Epic Speed Trap

[gcode]

Brookside Alabama

I'm not a fan for the Feds getting involved in local government but I'll make an exception in this case.

Brookside, Alabama, has a population of less than 1,500 people. For most of the past decade it saw little crime—only 55 major crimes in eight years, none homicide or rape.

But in the past couple of years, the tiny town has generated an outsized police force, and today the Birmingham News reports why. The mayor and police force there are looking to fine anybody they can to bring in revenue.

Birmingham News columnist John Archibald reports, "In a two-year period between 2018 and 2020 Brookside revenues from fines and forfeitures soared more than 640 percent and now make up half the city's total income." According to the records Archibald reviewed, Brookside as of 2020 was arresting more people for misdemeanors than it has residents. The police there fine so many people that they have to direct traffic around town hall for the monthly municipal court because there are so many people there trying to contest the charges against them.

[neurosis]

          

[neurosis]

I like how one of the drug sniffing dogs are named 'K9 Cash'.  I'm sure that's just a coincidence.  

[Tim Johnson]

I like how one of the drug sniffing dogs are named 'K9 Cash'.  I'm sure that's just a coincidence.  

If a drug sniffing dog is used to find random people with drugs, is that an illegal search?

[Jim at Gentex]

If a drug sniffing dog is used to find random people with drugs, is that an illegal search?

In a word, yes.
Actually two words...
Probable.
Cause.

In a small redneck hick town, maybe not.
But everywhere else in the good ol' U S of A, the cops need probable cause to allow their dogs to sniff anyone.

[gcode]

in a town like that, homeless vagrants might be pretty safe
there's no profit in rousting broke people

[crazy^millman]

Having grown up in the south we knew the towns to go around when making trips in certain parts of Florida and Georgia. Doesn't surprise me to hear this happening there.

[HTM01]

If a drug sniffing dog is used to find random people with drugs, is that an illegal search?

with weed legal in CT now there was a news story about having to retire drug sniffing dogs

[Tim Johnson]

In a word, yes.
Actually two words...
Probable.
Cause.

In a small redneck hick town, maybe not.
But everywhere else in the good ol' U S of A, the cops need probable cause to allow their dogs to sniff anyone.

How can you have "probable clause" when you don't know what person is going to get flagged by the dog?

[Incogneeto]

Fun Fact...Most people 95% just pay.

I lived in Kilgore Texas. Pulled into my local Convenience store. Bought my Slurpee Cop was Behind me in line.
walked out to my Car and He followed me. Said I was parked in the Handicapped zone??

Wrote me up.$200+

Soo I passed that place at least twice a day with Camera in hand. Yes Camera before phones.

Went to Court...Judge calls my Name... Mr.Incog We frown on Handicap Violations !!

I said "Yes Sir if I may"

I was parked in Front of a Big Blue Phone Bank.(Yes they had Phones on the wall Back Then)

The Paint on the Handicap area had expired years ago.

I had a Pic of The Chief of Police, A Pic of The Campus Police, and a Pic of the Officer who wrote me a ticket.

In The Same Spot.

The Judge Smiled.

And asked me if he could keep the Pic of The Chief parked there.?

I paid $14 to get those Pics developed.

$14 < $200

Yes Sir.