BUSTED! "BENNETT SPRING CHECKPOINT:

[Gavin]

Will have to disagree, checkpoints are just fishing expeditions for random tickets and a form of harassment. Gestapo says provide your papers please. 

[fishinwrench]

If the checkpoint is about drunk driving then satisfy yourself that I'm not drunk and then leave me alone, don't demand that I dig out my license or my insurance card, don't shine your flashlight in my eyes or ask where I'm going or where I've been.  

When the checkpoint is about fishing violations then obviously they conducted a complete search of all vehicles which would have set me off like a bottle rocket.  When I'm headed home after a full day of fishing I am usually a bit tired and hungry as hell, but otherwise feeling quite mellow.  Please don't ruin that because you're too freakin' lazy to do your job the RIGHT way.  If you wanna detain me for ignorant reasons after a fishing trip then call my wife and tell her why I'll be later than I promised, hand me a cold soda, a crispy chicken sandwich, and some supersize fries. I'll sit calmly on the tailgate and you can raffle through my belongings all you want.  

[Mark]

Yeah, I think I remember reading something in  American Govt class about "unreasonable search and seizure". Same for alcohol checkpoints. Not condoning poaching or drunk driving, but both reek of gestapo tactics and violation of our right to not be hassled by govt with unreasonable searches.

[Troutnut69]

I'm pretty sure that I could sit on a park bench above the whistle bridge for several hours and write more tickets than that for violations I witnessed. As has already been stated...nothing wrong with some enforcement, just don't hassle me and waste taxpayer money for a checkpoint when a little due diligence in your daily job would provide the same results. Just one more reason I don't visit that place anymore.....

[Krazo]

Good to see so many comply with the law, too bad they had to be held up for just a few.  I wonder what the average time is per vehicle stop. Like to think the LEOs used some discretion out there.  sure you can stereotype em but i prefer not to.  Im not sure yet if i agree with this tactic or not but sure seems like it didnt yield all that much.  Id like to see a report from the dept that conducted this stop to see their report & a breadown of that stats.  Has this been done before in MO? I've not seen this here ever but maybe i just missed them.  

[fishinwrench]

I'd like to know exactly how many were fish related infractions....and how many were "other things".

[jdmidwest]

How do you get a ticket for fishing without a license in a car on the side of the road? 

[Gavin]

Probably other things. A coulple bags of fish, and some pills in the pic. Just loaded up, headed out for a multi family float/camp trip. One of the dads is a police officer, other a lawyer, other in Construction, I do accounting. All will be well.

[Haris122]

Quote

How do you get a ticket for fishing without a license in a car on the side of the road? 

Yeah, I'm all for checking people more often, but if you gave someone a ticket for following the rules, and then throwing his tag away as they're in their car and headed home, that's not the right way to go about things. And short of anything real serious (such as drunk driving, or loaded gun by a felon), all non-fishing related offenses shouldn't even be considered.

[jdmidwest]

4 hours ago, Haris122 said:

Yeah, I'm all for checking people more often, but if you gave someone a ticket for following the rules, and then throwing his tag away as they're in their car and headed home, that's not the right way to go about things. And short of anything real serious (such as drunk driving, or loaded gun by a felon), all non-fishing related offenses shouldn't even be considered.

MDC Officers are trained to enforce all the laws of the state, not just game laws.  They are used on multiple scenarios because they operate on a totally different set of rules on search and seizure.  Most law enforcement have to have Probably Cause to Search and find evidence, search can be refused until a warrant arrives.  MDC Game officers are operating on a Seek And Charge search pattern.  They do not need probable cause to search you or a warrant, you are to surrender to them everything since you signed that little piece of paper called a license.  Signing the license gives them permission to validate their search because you gave them permission per the game code rule book.  Anything else found in the search is fair game, drugs, alcohol, illegal anything else.  They carry more power than any other form of law enforcement.