Court Opinion

ID: 9767001
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 05:05:52.650112+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:27.641244
License: Public Domain

*513DAVIDSON, Judge,
dissenting:
In Delaware v. Prouse, 440 U.S. 648, 99 S.Ct. 1391, 59 L.Ed.2d 660 (1979), the United States Supreme Court held, as the majority notes, that a State’s interest in the practice of random spot checks for the purpose of checking driver’s licenses and car registrations as a means of promoting public safety was outweighed by the Fourth Amendment intrusion entailed. There the Supreme Court said:
The question remains, however, whether in the service of these important ends the discretionary spot check is a sufficiently productive mechanism to justify the intrusion upon the Fourth Amendment interests which such stops entail. On the record before us, that question must be answered in the negative. Given the alternative mechanisms available, both those in use and those that might be adopted, we are unconvinced that the incremental contribution to highway safety of the random spot check justifies the practice under the Fourth Amendment. Id. at 660, 99 S.Ct. at 1399.
Thus the Supreme Court made it plain that in order to justify an intrusion upon Fourth Amendment rights, the State must demonstrate that the particular practice employed is an effective and necessary mechanism by which to promote public safety.
The majority here finds that “[t]he record before us demonstrates that for the limited period of its operation, the sobriety checkpoint program has been a moderately effective technique for detecting and deterring the drunk driver.” In my view, there is neither empirical data, nor any other evidence to support that conclusion. On the contrary, the record shows that in view of the alternative mechanisms available, the incremental contribution, if any, to highway safety resulting from a program utilizing unpredictably located, non-permanent roadblocks (roadblock program) was too marginal to justify the practice under the Fourth Amendment. Accordingly, I respectfully dissent.
*514There is no question that in Maryland, as elsewhere, driving while intoxicated poses a danger to life and property. There is thus no question that the State has a vital interest in insuring that drivers are discouraged from operating motor vehicles while intoxicated.
The record here establishes, however, that this goal was effectively achieved by the use of traditional techniques for deterring and detecting drunk driving. More particularly, the record shows that in 1981 the State established a comprehensive alcohol enforcement program (comprehensive program) the central features of which included retraining police personnel in detection techniques; incentives to encourage the use of those techniques; and a widespread public relations campaign focusing attention on the deleterious effects of drunk driving and the need for families and friends to deter persons from drunk driving. The comprehensive program was to be closely monitored. Its success was to be evaluated by the objective criteria of an increasing number of drunk driving arrests.
The resultant statistics proffered by the State unequivocally establish that through the improvement of traditional methods and techniques the comprehensive program produced substantial increases in drunk driving arrests. For . example, in 1980, before the comprehensive program was initiated there were 15,575 drunk driving arrests. In 1981, one year after the comprehensive program was initiated there were 23,575 such arrests. In 1982, after the program was further refined and expanded there were over 33,000 drunk driving arrests—twice the number of arrests that occurred in 1980. Thus the empirical data proffered by the State demonstrates, based on the objective criteria established by the State, that effective alternative methods to a roadblock program were available for the purpose of detecting and deterring drunk drivers.
Moreover, other evidence proffered by the State supported the same conclusion. A police officer who participated in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the *515State’s roadblock program testified that the mere presence on the roadway of a marked police car, with its lights flashing “definitely does work as a deterrent against violations” and “increases the awareness of the public of the enforcement.” Thus, not only empirical data but also other evidence proffered by the State demonstrates that a roadblock program was unnecessary because effective alternatives were available.
Additionally, the record fails to show any significant incremental contribution to highway safety resulting from the use of a roadblock program. In 1982, an evaluation of the comprehensive program showed that although there had been a dramatic upswing in drunk driving arrests during the initial year there had not been a “corresponding decline in the number of fatal accidents.” Accordingly, the State determined to add a roadblock program to the comprehensive program otherwise comprised entirely of traditional techniques. The success of the roadblock program was to be evaluated by the objective criteria of a decreasing number of fatal accidents.
The statistics proffered by the State do in fact show that in 1980 there were 782 fatal accidents; that in 1981 there were 794 fatal accidents; and that in 1982 there were 660 fatal accidents. However, testimony by the police officer who participated in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the roadblock program reveals that although the decision to add a roadblock program was reached after the evaluation of the 1981 statistics, the roadblock program, in fact, was not implemented until December 1982. Thus, the statistics proffered by the State indicate that the significant decrease in fatal accidents occurring in 1982 was the result of the refined and expanded comprehensive program of traditional methods that was in effect in 1982 and was not attributable to the roadblock program implemented in the latter half of December 1982. Accordingly, as the State conceded at oral argument there is nothing in these statistics to show either that the goal of decreasing fatal accidents could not be achieved through traditional methods or *516that the use of a roadblock program incrementally contributed to the achievement of that goal.1
More important, some of the other statistics proffered by the State to show the impact of the use of a roadblock program affirmatively indicate that such a practice is not a productive mechanism by which to achieve deterrence and detection of drunk drivers. For example, a pilot roadblock program was implemented in Harford County during December-February, 1982-1983. The control county was to be Frederick County because it was “most nearly comparable to Harford County.” Accordingly, no roadblock program was instituted in Frederick County. The comparative results were to be carefully monitored. The program’s success was to be evaluated on the basis of objective criteria, including the decrease in alcohol related accidents and fatal accidents.
