Comments on: Is this good or bad? http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/03/21/is-this-good-or-bad/ The Unpredictable Union of Pragmatism, Idealism, and Cynicism Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:15:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: anon http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/03/21/is-this-good-or-bad/#comment-22402 anon Mon, 24 Mar 2008 13:29:55 +0000 http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/03/21/is-this-good-or-bad/#comment-22402 DUI attorneys loves it. DUI attorneys loves it.

]]> By: Matt http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/03/21/is-this-good-or-bad/#comment-22357 Matt Sun, 23 Mar 2008 18:50:13 +0000 http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/03/21/is-this-good-or-bad/#comment-22357 Thanks for the link. Dang, Huntsville is close to Richmond, VA on the crime scale according to that site. My perception of local crime must be really off. Then again I hail from Bham where literally there is constantly a murder on the North side of town. Thanks for the link. Dang, Huntsville is close to Richmond, VA on the crime scale according to that site.

My perception of local crime must be really off. Then again I hail from Bham where literally there is constantly a murder on the North side of town.

]]> By: Reactionary http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/03/21/is-this-good-or-bad/#comment-22328 Reactionary Sun, 23 Mar 2008 03:27:26 +0000 http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/03/21/is-this-good-or-bad/#comment-22328 I think that HPD is more proactive. The roadblocks catch a lot of DUIs, so I imagine that the HPD benefits from some economies of scale and specialization. Matt - HSV is the second highest crime city in Alabama, and ranked #83 nationwide (Bham is #13). Plus, HSV is below national average in number of police for population. http://www.city-data.com/top2/c405.html I think that HPD is more proactive. The roadblocks catch a lot of DUIs, so I imagine that the HPD benefits from some economies of scale and specialization.

Matt - HSV is the second highest crime city in Alabama, and ranked #83 nationwide (Bham is #13). Plus, HSV is below national average in number of police for population.

http://www.city-data.com/top2/c405.html

]]> By: Daily Dixie: links for 2008-03-22 http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/03/21/is-this-good-or-bad/#comment-22318 Daily Dixie: links for 2008-03-22 Sat, 22 Mar 2008 22:22:41 +0000 http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/03/21/is-this-good-or-bad/#comment-22318 [...] Flashpoint » Blog Archive » Is this good or bad? [...] [...] Flashpoint » Blog Archive » Is this good or bad? [...]

]]> By: Mike Ball http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/03/21/is-this-good-or-bad/#comment-22296 Mike Ball Sat, 22 Mar 2008 12:06:11 +0000 http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/03/21/is-this-good-or-bad/#comment-22296 Just curious, but I wonder if their conviction rate is consistent with the other parts of the state? I think there's a combination of factors that come in to play. First of all, effective DUI enforcement requires an experienced, well-trained police force. Most DUIs are harder to detect, more difficult to process, and more likely to go to court than other traffic offenses. Another factor is that the department's leadership must have an inclination directed more toward safety than revenue. An officer can write a fistful of speeding tickets during the time it takes to make one DUI arrest. Still another factor is location. I was a State Trooper assigned to Birmingham from '78-82, most of it on the midnight shift. I worked Jefferson, StClair, Shelby, Walker, and Blount Counties. After that I worked of of Decatur for 4 more years. I was among the top Troopers in Alabama for DUI arrests. I made more DUI arrests in the wet counties and cities; however, the blood alcohol content was usuall not a high as the DUIs that I made in the dry counties. Also many of the DUIs that I made in the wet counties and cities were folks who lived in the dry areas. Just curious, but I wonder if their conviction rate is consistent with the other parts of the state?

I think there’s a combination of factors that come in to play. First of all, effective DUI enforcement requires an experienced, well-trained police force. Most DUIs are harder to detect, more difficult to process, and more likely to go to court than other traffic offenses.

Another factor is that the department’s leadership must have an inclination directed more toward safety than revenue. An officer can write a fistful of speeding tickets during the time it takes to make one DUI arrest.

Still another factor is location. I was a State Trooper assigned to Birmingham from ‘78-82, most of it on the midnight shift. I worked Jefferson, StClair, Shelby, Walker, and Blount Counties. After that I worked of of Decatur for 4 more years. I was among the top Troopers in Alabama for DUI arrests. I made more DUI arrests in the wet counties and cities; however, the blood alcohol content was usuall not a high as the DUIs that I made in the dry counties. Also many of the DUIs that I made in the wet counties and cities were folks who lived in the dry areas.

]]> By: Matt http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/03/21/is-this-good-or-bad/#comment-22282 Matt Sat, 22 Mar 2008 05:43:35 +0000 http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/03/21/is-this-good-or-bad/#comment-22282 I had to share this story with you and your readers Brian. This kinda freaked me out when I saw it today. "Comcast Cameras to Start Watching You?" http://newteevee.com/2008/03/18/comcast-cameras-to-start-watching-you/ Here's a related story from Fox News in 2006 that I somehow missed: "CELL PHONE (FBI can listen even when phone is turned off)" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O61YfvPZGJs I had to share this story with you and your readers Brian. This kinda freaked me out when I saw it today.

“Comcast Cameras to Start Watching You?”
http://newteevee.com/2008/03/18/comcast-cameras-to-start-watching-you/

Here’s a related story from Fox News in 2006 that I somehow missed:
“CELL PHONE (FBI can listen even when phone is turned off)”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O61YfvPZGJs

]]> By: Matt http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/03/21/is-this-good-or-bad/#comment-22281 Matt Sat, 22 Mar 2008 05:36:34 +0000 http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/03/21/is-this-good-or-bad/#comment-22281 It seems like Hville has less major crime so that may free up the officers. I know in Bham there is almost a murder or 2 a week. It seems like Hville has less major crime so that may free up the officers. I know in Bham there is almost a murder or 2 a week.

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