Internal checkpoints annoy Vermonters

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Some Vermonters are complaining about the patrol's more aggressive tactics, especially the use of highway checkpoints as far as 100 miles from the border. They say the random checkpoints -- which stop all passing cars inside the state, even if they're not headed to or from the border -- can make driving within their state feel like being in Eastern Europe under communism.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2006/12/19/border_stops_snag_drugs_no_terrorists/

[KBCraig]

"Pretty annoying" is the harshest criticism?

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My own personal criticism is considered unprintable by most newspapers.

[aries]

They do this in NH as well.

I don't know why we just don't put checkpoints AT the borders. Seems more logical to me. I mean, people could have business just over the border in Vermont, and not even need to go as far south a... OH WAIT WE DO.

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They do this in NH as well.

Great, now I have a whole OTHER set of bureaucrats to piss off within 5 minutes of my return to NH. 

I don't know why we just don't put checkpoints AT the borders. Seems more logical to me. I mean, people could have business just over the border in Vermont, and not even need to go as far south a... OH WAIT WE DO.

Checkpoints at the borders? Oh, that would never work...

[TEBON]

don't the toll booths take pictures of your license plate as you pass through them?  I could be blowing smoke, but it's something myself and friends have hypothesised for a while. . . if not NH, Maine has gotta do this, like a video camera near those blue lights keeping a record of when you enter and when you leave, and where you go within the state. 

No I'm not saying all tolls have this, I don't think Dover tolls have these, but perhaps the 95 tolls?

[Spencer]

don't the toll booths take pictures of your license plate as you pass through them?  I could be blowing smoke, but it's something myself and friends have hypothesised for a while. . . if not NH, Maine has gotta do this, like a video camera near those blue lights keeping a record of when you enter and when you leave, and where you go within the state. 

No I'm not saying all tolls have this, I don't think Dover tolls have these, but perhaps the 95 tolls?

I don't know if they do in Mass. -- this prankster dude had a pretty good time paying the toll with a variety of methods (including taping an IOU to the change basket) and it doesn't sound like he ever got in trouble:

http://www.zug.com/pranks/turnpike/

[KurtDaBear]

Why do they do this in Vermont and not in NH?

[cathleeninnh]

They do. I93 has checkpoints on occasion about 100 miles from the border. Huge show with 8 or 9 vehicles including large vans and state and local participation. They stop everyone.

Cathleen

[KBCraig]

Why do they do this in Vermont and not in NH?

They do, on occasion. They had one set up this past summer, for a week or so.

But NH only has one part-time border crossing. More traffic goes through VT.

[KBCraig]

Customs & Border Patrol lists their authority to search here:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/admissability/authority_to_search.xml

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer?s border search authority is derived through 19 U.S.C. 1467 and 19 C.F.R. 162.6, which states that, ?All persons, baggage and merchandise arriving in the Customs territory of the United States from places outside thereof are liable to inspection by a CBP officer.?

In other words, by the law they cite, they have no authority to search anyone who isn't "arriving" in the U.S.

Kevin

[KurtDaBear]

Customs & Border Patrol lists their authority to search here:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/admissability/authority_to_search.xml

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer?s border search authority is derived through 19 U.S.C. 1467 and 19 C.F.R. 162.6, which states that, ?All persons, baggage and merchandise arriving in the Customs territory of the United States from places outside thereof are liable to inspection by a CBP officer.?

In other words, by the law they cite, they have no authority to search anyone who isn't "arriving" in the U.S.

Kevin

That's good to know, but I suppose if you insisted on applying it, you'd probably spend a few days in a federal holding tank before they'd admit that, by golly, you were right.  And, of course, they would have had to search you and your vehicle to conduct a proper inventory at time of detention. 

(Incidentally, we have permanent federal border stations many miles inside Calif. in the southern part of the state, but I thought that was peculiar to the southwest because of the immigration situation.)

[Dreepa]

(Incidentally, we have permanent federal border stations many miles inside Calif. in the southern part of the state, but I thought that was peculiar to the southwest because of the immigration situation.)

yeah that is what about 30-40 miles North of the border?
La Migra!

I also remember when I drove to CA there was an agricultural stop at the border.
I told him if he searched the back of the trailer he would have to put it all back how he found it.

[aries]

(Incidentally, we have permanent federal border stations many miles inside Calif. in the southern part of the state, but I thought that was peculiar to the southwest because of the immigration situation.)

yeah that is what about 30-40 miles North of the border?
La Migra!

I also remember when I drove to CA there was an agricultural stop at the border.
I told him if he searched the back of the trailer he would have to put it all back how he found it.

Does CA claim the right to search all incoming vehicles?

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I also remember when I drove to CA there was an agricultural stop at the border.
I told him if he searched the back of the trailer he would have to put it all back how he found it.

Does CA claim the right to search all incoming vehicles?

I saw one of these in Utah. I just drove right past it.