Sam and I want to make sure ALL you readers become aware of the fact that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is spending $7.9 million on a Gestapo-type violation of our civil rights.
Several news organizations and bloggers have reported that drivers recently were asked for samples of their breath, saliva and blood at a police roadblocks in Texas and other states.
Scott Gordon, reported for NBCDFW.com in an article titled Texas drivers get asked for saliva, blood at police roadblock, “Some drivers along a busy Fort Worth street on Friday were stopped at a police roadblock and directed into a parking lot, where they were asked by federal contractors for samples of their breath, saliva and even blood. It was part of a government research study aimed at determining the number of drunken or drug-impaired drivers.”
The NHTSA insisted participation was "100 percent voluntary" and anonymous. But Gordon reported one woman said it didn't feel voluntary to her -- despite signs saying it was. "They were asking for cheek swabs," the woman said. "They said they would give $10 for that. Also, if you let them take your blood, they would pay you $50 for that." At the very least, she said, they wanted to test her breath for alcohol. She said she felt trapped. "I finally did the Breathalyzer test just because I thought that would be the easiest way to leave," she said, adding she received no money.”
An NHTSA agency spokeswoman has confirmed the government is conducting the surveys in 30 cities across the country in an effort to reduce impaired-driving accidents. The survey in Fort Worth was done by a government contractor, the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, which is based in Calverton, Md.
But according to Gordon’s NBCFW.com article, a constitutional attorney Frank Colosi said, "You can't just be pulled over randomly or for no reason.”
The ACLU and other civil rights agencies reportedly are considering suing the federal government to try to shut down or limit the collection program. According to Daily Tech, blogger Jason Mick, Susan Watson, executive director of the Alabama chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union called the detention and sampling of drivers an "abuse of power,” remarking, "How voluntary is it when you have a police officer in uniform flagging you down? Are you going to stop? Yes, you're going to stop.”
In Daily Tech Jason Mick further quoted Alabama Governor Robert Bentley as saying he was shocked and outraged that a similar program had been carried out in St. Clair and Bibb counties in his state.
“I am instructing my Secretary of Law Enforcement, Spencer Collier, to investigate this issue,” Gov. Bentley said. “Like many people, I have questions about how and why these surveys were carried out along Alabama's roads. We need to find out from the federal government exactly what is being done with the information that was collected. We'll do everything we can to get to the bottom of the issue and make sure that the rights of our citizens are protected.”
Reports about this Gestapo police tactic also have appeared in the Dallas Observer blogs, AOL Autos.com and other internet sites.
Fort Worth Star Telegram blogger Bud Kennedy reported on Facebook that “Fort Worth Police Chief Jeff Halstead has apologized for allowing police to work the survey off duty. (He also went out of his way to publish the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration phone number and email for complaints).”
Here they are:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Phone: 1-888-327-4236
Website: nhtsa.gov
Facebook: NHTSA
Three bags of poop times - two or three - on stopping motorists to obtain blood, breath, saliva or urine samples - voluntary or not. If you want to read more about this issue go to: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/11/19/5352309/fort-worth-police-stopped-motorists.html#storylink=cpy
Several news organizations and bloggers have reported that drivers recently were asked for samples of their breath, saliva and blood at a police roadblocks in Texas and other states.
Scott Gordon, reported for NBCDFW.com in an article titled Texas drivers get asked for saliva, blood at police roadblock, “Some drivers along a busy Fort Worth street on Friday were stopped at a police roadblock and directed into a parking lot, where they were asked by federal contractors for samples of their breath, saliva and even blood. It was part of a government research study aimed at determining the number of drunken or drug-impaired drivers.”
The NHTSA insisted participation was "100 percent voluntary" and anonymous. But Gordon reported one woman said it didn't feel voluntary to her -- despite signs saying it was. "They were asking for cheek swabs," the woman said. "They said they would give $10 for that. Also, if you let them take your blood, they would pay you $50 for that." At the very least, she said, they wanted to test her breath for alcohol. She said she felt trapped. "I finally did the Breathalyzer test just because I thought that would be the easiest way to leave," she said, adding she received no money.”
An NHTSA agency spokeswoman has confirmed the government is conducting the surveys in 30 cities across the country in an effort to reduce impaired-driving accidents. The survey in Fort Worth was done by a government contractor, the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, which is based in Calverton, Md.
But according to Gordon’s NBCFW.com article, a constitutional attorney Frank Colosi said, "You can't just be pulled over randomly or for no reason.”
The ACLU and other civil rights agencies reportedly are considering suing the federal government to try to shut down or limit the collection program. According to Daily Tech, blogger Jason Mick, Susan Watson, executive director of the Alabama chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union called the detention and sampling of drivers an "abuse of power,” remarking, "How voluntary is it when you have a police officer in uniform flagging you down? Are you going to stop? Yes, you're going to stop.”
In Daily Tech Jason Mick further quoted Alabama Governor Robert Bentley as saying he was shocked and outraged that a similar program had been carried out in St. Clair and Bibb counties in his state.
“I am instructing my Secretary of Law Enforcement, Spencer Collier, to investigate this issue,” Gov. Bentley said. “Like many people, I have questions about how and why these surveys were carried out along Alabama's roads. We need to find out from the federal government exactly what is being done with the information that was collected. We'll do everything we can to get to the bottom of the issue and make sure that the rights of our citizens are protected.”
Reports about this Gestapo police tactic also have appeared in the Dallas Observer blogs, AOL Autos.com and other internet sites.
Fort Worth Star Telegram blogger Bud Kennedy reported on Facebook that “Fort Worth Police Chief Jeff Halstead has apologized for allowing police to work the survey off duty. (He also went out of his way to publish the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration phone number and email for complaints).”
Here they are:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Phone: 1-888-327-4236
Website: nhtsa.gov
Facebook: NHTSA
Three bags of poop times - two or three - on stopping motorists to obtain blood, breath, saliva or urine samples - voluntary or not. If you want to read more about this issue go to: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/11/19/5352309/fort-worth-police-stopped-motorists.html#storylink=cpy
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