Straight out of Baghdad, the Washington D.C. police have set up checkpoints into a particular neighborhood saying the seven people murdered in one day there constitutes an emergancy. It's a tragedy, to be certain, but I find the argument specious, and I'm disgusted that the police are just setting up roadblocks to stop people from traveling though the area.
The police chief on CNN said that unless you live there, are visiting someone, or attending a community event you will not be allowed into the neighborhood. Because of those exemptions the police will argue that they're not blocking someone's right to assemble, but truly, if a thousand protesters from the NRA showed up there tomorrow, would they let them in and allow them to hold a rally on the corner? Probably not. Alright, I know that's not a great example. How about this instead? We all have a protection from unreasonable search and seizure. Doesn't this violate that? Driving through the neighborhood doesn't constitute just cause for stopping my vehicle, but now I'm required to stop and allow the police to at least look into the cabin without any protection. What if a petty thief is stopped and arrested because of something he's got in his backseat? Like the head of the statue at the Lincoln Memorial? Would that arrest be legal? Probably not, which wastes our time and money.
Also, let's consider that this does nothing but deflect the crime into other neighborhoods. Instead of the Trinidad neighborhood the crime will move elsewhere, and more people will get hurt, all the while police forces are diverted into useless and probably unconstitutional searches of mostly innocent people.
Perhaps the police should offer better incentive for people to cooperate with them. Perhaps we should stop locking up people for minor drug offenses, and stop prosecuting people for selling drugs, end the war on drugs altogether. Probably a good portion of these people were casualties in that war.
I don't like it when people die, especially under these circumstances. I hate even more when the police start stripping those left behind of their dignity and rights in the name of "Doing Something". "Doing Something" should mean being effectual, and honest, and actually making a positive change. Not this crap.
You can watch the CNN story here.
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