North Texas Drivers Stopped at Roadblock Asked for Saliva, Blood

North Texas Drivers Stopped at Roadblock Asked for Saliva, Blood | NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

There's a video of the news broadcast on the site.


By Scott Gordon
| Tuesday, Nov 19, 2013 | Updated 1:18 PM CST

Some drivers along a busy North Fort Worth street on Friday were stopped at police roadblock and directed into a parking lot, where they were asked by federal contractors for samples of their breath, saliva and even blood.

It was part of a government research study aimed at determining the number of drunken or drug-impaired drivers.

"It just doesn't seem right that you can be forced off the road when you're not doing anything wrong," said Kim Cope, who said she was on her lunch break when she was forced to pull over at the roadblock on Beach Street.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is spending $7.9 million on the survey over three years, said participation was "100 percent voluntary" and anonymous.

But Cope said it didn't feel voluntary to her -- despite signs saying it was.

"I gestured to the guy in front that I just wanted to go straight, but he wouldn't let me and forced me into a parking spot," she said.

Once parked, she couldn't believe what she was asked next.

"They were asking for cheek swabs," she said. "They would give $10 for that. Also, if you let them take your blood, they would pay you $50 for that."

At the very least, she said, they wanted to test her breath for alcohol.

She said she felt trapped.

"I finally did the Breathalyzer test just because I thought that would be the easiest way to leave," she said, adding she received no money.

Fort Worth police Sgt. Kelly Peel said he could not immediately locate any record of Fort Worth officers being involved in the roadblock but said he was still checking Monday evening.

A spokesman for nearby Haltom City police said his department was not involved.

NBC DFW confirmed that the survey was done by a government contractor, the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, which is based in Calverton, Md.

A company spokeswoman referred questions to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

An agency spokeswoman sent an email confirming the government is conducting the surveys in 30 cities across the country in an effort to reduce impaired-driving accidents.

She did not respond to another email from NBC DFW asking specific questions about the program..

But a Fort Worth attorney who is an expert in civil liberties law questioned whether such stops are constitutional.

"You can't just be pulled over randomly or for no reason," said attorney Frank Colosi.

He also noted the fine print on a form given to drivers informs them their breath was tested by "passive alcohol sensor readings before the consent process has been completed."

"They're essentially lying to you when they say it's completely voluntary, because they're testing you at that moment," Colosi said.

He also questioned the results of the "voluntary" survey -- speculating that drivers who had been drinking or using drugs would be more inclined to simply decline to participate.

Cope said she is troubled by what happened.

"It just doesn't seem right that they should be able to do any of it," she said. "If it's voluntary, it's voluntary, and none of it felt voluntary."


Do truck drivers have DNA?
 

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/s...ily-collect-dna-blood-sample-innocent-am.html

This is the thread I was talking about. Took me 15 seconds to find the link...


Thanks Ben! I didn't see that thread,, I missed a couple months in that time frame I think.

That is 2Alabama and Texas.. So there are 28 more to go, (Unless the Bo is counting them,, There could be 57- 61 more).

Wonder how they figure the time frame and if they are trying to put a little time between these incidents? So that the sheep don't get all spooked. It would be great if we could find out the future sites.
 

Even I will agree that this is a particularly disturbing incident.

Is it some sort of government conspiracy? Absolutely not. Is it infringement on our rights? I think many could argue that it is.

I think a more appropriate way to do the study would be to advertise that the study was going to be taking place on X date/time/place and allow people to actually volunteer to participate. Im sure you would still get plenty of willing participants.
 

Even I will agree that this is a particularly disturbing incident.

Is it some sort of government conspiracy? Absolutely not. Is it infringement on our rights? I think many could argue that it is.

I think a more appropriate way to do the study would be to advertise that the study was going to be taking place on X date/time/place and allow people to actually volunteer to participate. Im sure you would still get plenty of willing participants.

Volunteers to the program would be great,, but it would give them even less statistically correct data.

I am thinking,, because it violates Americans rights, and the concept is statistically flawed, it is a conspiracy, and I don't subscribe to many. The program does nothing to accomplish what it professes.
 

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