Illegal Police Stops/Searches in the USVI

[bigjohn2441]

now i know the US virgin islands are a US territory which is covered by the US constitution. so what do i see driving home from work yesterday around 6:30 pm? i drive up to a T shaped intersection. im on the top part of the "T" going left. on the perpendicular side there are about 10-12 police cars stopping traffic and asking to see peoples license,reg, and insurance. at the intersection part, there are cars pulled over and being searched further. they werent stopping traffic on the top part of the "T" so i just drove on. this WASNT a DUI checkpoint. a few weeks ago i heard rumors that the local police were going to start doing these "checkpoints" to "get guns and drugs off the street". i didnt believe it at the time, but now i do. is it just me or do these "checkpoints" seem a little bit, i dont know, ILLEGAL!

has anyone seen anything like this happening in the states?

i know they have border patrol checkpoints near the southern border that people like to bitch about. but those are different. they HAVE the authority to conduct those. anything within like 40 miles of the border is fair game.

i wonder what would happen if they stopped me at one of these. me being in full uniform, they'd most likely let me go. but if they didnt, i'd have to give them a good lesson on the constitution

 

[Bonoa]

That's crazy! I can understand that they're doing this searches when a serial killer is on the loose, but then they would have a legal excuse. It's scary that governments are doing these kind of things and try to interfere in people's private business and use the excuse that they are 'fighting crime and terrorism'.

In Europe there was a plan to track down everyone's internet data in order to 'fight terrorism'. Of course everyone protested against that, but I know governments are doing it!

Being a federal officer, isn't there a way to get more information on these car searches from your supervisors or collegues?

 

[anitram]

It's impossible to tell whether this is illegal or unconstitutional based on the "facts" and conjecture that you've provided.

 

[BVS]

I've been in part of three stops, one near the border, one was a random DWI checkpoint, and one was a fugitive was loose...

So honestly given your facts, there's nothing to go by...

 

[bigjohn2441]

Being a federal officer, isn't there a way to get more information on these car searches from your supervisors or collegues?

based on what my co-workers that are from the island say, apparently it is legal as long as the police have it set up like an "operation", which sounds like bullshit to me.

 

[Bonoa]

Keep an eye on the news, John. If it's a checkpoint set up to search for a fugitive, you'll hear more about it.
If that's the case, the police is always secretive about it at first.

 

[bigjohn2441]

ok let me clarify:

there were about 10-12 police cars total. they had traffic coming up the hill to the intersection stopped. there was a line of cars about 8 long. they had the first one stopped and were from what i could see looking at their license & papers. they let that one go and the next one came up to be stopped. there were a bunch of cars on the side of the road past the intersection stopped and a few of the police cars were there as well and those cars were being searched and questioned further. from what i've heard its an operation they do where they just stop traffic and check everyone's license and make sure they are insured. also, they look for guns and drugs. no fugitives or anything, just stopping everyday travelers.

from what i understand about habeas corpus and the 4th amendmet, the police need some reason to stop you and start asking for stuff, not just stop every car and get in their business, just because it's an "operation".

 

[Bonoa]

based on what my co-workers that are from the island say, apparently it is legal as long as the police have it set up like an "operation", which sounds like bullshit to me.

I must admit, islands are always easy for illegal drugs and weapon trafficking.

 

[bigjohn2441]

I must admit, islands are always easy for illegal drugs and weapon trafficking.

that's what my job is for, not the local PD.

most of them are crooks anyway.

and if there was a fugitive on the loose, believe me, id know about it

 

[martha]

from what i understand about habeas corpus and the 4th amendmet, the police need some reason to stop you and start asking for stuff, not just stop every car and get in their business, just because it's an "operation".

The Constitution only applies to certain people. And here's a secret: if you're not in the majority, or rich, it doesn't apply to you.




Of course, there are certain organizations trying to make sure that the Constitution applies to everyone, but they tend to be all librul and shit.

 

[financeguy]

Of course, there are certain organizations trying to make sure that the Constitution applies to everyone, but they tend to be all librul and shit.

By and large, they are libertarian, which is a very different thing from liberal. Most liberals are rather fond of government interventions, when it suits their particular agenda.

 

[bigjohn2441]

i saw another one last night. same thing, different location. except this time it looked like they had everyone out of their cars and questioning them. i would've been stopped except all the officers were occupied

 

[deep]

this will all stop once you turn yourself in.

 

[martha]

 

[bigjohn2441]

oh, alright

 

[martha]

Things only change if people are willing to change them. Find out what's going on. If you don't think it's legal or fair, make a fuss and start the change.