Roadblocks no matter what
Since I started blogging, I've come across many things I might never have known about - at least not until later. One of the best blogs is Grits for Breakfast, written by Scott Henson. He recently posted on an effort by the Texas Attorney General to re-instate TDPS roadblocks. In 1994 the Courts held roadblocks were illegal, unless they were conducted pursuant to statewide standards. The court was obviously concerned over the intrusive nature of roadblocks, and wanted to make sure they were conducted only when necessary, and not merely as another tool of law enforcement (i.e. to catch DWI offenders). Since then, there have been no statewide standards, although there are plans to pass legislation in the upcoming session to authorize roadblocks.
In an effort to shortcut the legislative process, the attorney general is proposing to implement guidelines through the Texas Department of Public Safety. The plan is to establish guidelines that would authorize roadblocks by not just TDPS, but also by local police departments. The proposal is currently open for comments, and hopefully they will get a lot.
We have all set through traffic accidents, and know how frustrating that is. We know its unavoidable though, and live with it. How would you like to have to deal that on Friday and Saturday nights, when you are trying to get somewhere. Roadblocks have their place, but they should only be used in those rare occasions when its absolutely necessary. Let's hope common sense prevails, even though we are dealing with politicians.
