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Fresno Police Are Wasting Time Policing the Cruise.

Friday, February 5, 2016 15:10

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(Before It's News)

Sunday night there is a heavy cruise in Fresno, CA. For hours people drive their cars up and down Blackstone Ave. Due to the congestion of vehicles it’s a killing field for police. Any driver whose vehicle may not be up to the government standards can be subjected to their extortion. Speed violations and impound costs pad the pockets of the city while at the same time leading to opportunities for officers to criminalize the driver for a number of other reasons. Most commonly speed infractions or other minor vehicle code violations.

Two Sundays ago the police impounded the vehicles of some people from out-of-town. Leaving them stranded. The police claimed reckless driving but the drivers said there was a minor loss of traction as they were leaving the parking lot. Whether someone is driving recklessly is subjective to your opinion on the situation. Regardless they had to find an alternative way home.

This week however, one of the officers, policing the cruise, initiated a conversation with me. He pointed out how the presence of police was keeping everyone from acting reckless. How reactionary tactics can serve to keep everyone safe without sending anyone to jail. The point he was trying to make was, the presence of officers was enough to deter crimes from being committed. Even when the police presence is scarce, as with all things, only the minority of drivers start driving in a manner that could be considered dangerous.

When I asked him about the most dangerous part of the cruise he told me that it was, “one of those things that’s too hard to prioritize.” This answer is another meaningless flow of words that fall out of someones mouth when questioned about something they haven’t really thought about.

It’s obvious to anyone who has attended the cruise more than once, that large gatherings in parking lots where people perform burn outs and donuts have the highest chance of accidents happening or people getting hurt. This is why officers are in the parking lots all night with their lights on. It’s a visual deterrent to anyone who may want to use the parking lot as their own auto cross track.

While I agree that the business on Blackstone should take steps to protect their property from any unwanted motorists who seek to abuse their parking lots. I do not feel that I should be forced to pay for the police to sit out and harass people for these businesses.

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Officers may be able to keep the cars out of parking lots and punish people for driving recklessly by stealing their property but there is nothing they can do about traffic. People want to cruise they come from all of the surrounding cities to drive up and down Blackstone Ave. The police think they can make it safer by being there, but an hour after I had this conversation a motorcycle officer was hit by a car. I seriously hope he’s OK, but it’s a perfect example of how anyone can get hit by a car at any time.

The officer admits that the police are understaffed and incapable of responding to all of the crimes in the city. With a staff of over 700 officers, less than 300 are actually working a beat. Putting the police at a severe disadvantage and making it impossible for them to provide the service they are paid for. He conceded when I pointed out that not being able to complete the task you are assigned while still forcing everyone to pay for it is not really the greatest of business models. In fact any such business not supported by the force of government would fail instantly. No one would continue to pay for something that was unable to be provided.

Unlike a normal business that provides a good or a service for profit, the actors of the state subsist off of a welfare system far more sinister than anything a typical conservative would be opposed to. The government literally takes a portion of those profits from the providers of said goods and services and uses it to maintain a monopoly on the use of force.

Without the general population, the government would be unable to sustain itself, it would crumble beneath its own weight relinquishing its stranglehold on our lives. We would be free to associate with one another on a voluntary basis, free from the government’s threats.