"We can arrest everybody if we want to."

**solypsist** · 10-21-2005, 16:04

"Motorists cited for criminal traffic violations will have to give their thumbprint to Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies or go to jail." ... "This will be mandatory. No exceptions," Sheriff Joe Arpaio said Wednesday. "If they don't want to give the print, they're going directly to jail. Period." ... "Arpaio launched the new policy Wednesday across the Valley, expanding and toughening a pilot program in which motorists pulled over for routine traffic stops were asked to voluntarily provide a thumbprint." ... "But Arpaio said about 67 percent of motorists declined to voluntarily give their thumbprints."

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articl...tickets20.html

opinions? I do not know Arpaio's political affiliation, so let's try to keep this from being a partisan matter and rather just focus on the program at hand.

**Devastatin Dave** · 10-21-2005, 16:32

Identity theft? Whats this guy trying to pull? I don't like it. Its one thing that if your BOOKED, then you get fingerprinted. But this just seems a little excessive.

**drone** · 10-21-2005, 16:33

The article states that this only applies to "criminal" violations, not civil. So this would be required for reckless driving, +20mph, and DUI only, not normal speeding, running a light, etc.. Since these are criminal violations, I'm not too opposed to it, since jail time is possible (but unlikely) for those offenses. The county had a voluntary policy for all traffic stops, and it doesn't surprise me that most people declined.

But I may be sanding down my thumb if I have to drive through that county.

**yesdachi** · 10-21-2005, 16:39

IMO this is exactly the sort of thing that the citizens should get to vote for.

**Ronin** · 10-21-2005, 16:40

my government allready has my right index print anyway.......

whatever....

**Redleg** · 10-21-2005, 17:46

Originally Posted by solypsist

"Motorists cited for criminal traffic violations will have to give their thumbprint to Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies or go to jail." ... "This will be mandatory. No exceptions," Sheriff Joe Arpaio said Wednesday. "If they don't want to give the print, they're going directly to jail. Period." ... "Arpaio launched the new policy Wednesday across the Valley, expanding and toughening a pilot program in which motorists pulled over for routine traffic stops were asked to voluntarily provide a thumbprint." ... "But Arpaio said about 67 percent of motorists declined to voluntarily give their thumbprints."

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articl...tickets20.html

opinions? I do not know Arpaio's political affiliation, so let's try to keep this from being a partisan matter and rather just focus on the program at hand.

You got to love this guy sometimes - he is the one that runs the tent jail in the middle of the Arizona Desert just out side of Phenoix if I remember correctly.

THe problem is sometimes he lets his mouth run away with what the law actually states.

**solypsist** · 10-21-2005, 17:57

this guy has excellent control of the media - he really knows how to use it.

Originally Posted by Redleg

THe problem is sometimes he lets his mouth run away with what the law actually states.

**Redleg** · 10-21-2005, 18:03

Originally Posted by solypsist

this guy has excellent control of the media - he really knows how to use it.

Couldn't agree more - that is probably why he gets away with making some of the statements he makes.

He is obviousily using his media control to make the law into more then its initial intent by placing fear of arrest on the motorist if they do not volunteerily give the fingerprint - where the law states that they only have to give it when its a criminal violation of the traffic laws.

The man does know how to muliplate the media to his benefit. I bet just this little statement controls and causes some motorists to slow down on the highways around Pheonix

**Red Harvest** · 10-21-2005, 19:44

I don't see how this can be allowed. Unless the clown has probable cause to believe you are using fake ID, this is unquestionably wrong. I hope people respond appropriately: Don't stop for patrol cars in the area, leave the county instead. No need to put up with the gestapo. Just drive merrily out of the county into another jurisdiction and stop for authorities there.

This is pretty stupid as it puts his officers and citizens at far greater risk. People will view the authorities as outright enemies, and that is never good. They are going to have to start treating every stop as a felony stop.

I know people are down on the ACLU, but this is exactly the sort of nonsense they go after.

**Redleg** · 10-21-2005, 20:20

Originally Posted by Red Harvest

I don't see how this can be allowed. Unless the clown has probable cause to believe you are using fake ID, this is unquestionably wrong. I hope people respond appropriately: Don't stop for patrol cars in the area, leave the county instead. No need to put up with the gestapo. Just drive merrily out of the county into another jurisdiction and stop for authorities there.

However in doing so you might be charged with a felonly. It would be better for the individual to stop and refuse to have his fingerprint taken for a routine traffic stop.

This is pretty stupid as it puts his officers and citizens at far greater risk. People will view the authorities as outright enemies, and that is never good. They are going to have to start treating every stop as a felony stop.

Yep the law is sound as written - the sheriff has taken it to an extreme unless we are all misreading his statements.

I know people are down on the ACLU, but this is exactly the sort of nonsense they go after.

The ACLU can only go after the sheriff if he attempts to fingerprint a routine traffic stop - and the citizen refuses. Like stated above if the ACLU went after him now - he can safely state that his statement was misinterpated by everyone - that he meet that if your stopped for a criminal traffic violation.

**bmolsson** · 10-22-2005, 04:08

This ID thing is getting a more and more heated debate in US it seems. Is that because all have double identities ??

**AntiochusIII** · 10-22-2005, 05:17

Originally Posted by bmolsson

This ID thing is getting a more and more heated debate in US it seems. Is that because all have double identities ??

Well, here in the US any private information sent to the government never seems so secret: it somehow finds its way through to businesses. The information gathering is waaay too open--even accessible through the internet. And the Gods know what massive tons of advertisement from various "gateways" flooding us. Therefore, if information is not very safe, something THAT important is gotta be a huge debate. And I am on the safe side.