Previous Story
Unnecessary public harassment?
|
Posted on Sep 01 2000
I was one of the fortunate people to have experienced the recently well-advertised sobriety checkpoint at Puerto Rico, Middle Road. The officer took the driving license away and handed over the citation to me. The grave offense: rear seat passenger (a 14-year-old) not wearing a seat belt.
Following are the questions to those who plan and control such operations:
1. Do authorities know that 30 percent of the people in CNMI use pickups and trucks for commuting and transporting school children and they do not have even seats, leave alone belts? A friend confided that 50 percent of the DPS force and their immediate relatives have pickups and use them for transporting people, including unattended children, no seats and belts required?
2. Are these rules to be followed by special group of people only? Is there any relation that would benefit the officer (and indicate higher efficiency) based on the number of the citation he/she is able to produce during such highly publicized activity by DPS? Is there any reward for recording a large number of case?
3. Could the DPS issue an ad in the newspapers what are the minimum acceptable traffic laws in CNMI so that people could be more educated and compliant? This way could be cheaper for the government than conducting special checkpoints which are really just a publicity and does not benefit anyone.
4. Selective application of law is bad and can the lawmakers do something to solve this?
As a parting gift after I was cited, I was a given a piece of paper saying that I have just passed through a CNMI DPS Sobriety Checkpoint and the purpose of this checkpoint was to identify and remove intoxicated drivers from the highway!! The connection between the citation and the checkpoint is really confusing.
Laws are good if they are implemented in good faith and in an impartial way. CNMI has a police force that everyone could be proud of, however, there are exceptions and it is these few who are responsible for putting the organization in a bad light.
Would the someone please tell what action could be initiated to stop such unnecessary public harassment?
Name withheld upon request
