep, they set up random checkpoints in the US all the time.....they do it for insurance checks more than most other things though

its not an issue because they are stopping everyone that goes through that particular route and not just random people....however, actually searching the car is an issue....i think they can only ask to see your DL or proof of insurance or registration or something like that, but they cant search your car

*****

Yes, this is common in high crime areas in U.S. cities.

fr_chuck

Yes it is done all the time, every day but esp around holiday times

dlgfdg

Yes, it is legal for the Police to set up road checks to see that you have the proper driving papers and to check for drinking and driving. Absolutly Legal.Plus, they can, if the suspect you have drugs, they can have their dog sniff your car.

Niffer

I have seen it happen around new years eve...they stop every 3 or 4 cars and check to make sure you are sober and have your license, your seat belt on etc...

spun_down

sure
have nothing in plain sight
deny permission to search your vehicle
other than answering basic questions
u have the right to answer nothing else

tlbs101

Yes, it happens all the time in my state. They setup roadblocks in "hot" areas of cities and stop everyone (or every 5th car, every 10th car), so it is random (and therefore constitutional), to check for drunk/impaired drivers.

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Bombadil

Checkpoints may be established for certain purposes, but there MUST be an explicit purpose. NO, you cannot set up a checkpoint just to see what you find. BUT you can set one up to, for instance, check driver's licenses, or to apprehend impaired drivers. Drug checkpoints are not allowed by Supreme Court decision

Charles Dexter Ward

In the US, your car cannot be searched without Reasonable Cause. An officer can certainly ask for your license and insurance at any time b/c those 2 things are illegal to be without while driving. If in the course of a routine check, if an officer has reasonable cause (this is subjective and where the whole area becomes gray) such as the smell of beer or marijuana then they can search your car.

Steven H

They will set up checkpoints, but they must advertise when and where they are doing it. (Usually in the local paper)

Irish

Yes, it's done all the time here in Chicago both by the Chicago Police and the Illinois State Police. They set up checkpoints for seatbelt violations and various things. You have to remember that driving is not a right in Americal as so many believe. It's a privlidge.

cfl

of course. especially after 9/11 who knows what you can have in the car.

mobildik

YES and its legal. In our city and surrounding areas the police post notices in the daily paper stating where and when they will be conducting the random stops.
If a person is dumb enough to drink, drive or smoke pot and drive in the areas they should get busted.

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