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Old January 12, 2006, 09:01 PM   #64
NarcSgt
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Join Date: July 10, 2005
Posts: 58
Quote:
NarcSgt - we will have to agree to disagree. I'm troubled by a general policy of asking to search if there is not clear probable cause. Our college kids were hassled like quite a lot and I frankly just don't see it as a useful enterprise for police from a public policy viewpoint.

The utility of busting folks for marijuana is not clear either. If it were legal, then the financial gains for crooks and terrorists would be minimal.

Unless, there was some indication that the guy stopped was a BG (as it did turn out) - I'm not ok with just asking people to be searched. True, they can refuse but there is a coersive aspect of authortity that it being misused.
SSCop has said all that can be said. There is much more to all stops that we can not see from just a video. There were many indicators that Blackburn gave off, that would have given many interdiction cops enough reasonable suspicion to ask for consent. Remember if the person gives consent then that is all that is needed, to search without consent Coates would have needed much more. Our department requires us to have at least a reasonable suspicion before asking, and I think Coates had this. I am not from South Carolina but the indicators are the same, for any criminal. If you think college kids are being harassed maybe there should be a pole to find out how many of them use illicit drugs, or drink underage; I think the facts would astound you. As a saying goes, if you need a haircut where do you go? Meaning you look where you have a high probability to find what you are looking for.

Quote:
Unless, there was some indication that the guy stopped was a BG (as it did turn out) - I'm not ok with just asking people to be searched. True, they can refuse but there is a coersive aspect of authortity that it being misused.
You are right, across the country, there are cops that abuse the fact that all they need is consent to go in depth in to the public’s life. Coates did not coerce Blackburn. Just becuase there are a few that abuse the system does not mean that the system has failed.
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