Posted on 06/10/2013 3:32:45 PM PDT by Bodleian_Girl
PELL CITY, Alabama -- St. Clair and Bibb county authorities are confirming there were roadblocks at several locations in their counties Friday and Saturday asking for blood and DNA samples. However, the samples were voluntary and motorists were paid for them as part of a study, they said.
According to Lt. Freddie Turrentine of the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department, it isn't the first time such roadblocks have occurred in the area.
"They were here in 2007," said Turrentine, the supervisor in charge of the roadblocks, which took place in several locations in St. Clair County Friday night, early Saturday morning and Saturday night and early Sunday morning. "It's just with social media and Facebook now, word of it has just exploded."
Turrentine said the roadblocks were part of a study conducted by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, working with the National Highway Safety Administration. St. Clair County was asked to participate by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs because it had worked with the group six years ago.
Sheriff Keith Hannah in Bibb County said they too had previously participated in the study.
Here's how the road blocks worked, Turrentine said:
Off-duty St. Clair County deputies stopped cars at random at road block areas. The road blocks were marked with signs stating it was a paid survey. Cars stopped were asked for voluntary cooperation. Drivers were offered $10 for a mouth swab, and $50 for a blood test. If they refused, they were free to drive away.
[ POLL: Would you voluntarily submit DNA, blood sample for government study at roadblock? ]
Road blocks took place Friday at the New London Fire Department, Alabama 34 in Pell City near the old Dan's Car Wash, U.S. 231 at Alabama 144, at White's Chapel Parkway and Moody Crossroads in Moody. In Bibb County, the road blocks took place in five areas in the county on Friday night through early Sunday morning.
If drivers participated, they were directed to an area where someone from the group carrying out the study took the samples, he said.
"It was completely voluntary," Turrentine said, saying reports that people were detained if they did not cooperate were untrue. "If they didn't want to take part, they could drive off."
The samples were anonymous, he said.
Poll: Would you voluntarily submit DNA, blood sample for government study at roadblock?
"They were taking the samples in other parts of the country," he said. "They want to find out of all the people surveyed, how many people were driving with alcohol in their system, or prescription drugs, things like that."
This will be the only time this year the survey takes place in St. Clair County, he said.
Turrentine, who was at one of the roadblocks, said the group carrying out the study would ask for a certain number of volunteers. Deputies would stop drivers until that number of drivers needed agreed to the survey. Then they let cars pass while the samples were taken.
"We would have a lot who didn't want to take part, especially at night," he said. "But then we'd have a few that when we'd tell they could make $60 bucks, they said, 'What do I need to do?'"
If you were stopped in one of the roadblocks, or took part, and would like to talk, email eastalabama@al.com.
What good does it do to study people that voluntarily agree to have their blood tested for substances?
If these deputies were all volunteers on their own time,
why were they wearing their uniforms? It was done under
color of law.
This whole thing stinks.
bookmark
This is called a ‘trial baloon’....helps them prepare logistically for the real thing.
This is all conditioning for the day when it won’t be voluntary or paid. And, of coarse the parrots will chime in: “Why should I care? I have nothing to hide”.
This all ends badly for local law enforcement as with growing contempt they will suffer the brint. They will be hobbled, disarmed and replaced by State/Federal law enforcement. (Think Mexico.) They don’t see it or thier just hanging in for the pension.
>> “We would have a lot who didn’t want to take part... “But then we’d have a few that when we’d tell they could make $60 bucks, they said, ‘What do I need to do?’”
So... their data becomes skewed towards a particular portion of the sample set — those who need the money (or value a relatively small amount of money more highly than their dignity, freedom and privacy).
Y’all can draw your own conclusion as to who falls into that skewed population. Poor? Minorities? Unemployed? Elderly? Your call.
But the data WILL BE contaminated, and any conclusions drawn from it will be highly suspect. Therefore, in addition to this stunt being an abuse of authority — it’s poor, poor science.
Taxpayers take it in the shorts yet again.
I’m kinda surprised they did it in Alabama. I would’ve thought California, Massachusetts, New York, Illinois, ...
In addition.
They can collect the data on those that chose NOT to volunteer.
One squad car with a plate reader would do the trick.
>> One squad car with a plate reader would do the trick.
You don’t even need a plate reader, if you’re fortunate enough to have an officer on the force who can read and write. :-) Give him a clipboard and a pen.
That’s funny, but the reader makes the info digital and then can be easily tracked, compared and stored for later use.
>> the reader makes the info digital
I know. I was just being a smart aleck. It’s a birth defect I have suffered with for years.
Those of us who live in border states have had to deal with roadblocks forever. Sometimes it is impossible to reach your destination on time — between the dogs, the inspections, the grilling, the flashlight in your face (and that’s all just in the primary line).
All those supporters of roadblocks in the USSA will welcome whatever the new Siberia will be called.
So get the ACLU to file a lawsuit!
“When a yellow or orange vested highway worker blocks traffic, is it voluntary? Does an off duty policeman have more authority than a highway flagman?”
Highway flagmen have an obvious and transparent reason to block traffic. This is far from transparent. Since when do we in the US use roadblocks to conduct surveys? And since when do surveys involve gving a blood or saliva sample? I don’t care if they will allow you decline - this time. Nobody should be stopped at all for this sort of thing. They are trying this in AL because they would never get away with it in San Francisco or New York. It is very disturbing that this is going on, especially in light of the IRS and NSA scandals.
I have and nothing happened. What was the reason for the roadblock where your friends kid was arrested?
“Why are you working so hard to defend roadblocks?”
I have been noticing lately that a lot of lurkers are coming out of the woodwork and offering opinions that are, shall we say, not “liberty friendly”. It’s almost like we a 5th column here.
I encountered them years ago when college students were doing tourism surveys.....again you could choose to volunteer information or decline. No penalty was involved. There may have been some little token of appreciation if you answered questions or filled out and mailed a questionaire.
And how, pray tell, is a DNA sample going to tell if the driver is impaired? I call BS!
“They’re looking for someone.”
I’ll wager they are looking for YOU. Perhaps the PRISM DNA module is up and ready to be populated with data. They have to get it somehow.
Every single thread, same thing. The progressives on the march, excusing any and all Bolshevik activity.
No, it was obvious. No one was forced to comply, were they?
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