Mass arrests in Aurora, Colorado at roadblock

[Jack]

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2 ... nk-robber/

40+ people were arrested while the police searched for a bank robber, based on a 'reliable tip' that said the robber was at a traffic stop. They didn't know anything else, other than an anonymous tipster claimed they were there.

[Juliette]

The suspect was discovered in the last car they searched. No **Filtered**, Sherlock. Why would one continue searching when one has found what one is looking for. That is like saying "The goalie kept his sheet clean until the first goal."



Anyway. Unique action. Rather peculiar, but stopping 19 cars with a reason is one thing. Here, cops just block a highway and search every car; they also scan the license plates for open bills and taxes, and so on. A rather complete thing. It reminds me of the bandits who block the roads / railroad back in the days of yore, who then demanded your money or would not allow you to pass.
Luckily our cops are not that corrupt, but imagine doing the same thing with less scrupulous cops.
I take it this is an absolute first for the USA? (And the cuffing, is that necessary because the suspect was considered armed and dangerous?)

[[KMA]Avenger]

I briefly skimmed over this news. the cop in charge said "the ends justify the means"...remind me Jacky boy....how many rights/amendments did they violate by doing this?

Regardless, this cop obviously has no understanding of his own oath to uphold the constitution and should be up on charges. at the very least he should be sacked!

[MEZZANINE]

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/06/police-stop-handcuff-every-adult-at-intersection-in-search-for-bank-robber/

40+ people were arrested while the police searched for a bank robber, based on a 'reliable tip' that said the robber was at a traffic stop. They didn't know anything else, other than an anonymous tipster claimed they were there.

40+ people Arrested ??? When I read your post I thought you meant this road block search had resulted in 40 criminals being caught, as in the searches found various illegal guns, drugs, stolen goods etc lol


40+ people searched, I can live with that to catch a bank robber..... but handcuffing them all is way over the top and its a potentially dangerous and stupid way of doing the searches, the police were lucky they didnt end up with a shootout among a crowd of dozens of innocent people.

[Jack]

I take it this is an absolute first for the USA? (And the cuffing, is that necessary because the suspect was considered armed and dangerous?)

The cuffing was illegal, false arrest. The roadblock was illegal search and seizure, though I reckon the courts would likely give the cops a slide on this one. As far as I am concerned, though, they couldn't have possibly had consent. I don't care if they asked and the detainees said yes, they had no other choice. Since the officers were looking for someone considered to be armed and dangerous, they would have arrested them at gunpoint. Being swarmed by dozens of police officers, arrested at gunpoint and for reasons they can not possibly fathom. Their rights had already been trampled to the ground, even if they remembered that they still had rights, the cops made it damn clear they didn't give two **Filtered**.

40+ people Arrested ??? When I read your post I thought you meant this road block search had resulted in 40 criminals being caught, as in the searches found various illegal guns, drugs, stolen goods etc lol


40+ people searched, I can live with that to catch a bank robber..... but handcuffing them all is way over the top and its a potentially dangerous and stupid way of doing the searches, the police were lucky they didnt end up with a shootout among a crowd of dozens of innocent people.

Being placed in cuffs is being arrested(atleast, that is how the courts here in the US look at it). Arrested doesn't always mean prosecuted, charged or even processed.

That's over 40 illegal arrests and searches, you can live with that? The whole incident was illegal.

[[KMA]Avenger]

40+ people searched, I can live with that to catch a bank robber

the problem here MEZZ is you forget that this happened in the US. if Govt (local and national) functioned on any level within constitutional bounds this would never have happened.

Make no mistake my friend, this was wholly unconstitutional and illegal...in theory, all 40 could sue for damages and any guilty persons arrested in this manor would be free to walk.

[_Bjorn_]

seriously 40 people America always surprises me somehow lol

[Jack]

I'd say that there is a pretty good chance the man can walk free. The arrests are definitely illegal, the searches I'm not so sure how the courts will see that. But as far as I'm concerned, they were illegal, whether or not the detainees said yes.

They were under serious duress, with shotguns and rifles pointed at them. Having been bumrushed by dozens of officers in riot gear. Arrested for only god knows why.

Personally, I hope the bank robber is set free and Aurora PD goes bankrupt from this.

[Angnoch]

truthfully the cops can setup a road block as much as they want, it is within their rights to stop and check every car they see. So that bit is completely within the law, however the searching and arrests are completely illegal. I doubt any judge worth his salt would even sit in on this farce of an attempt to protect

[MEZZANINE]

40+ people searched, I can live with that to catch a bank robber

the problem here MEZZ is you forget that this happened in the US. if Govt (local and national) functioned on any level within constitutional bounds this would never have happened.

Make no mistake my friend, this was wholly unconstitutional and illegal...in theory, all 40 could sue for damages and any guilty persons arrested in this manor would be free to walk.

Well mate, you're in the UK same as me where Police have the right to stop and search, and much as I didnt like that in my younger naughtier days when I sometimes had things on me I shouldnt ( talking recreational drugs, not stolen goods of weapons ) the truth is stop & search does get results and most people with nothing to hide dont mind so long as it's done in a polite way.

The handcuffing is excessive IMO, but then the USA seems to be excessive in most things, over here the people would have simply queued up and stayed in their cars until they were searched one by one and no one would have been cuffed unless they kicked off or got caught with something.

Being the US Im guessing if they can sue they will, and all these people who were mistreated will be happy chappies in the end when they get their compensation cheques lol

As I said before the stupid police got lucky, everyone knows the US love their guns, if the bank robbers had still been armed and decided the make a stand with all those innocents trapped in a small area it could have been far far worse.

[Jack]

He had two handguns in him...

[MEZZANINE]

He had two handguns in him...

K missed that in the report, 'IN HIM' you say ? Does that mean he swallowed them when he saw the police searching lol

[[KMA]Avenger]

The guns were found after the cops made an emergency call to the TSA to rush down ASAP and conduct a full on grope down. nothing was found till they conducted a proctology exam....


Sorry, couldn't resist