The comparative statistics proffered by the State show that in Harford County, in the period of December-February, 1981-1982, there were 133 alcohol related accidents and 3 fatal accidents whereas in the pilot program period of December-February, 1982-1983, there were 120 alcohol related accidents, and 8 fatal accidents. Thus, these statistics show that in Harford County although there was a 10% decrease in the number of alcohol related accidents during the pilot roadblock program, there was a 270% increase in fatal accidents. The State’s comparative statistics further show that in Frederick County, there were 108 alcohol related accidents and 10 fatal accidents during December-February, 1981-1982, whereas during December-February, 1982-1983, there were 96 alcohol related accidents and 3 fatal accidents. These figures unequivocally establish that despite the absence of any roadblock program in Frederick County there was not only an 11% decrease in the number *517of alcohol related accidents, but also a 335% decrease in fatal accidents. Thus, these statistics prepared and proffered by the State, dramatically demonstrate that based on the objective criteria established by the State, the Harford County roadblock program was an ineffective technique by which to deter and detect drunk driving. Unlike the majority, I cannot gloss over or ignore the significance of this empirical data.
At oral argument the State candidly conceded that the proffered comparative statistics failed to show that the roadblock program was an incrementally effective technique.2 In the absence of adequate empirical data the State was compelled to rely upon certain anecdotal material to establish the efficacy of the roadblock program.3
An examination of the anecdotal material relied upon by the State reveals that it is no more effective than the empirical data relied upon to establish the incremental contribution of the roadblock program. As noted by the majority, there was evidence in the form of police observations, to show that during the roadblock program some intoxicated individuals were being driven by a sober companion, and that taxis, and in some instances chartered buses were being used to transport revelers. Nevertheless, there was absolutely no testimony concerning these police observations, to indicate what if any portion of this modified behavior was attributable to the existence of the roadblock program rather than the improved traditional methods then simultaneously being employed. Under these circumstances I, unlike the majority, cannot conclude based on these police observations that “[t]he prospect of being stopped at *518a roadblock thus convinced some individuals to find alternative means of transportation,” and, consequently, that “the pilot program had a substantial impact on the drunk driving problem.”
There was also evidence to show favorable public reaction to the roadblock program. The record however, further shows that the favorable comments were not only based on opinion rather than empirical data, but also were offset by a considerable number of negative comments. For example, in Harford County alone 2,500 persons signed an “anti-sobriety checkpoint” petition. Under those circumstances I, like the majority, place no reliance upon these expressions of public approval, as evidencing the incremental value of the roadblock program.
Finally, the record here shows that the State not only failed to establish that the roadblock program was incrementally effective but additionally admitted at oral argument that its deterrent value would decrease in the future. Throughout this proceeding, the State heavily emphasized the fact that participation in the roadblock program was voluntary because a motorist could avoid the roadblock by making a “U-turn” before reaching it or after stopping at the roadblock could refuse to roll down the car window and proceed without participating in the program. Nevertheless, at oral argument the State made it plain that “it was the fear of having to go through the checkpoint if one was drinking that changed the driving habit.” Thus, the State acknowledged that the effectiveness of the roadblock program was largely dependent upon the public’s erroneous perception that a stop at a roadblock and participation in the program was mandatory and could not be avoided. Ultimately, the State conceded that as the public became aware of the actual conditions under which the roadblock program was being operated its deterrent value would decrease.4
*519When all is said and done the evidence adduced by the State establishes that there were traditional methods then in use or available that effectively achieved the goal of deterring and detecting drunk drivers; that consequently, there was no pressing need for the roadblock program; that there was no significant, if any, incremental contribution resulting from the roadblock program; and that the marginal deterrent effect, if any, resulting from the roadblock program will decrease in the future as the public learns the truth about the program and the conditions under which it operates. In short, there is neither empirical data, nor any other evidence in this record that convinces me that the marginal incremental contribution, if any, of the roadblock program to the deterrence and detection of drunk drivers justified this practice under the Fourth Amendment. Accord, State ex rel. Ekstrom v. Justice Court of State, 136 Ariz. 1, 5, 663 P.2d 992, 996 (1983).
In balancing the societal interest in protection from drunk drivers against the individual interest in protection from unreasonable governmental action, I can only conclude that in this case, the individual rights accorded by the Constitution must prevail. As Justice Stewart, writing for a majority of the United States Supreme Court said:
“The needs of law enforcement stand in constant tension with the Constitution’s protections of the individual against certain exercises of official power. It is precisely the predictability of these pressures that counsels a resolute loyalty to Constitutional safeguards.” Almeida-Sanchez v. United States, 413 U.S. 266, 274, 93 S.Ct. 2535, 2540, 37 L.Ed.2d 596.
On the basis of the record before me, I would reverse the convictions and remand for new trials.

. Thus, at oral argument the Assistant Attorney General said:
"I think if you look at the statistics—statewide, the decrease in the fatalities in 1982 and ... in 1983 indicated that the entire law enforcement program was resulting in a decrease of fatalities."

. Thus, at oral argument the Assistant Attorney General said:
"I don’t know that the empirical figures in the State of Maryland given a 3 month very short program really are that meaningful in determining that kind of impact.”

. Thus, at oral argument the Assistant Attorney General said:
"The evidence I point to to demonstrate that the sobriety checkpoints did have the desired effect are the comments received, the calls that came into the State police, the responses.”

. Thus, at oral argument the Assistant Attorney General said:
"It obviously would lessen the deterrent value if we said precisely how limited the program actually is.”