A reader’s experience at a police checkpoint

I have previously written a couple of posts about police checkpoints (click here and here), you know, the ones where they do an illegal detain-and-seize to check if you’ve been drinking and driving.

Craig of the Home Education Foundation has posted a comment on the second of my posts:

I was explaining to my entire family, in the van with me at the time, why such random stops are outrageous breeches of civil liberties and had just announced that if I were ever stopped, I would not co-operate. Thirty seconds later, turning a corner, there was a road-block. The officer asked if I’d been drinking. I said no. He then invaded my personal space with the device he wanted me to talk into. I brushed it away and said I would not talk to the device because, not only did he assume I was a liar but he had also stopped me from going about my lawful business on the further assumption that I was guilty of being drunk in charge of a motor vehicle. He repeated his request that I talk to the device. I again refused. He then said I had a choice: speak to the device or spend the night in jail. I pointed out that he had just further illustrated my point: his threats were heavy-handed and over-the-top. His only response was, “Sir, that’s the law.” His partner, a big burly guy, was now coming over, my daughter was having kittens in the back seat over this altercation, so I caved in and told the device I spoke to it unwillingly and under duress. Not registering any booze, the cop waved me on. Police State, alright.

This is a perfect illustration of the fact that the state is not a servant of the people, rather it is the body which subjugates you by maintaining a monopoly of force over a given territory.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the police are your enemy.

What are your experiences at police checkpoints?

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My earlier post stating why I believe that drink-driving should be legalised produced some interesting reactions.

At least we’re not as bad off as the USA: they now have military police at civilian-police checkpoints, which is part of an increasing domestic military presence and the stealthy widening of the Presidential power to declare martial law.

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