Drivers of White Vans are being treated as criminals

Vanity | Self

[SamAdams76]

The photos above currently on the Drudge site concern me. I followed the link and the article clearly stated that nobody was arrested last night.

Why then, do we have drivers of white vans, innocent civilians, evidently being pulled out vans at gunpoint and treated like dangerous criminals? One photo shows a man on the ground, evidently in handcuffs, with police officers standing over him as though they have just captured Whitey Bulger. When I first saw the photo, I figured the man was obviously a wanted criminal that police just so happened to come across during their search. But since there were no arrests last night, this man was obviously released and was no criminal after all.

The other photo shows a man by another white van with his hands in the air and a police officer has a gun drawn on him. Again, this was evidently just another innocent civilian who had the misfortune to be driving a white van on I-95 last night.

Now I understand the need for these roadblocks and for the police to be very thorough in their search for the sniper(s). But I cannot see the point of innocent people dragged out of their vehicles at gunpoint with no pretext other than the fact that they happen to be driving a white van.

Now maybe somebody here has an explanation why these two individuals were treated like criminals. Maybe they tried to evade the police or maybe they were driving stolen vans. But again, there were no arrests made last night. So what is the deal with our citizens being treated like Jesse James just for driving a white van?

[NittanyLion]

So what do you want the police to do the next time we have one of these shootings?

Unless a witness is able to get a more detailed description of the sniper/sniper's vehicle (or follow him) there's very little the police can do. Once the sniper is allowed to fall into his preplanned escape, which certainly includes evading roadblocks, he simply will not be caught.

This guy(s?) will get nabbed when a neighbor/friend/relative turns him in or when a citizen on the scene disrupts his plan.

Bottom line: these roadblocks are window-dressing, in the same vein as airport security "improvements".

[Lucas1]

Quote Why then, do we have drivers of white vans, innocent civilians, evidently being pulled out vans at gunpoint and treated like dangerous criminals?

DUH

[Alamo-Girl]

For the discussion, I want to add a piece of advise from a relative who is a San Antonio police officer.

He says that policemen must anticipate that a person they just pulled over might attempt to use lethal force on them. They are especially cautious when working alone. So, if pulled over for any reason at night, the driver ought to turn on the inside lights of his car, put both hands on the steering wheel - and never, ever 'smart mouth' the cop.

[FITZ]

I would not be surprised if the snipers have already encountered roadblocks and passed through them with a smile.

Probably in some colored car. The snipers are probably using white vans in a way that is meant to mislead. This can't be the work of a lone nutcase driving around in a white van and that's how the police seem to be handling it.

[NittanyLion]

I'll just let your words speak for themselves.

Uhhh, okay. (I don't know what that's supposed to mean)

[SamAdams76]

I hope so too. Some on this thread sound almost like liberals.....too much whining. Their paranoia is too preemptive; they seem to forget that we are AT WAR, and extreme times call for extreme measures.

I think you have it backwards. Aren't liberals the ones who want extreme measures in order to gain safety - like repealing the 2nd Amendment?

[luvtheconstitution]

You can't see how safety is enhanced by using a standard felony stop procedure? Really? Then there's no point debating this with you. The obvious has no place in your thought processes.

[HairOfTheDog]

The fact that a "white van" was seen in the vicinity of the shooting is just not good enough a description, especially since there are thousands of white vans out on the road. We are going to have to do better than that.

We dont have anything better than that. We happen to have a bad guy out there that is pretty good at not being seen, and so far, pretty good at avoiding these roadblocks, or at least avoiding drawing attention to himself when he's been through one. It's like finding a needle in a haystack. If I knew there was a needle in a haystack, I would be a little nervouse sitting down on it, no matter how small the odds I am gonna get stuck.

[per loin]

This crime will not be solved without citizen involvement, and yet the citizens are kept in the dark as to what to be aware of.

You are quite likely correct. But the brilliant minds running this keystone cop operation havn't figured that out yet.

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

How do the police know the drivers are innocent? How do they know that the driver isn't the sniper? What would you have them do? You know, I would cooperate with the police totally. If that is a problem for you, so be it.

Could anyone so elusive as the sniper be so dumb as to drive a white van? I myself, would be pulling over women in red.

[Mulder]

So, if pulled over for any reason at night, the driver ought to turn on the inside lights of his car, put both hands on the steering wheel - and never, ever 'smart mouth' the cop.

I would agree with this, simply as a matter of courtesy.

The problem is that there are a lot of cops who would consider refusing consent to a search as "smart mouth".

[Mulder]

Sam, the murderers are likely sitting at home watching these roadblocks and laughing in their turbans. These killers are probably long gone before the roadblocks go up.

[FITZ]

It's like finding a needle in a haystack.

What if it's several or many needles in a haystack? This seems less and less a lone nutcase sniper driving around in a white van. What if it's a terrorist group using several snipers and drivers and vehicles? And who've planned it out well enough that they have garages and places to park the vehicles which may have been seen and get into another waiting car?

[luvtheconstitution]

Your argument is moronic.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for your reply!

That may be true (especially in rural Texas and other places where little is tolerated) - but the reason I raised the advise is that neither van in the pictures on this thread seem to have their interior lights turned on. That one simple action can defuse a lot of tension according to my LE relative.

[HairOfTheDog]

I agree that the best chance for catching this/these guy(s) will be that a relative or a friend speaks up.

But I also think they have to make an attempt to close off the area and see if the guy is within the net. Window dressing maybe, but it is possible we will snag him one of these times. We just need one mistake, one red light, one lucky break.

[GirlShortstop]

stopping every vehicle in the area for search and or seizure is not unreasonable.
     "In the area" is key imho. How does the following scenario grab you:  police find a gun in the car of one of these vehicles searched (not a white van). It turns out to be the perp/s. American/s, unaffiliated with a terrorist group.  But their case is tossed because the evidence is a result of of improper search and seizure on the part of the police.  Possible?  I'm curious and would like to feel more confident in the LE efforts that I've seen so far.

[EggsAckley]

Aren't liberals the ones who want extreme measures in order to gain safety - like repealing the 2nd Amendment?

Yes, but I remember back in the sixties when all hippies called cops pigs, wished for revolution/anarchy, "lived" to create distractions/stalls in LE investigations......sounds vaguely like you guys on this thread. The only difference is that NOW you're called (L)libertarians. Same sh!t, different name.

[HairOfTheDog]

What if it's several or many needles in a haystack?

Well, then it is gonna be harder to catch them isn't it? Or not... If there are many, then there are also more wives/girlfriends/relatives/friends who may make a phone call.