The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office has released statistics from Operation Thunder’s traffic enforcement Saturday and road checks Sunday.
Related StoriesOperation Thunder is an operation aimed at cutting down on driving offenses. The three-month operation began in Feb. 14.
Officers conducted traffic enforcement at several locations Saturday but did not have road checks. Road checks were conducted Sunday at Boykin, Kissingbower and Skinner Mill roads.
Seat-belt cases: 16
Child restraint: 1
DUI: 4
Reckless driving: 1
Uninsured motorists: 2
Suspended/revoked license: 4
Other violations: 14
Speeding: 29
All warnings: 52
Total uniform traffic citations: 83
Total uniform traffic citations/arnings: 100
Total arrests: 2
Seat-belt cases: 12
Child restraint: 48
DUI: 16
Reckless driving: 2
Uninsured motorists: 6
No driver’s license: 2
Suspended/revoked license: 5
Equipment violations: 8
Open container: 10
Fleeing/eluding officer: 9
Other violations: 37
Warnings: 176
Vehicle pursuits: 3
Warrants served: 2
Misdemeanor drug cases: 9
Felony drug cases: 2
Texting while driving: 2
Total arrests: 22
I am all for periodic increased Traffic violation monitoring.
What I will have a problem with would be, if and when such operations become a daily practice, and they set up traffic/travel checkpoints.
But, so far Operation Thunder is having a good impact on the traffic and is slowing down even the crotch rockets that have a history of 90+ on area highways. Heck I am now even "considering" using my seat belt.
If you have never had the dis-pleasure of a Travel Checkpoint, they are common in less free cultures and more restrictive travel countries.
I think periodic random checks are a good thing. Accountability makes us all behave little more carefully.
and like Soviet Russia.. Papers please.. 4th Amendment rights? You have none of those today.
I seem to remember a ruling from SCOTUS that said that while police roadblocks are permissible, the law enforcement agency conducting the road block has to let citizens know through the media where these checkpoints will be set up, so that they can choose to avoid them.
I have not seen any such notices posted via Operation Thunder, only a notice after the operation has been completed.
In the state where I resided before coming to the CSRA, the newspaper would post the locations in print and online of upcoming roadblock operations whenever they occurred.
I'm wondering if any of these Operation Thunder road checkpoints are legal, according to the conditions of the SCOTUS ruling. It would be interesting to see a legal challenge to this.
Heh heh. The way I see it, if you're not doing anything wrong, you've got nothing to worry about. Sure, checkpoints are a pain, but if it helps to prevent accidents from things like DUI, texting, etc. then it's a good thing.
NHTSA standards for roadway sobriety checkpoints:
Decision making must be at a supervisory level, rather than by officers in the field.
A neutral formula must be used to select vehicles to be stopped, such as every vehicle or every third vehicle, rather than leaving it up the officer in the field.
Primary consideration must be given to public and officer safety.
The site should be selected by policy-making officials, based upon areas having a high incidence of drunk driving.
Limitations on when the checkpoint is to be conducted and for how long, bearing in mind both effectiveness and intrusiveness.
Warning lights and signs should be clearly visible.
Length of detention of motorists should be minimized.
Advance publicity is necessary to reduce the intrusiveness of the checkpoint and increase its deterrent effect.
how many of those stats involved other poice officers? :)
where I live in ohio sometimes, they do have to post the upcoming checkpoints, but this is augusta and even the deputies who are handing out tickets for not using seat belts don't know that it means them too. what else don't they know?
In my daily commute I travel portions of Bobby Jones and I-20 most days. I have not seen ONE patrol car since Operation Thunder began. Are they not operating during commute times? I am tired of being run over trying to remain at the speed limit while people are going 5 to 15 miles per hour OVER the speed limit and making improper lane changes. And NO, I am not in the left lane. I am in the right lane except while passing a slower vehicle.
I see we have many who approve of breaking the law and getting away with it. Yep, modern day attitude!
3 months, back to normal.
I would like to know what is in "Other Violations?"
Seatbelt violations? If you are going down the road and see a roadblock, why don't you just buckle up? and your kid? but if you are too dumb to bother to begin with...I guess not.
Driving while black
Driving while Hispanic
Driving while poor
Driving while believing there's a Constitution
Failure to produce papers with appropriately enthusiastic "Heil!"
Failure to "sign zee papers old man" with broken hand
Yeah, this is where the libertarian in me surfaces. I am totally in favor of increased law enforcement as Operation Thunder represents except the checkpoints. The above comments covered it well. Having checkpoints is a banana republic method or worse as others brought up with references to evil totalitarian states.
I recall the Supreme Court upheld the validity of the checkpoints because drunk driving was deemed a national emergency and extraordinary temporary procedures could be employed they ruled.
Something is not right with that reasoning and it tells me any constitutional right can be taken away as long as you can justify the necessity. Gun owners’ rights next? Searches of entire neighborhoods at midnight?
It all has a feeling of the Obama’s administration saying drone strikes on Americans in this country would be legal. Thanks to Rand Paul that didn’t last long. We need another Rand Paul to take on this tremendous invasion of our privacy until everyone comes to their senses.
police state, plain and simple. It's gone too far...it's unAmerican.
And, dstewartsr, hit the nail on the head at 5:19.
Would you give strangers with guns permission to open your car door, sit down inside, and start looking through your personal belongings? No?
the idea of jackbooted thugs stopping me and asking for my papers. Sorry, I am sure it takes many bad people off the road, but stay outta my way. I just reeks of the front door being kicked in and people being rounded up for no reason.
Do yourself a favor and read The Gulag Archipelago, a book by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.
Don't kid yourself into thinking it could never happen here.
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized". Which party controls Georgia's Governor, Lt. Governor, House, and Senate?
there are that many DUIs every weekend and that is only on the roads where the roadblocks are set up.
The Savannah Morning News publishes checkpoints in their paper every day. Apparently, this does not apply to the RCHO. AutumnLeaves, I agree with you concerning 520. Just yesterday I observed two Honda's drag racing once they were out of the construction area. Then to top it off, to see a police officer flying down Wrightsboro Rd with no siren on, bobbing and weaving thru traffic. Ridiculous!
The Columbia County News Times use to give the locations of checkpoints in Columbia County. Maybe they still do?
Governor, Lt. Governor, House, and Senate?"
.
If there's a point somewhere in that question, it's not all that obvious..
Especially for those among us who remember Tom Murphy, Lester Maddox and the jack booted thugs who once trampled over our lives.
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