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Date:         Fri, 19 Sep 1997 22:31:55 -0500
Reply-To:     Tonya Pope <tonya@MSMM.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon mailing list <Vanagon@Gerry.SDSC.EDU>
From:         Tonya Pope <tonya@MSMM.COM>
Organization: Main Street Multimedia
Subject:      Re: Louisiana
Comments: To: Bill <Bill@FREEHOLDER.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Bill,

Yes Primetime did an expose on some cops doing excessive searches on Louisiana highways primarily of out-of-state cars. Specifically, a parish just west of Lake Charles and another one closer to New Orleans. The show originally aired sometime last fall and then was a re-run this summer. Immediately after the first show, the sheriff offices in the two parishes were investigated by state authorities to see whether or not they were really overstepping (you can't really rely on those types of shows as they are fairly biased and usually only give one side of the story). The state did find that those two parishes gave a lot more 'subjective' type tickets to out of state license plates than to Louisiana cars. Subjective type tickets included: improper lane usage, following too close, etc. Some would say, the tickets were an excuse to pull people over and search their cars. Cars subjected to this were 'drug-runner' type cars (if there is such a thing, although imho it's a fairly discriminatory action).

Although the search itself is extremely offensive and time-consuming, property is only actually seized if they have reasonable belief that it was drug-related (i.e. large sums of cash that can't be accounted for, we're talking many-thousands of dollars on up typically). Since the initial primetime show, both parishes have had to account for themselves to the state and the situation has supposedly improved.

Personally, I have Louisiana plates on all my vehicles and drive from the Baton Rouge area to Houston frequently and have never been pulled over and rarely see someone pulled over, and have NEVER seen a search in progress. I did have an uncle with Florida plates drive thru a year or so ago and was pulled over (in my opinion, his old car would qualify as a 'drug-runner' looking vehicle, again, if there is such a thing) for a fairly subjective ticket (not speeding). They didn't request to search his vehicle, but he said they were rude (then again, most people probably think the cop giving them the ticket is rude).

If you do drive thru, they are pretty sticklers for the speed limit around Lake Charles and have a habit of hiding in the best places.

Tonya 87 Vanagon GL Wolfs 74 S. Beetle


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