Lubbock DWI Charges–Lubbock Police Department –More of the Same, the Ends Justify the Means
November 27th, 2007The theme continues… Just last week and yesterday I wrote on the very scary idea that the ends justify the means. This theme is very common in Lubbock DWI cases (as it is in Texas and across the country). Now we see first hand this problem with the ends justifying the means. I have said for a long time this philosophy is simply a slippery slope. In other words, once an officer or department adopts the idea of the ends justifies the means, any ends can and do justify any means.
This semester has seen a war on Texas Tech college students by the Lubbock Police Department. The LPD is attempting to curb underage drinking. As long as it is illegal to drink when you are under 21 then stopping or reducing the violations is a GOOD IDEA. The problem is what the police have done to try to stop the illegal activity. The have targeted the masses. The are writing hundreds of tickets for minor in possession even when the individual does not possess the alcohol. I have had students tell me that when LPD arrives at a party they simply have those over 21 line up on one side of the room and those under 21 are moved to the other side of the room. If you are over 21, you get a “noise violation” and if under 21 you get a MIP. Problem is that is not the law, to get a minor in possession you have to POSSESS the alcohol. Simply being around it is not against the law, as Judge Doty points out in a interview with the Lubbock AJ.
“In the meantime, Doty said underage students shouldn’t have to be afraid of being at a party where there is alcohol if they are not drinking.
“Mere presence where alcohol is, and you are underage, does not constitute possession.”
But sometimes it doesn’t work out that way, Doty said.”
Reading between the lines it is pretty clear what Judge Doty is saying, he knows that the police are using the ends justifies the means philosophy to arrest and ticket everybody. Another scary thought is the police response to these questions. I’ll write more on that later this week.