St Patrick's Day DUI Checkpoint in Kansas City Yields Arrests

According to the Kansas City Police Department's website, Alcohol is related to 63% of the city's traffic deaths in 2010. While that figure is alarming, it might be more alarming that the other 37% of the time everyone involved was sober - that just goes to show that people can't drive whether they have been drinking or not. But seriously, the KCMO Police has a new weapon in the battle against the drunken driver. The new mobile DWI enforcement center was unveiled this week, and what better way to christen their new toy than with a St Paddy's Day Party on Southwest Trafficway!


The state of the art vehicle was paid for with a US Government grant. The cost was nearly $400,000. The previous command post was a modified RV that was nearly a quarter century old. Up to five suspects can be processed at one time, breath tests administered, and computer links to Police Headquarters.


Police made 41 arrests in their Westport checkpoint on Thursday night. More than 800 vehicles were stopped. One arrest was made for assault on a Police Officer, three for possession of marijuana, and numerous persons arrested on various warrants. Though I am not usually a proponent of DUI checkpoints, if you were stupid enough to be driving drunk near Westport on St Patrick's Day, you deserve to be arrested - and made fun of. Enjoy your thousands of dollars in fines and fees!

Kansas City Missouri Police Shoot and Kill Man

Late Wednesday night a man was fatally shot by a Kansas City Missouri Police Officer. The incident started with the Officer noticing a driver on 71 Hwy driving erratically without headlights. Lights, Sirens, Chase ensue. Now dead criminal doesn't stop, of course - pulls into driveway at 7107 Agnes (nice neighborhood) and proceeds to run towards the front door. Cop catches him before he can get inside (must be one of our more in shape cops) - a struggle starts, crackhead (allegedly) reaches for his gun. Not fast enough; KCMO Police Officer shoots him first. The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on paid administrative leave per Department Policy. This is the second incident in about a week. A Ruskin Heights man was killed last week by Police after refusing to drop a pole (curtain rod, whatever) and rushing police after robbing a house.

From just the initial description of the incident, it sounds like this cop really has his shit together. He catches the guy before he can get inside (his?) house, and draws his weapon before dead dirt bag can. Nice job indeed! And we save the money of a trial and housing the prisoner. But seriously, another incident that highlights the dangerous job our Police Officers face everyday. I know they are irritating when they write you a speeding ticket for going 7 over, but they really do deserve our thanks.

Cue nasty comments from friends and family of the dead man claiming that cops love to shoot innocent people, and dead guy was such a great person and father, etc...

Sobriety Checkpoints Attempt to Keep Drunk Drivers off the Road

Kansas City police continue to crack down on drunk driving through the use of sobriety checkpoints, as 18 impaired drivers were arrested Saturday night at a checkpoint on Wornall Road.

Over 500 vehicles were stopped from between 11 p.m. and 4. a.m., with drivers being arrested for impaired driving, possession of drugs and outstanding warrants.

This is another episode in the Kansas City police’s attempt to cut down on impaired driving, as random checkpoints have been one tool officers have used to cut down on drinking and driving. However, the amount of drivers arrested suggests that despite the known threat of a checkpoint, Kansas City citizens are still willing to drive home after drinking in the downtown area.

While sobriety checkpoints do remove impaired drivers from the road, it is important for police to take more proactive measures to help prevent drunk driving to begin with. If citizens knew of sobriety checkpoints before hand, it could be a measure to help convince them to take a cab or find another ride home. Drivers may still drive and find an alternative route around the checkpoint, but police need to take as many measures as they can to prevent impaired drivers from getting behind the wheel to start. Whether sobriety checkpoints and their consequences will have a long-term effect on the number of Kansas City residents who drive impaired or is simply a method of removing drunk drivers from the road remains to be seen.