Most of the Gotham PD are Chief Gordon's "mooks", and simply guys doing their job. As for "bad" cops, yes, a few rogues are often showcased, but the writers haven't made it all "black-and-white", pun intended. Look no further than the character of Detective Harvey Bullock, whom is dedicated to his profession and hard-working...but also prone to "bending the rules" and unleashing gratuitous violence on perps or whomever he disapproves of...including the Bat!
I'd like to see some reliable, peer-review studies as to what level of marijuana indulgence will cause impairment of driving, boating, or operating heavy machinery. Yes, we know when Jeff Spiccoli of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and his stoner buds spilled out of that old van after "hot-boxing", they were likely too impaired to drive, let alone pay attention in class! But what of someone whom chills out with a joint the previous night, goes to sleep, and gets up, and on his way to work, is involved in an accident? Would there be detectable THC in his blood, and if so, what level would constitute presumption of impairment? Also, I've heard of some jurisdictions wanting to get a hair sample, and it's well-known that THC can be found in human hair for days after marijuana usage, when the user is obviously not under an influence of this herb.
At least with alcohol, though the levels of presumption of drunkeness have been already driven down to a nationwide level of .08, which many persons can actually drive quite well, and some states, like Utah, are reducing that presumed level to .05...I would expect soon that it will become de facto Prohibition all over again.
In this case, where's the issue? The police observed erratic driving, detected signs of marijuana use by the driver in his vehicle (bloodshot eyes and strong odor of weed), they performed a Field Sobriety Test (which the subject VOLUNTARILY complied with, or at least no mention of coercion to take a voluntary 'test', which admittedly is designed to 'fail' anyway) which indicated likelihood of impairment, performed a preliminary screen for alcohol, which the subject 'passed' (at least not above .08, which is the presumed DUI in AZ, and though not stated, likely below .05, as at least an .05 reading would justify an "impaired" driving charge versus "drunk" driving (a lesser charge), or a "wet reckless", and then requested the subject VOLUNTARILY give a blood sample, which was refused. Rather than simply subdue the man and get his blood anyway, the officer requested a warrant to get the blood draw, which was granted. So where's the problem? Due process and the subject's rights WELL observed in this instance, and though the entire encounter took 80 minutes, at least the process to get a warrant for the blood draw was quick and efficient.
Now, if you have what happened to Nurse Alex Wubbels in Salt Lake City, Utah, two years ago, who was manhandled by an overbearing SLC PD Sergeant for her refusal, IAW patient privacy (HIPPA) and her professional ethics, to get the blood of an unconscious victim of a crash perpetrated by a high-speed pursuit (the fleeing suspect died in a fiery crash at the scene, the victim later died anyway), then you've got a story. Or even officers arbitrarily demanding a blood draw w/o probable cause, and coercing drivers on pain of arrest for "obstruction" or "failure to test" even though there's no evidence of impairment.
Techdirt has not posted any stories submitted by selfdo59.
Re: Batman and the Gotham PD
Most of the Gotham PD are Chief Gordon's "mooks", and simply guys doing their job. As for "bad" cops, yes, a few rogues are often showcased, but the writers haven't made it all "black-and-white", pun intended. Look no further than the character of Detective Harvey Bullock, whom is dedicated to his profession and hard-working...but also prone to "bending the rules" and unleashing gratuitous violence on perps or whomever he disapproves of...including the Bat!
Re: Impairment from marijuana
I'd like to see some reliable, peer-review studies as to what level of marijuana indulgence will cause impairment of driving, boating, or operating heavy machinery. Yes, we know when Jeff Spiccoli of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and his stoner buds spilled out of that old van after "hot-boxing", they were likely too impaired to drive, let alone pay attention in class! But what of someone whom chills out with a joint the previous night, goes to sleep, and gets up, and on his way to work, is involved in an accident? Would there be detectable THC in his blood, and if so, what level would constitute presumption of impairment? Also, I've heard of some jurisdictions wanting to get a hair sample, and it's well-known that THC can be found in human hair for days after marijuana usage, when the user is obviously not under an influence of this herb.
At least with alcohol, though the levels of presumption of drunkeness have been already driven down to a nationwide level of .08, which many persons can actually drive quite well, and some states, like Utah, are reducing that presumed level to .05...I would expect soon that it will become de facto Prohibition all over again.
roadside blood draw
In this case, where's the issue? The police observed erratic driving, detected signs of marijuana use by the driver in his vehicle (bloodshot eyes and strong odor of weed), they performed a Field Sobriety Test (which the subject VOLUNTARILY complied with, or at least no mention of coercion to take a voluntary 'test', which admittedly is designed to 'fail' anyway) which indicated likelihood of impairment, performed a preliminary screen for alcohol, which the subject 'passed' (at least not above .08, which is the presumed DUI in AZ, and though not stated, likely below .05, as at least an .05 reading would justify an "impaired" driving charge versus "drunk" driving (a lesser charge), or a "wet reckless", and then requested the subject VOLUNTARILY give a blood sample, which was refused. Rather than simply subdue the man and get his blood anyway, the officer requested a warrant to get the blood draw, which was granted. So where's the problem? Due process and the subject's rights WELL observed in this instance, and though the entire encounter took 80 minutes, at least the process to get a warrant for the blood draw was quick and efficient.
Now, if you have what happened to Nurse Alex Wubbels in Salt Lake City, Utah, two years ago, who was manhandled by an overbearing SLC PD Sergeant for her refusal, IAW patient privacy (HIPPA) and her professional ethics, to get the blood of an unconscious victim of a crash perpetrated by a high-speed pursuit (the fleeing suspect died in a fiery crash at the scene, the victim later died anyway), then you've got a story. Or even officers arbitrarily demanding a blood draw w/o probable cause, and coercing drivers on pain of arrest for "obstruction" or "failure to test" even though there's no evidence of impairment.
Techdirt has not posted any stories submitted by selfdo59.
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