California: Police Raid Car Enthusiast Gathering
04-03-2008, 06:50 PM
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California: Police Raid Car Enthusiast Gathering
California: Police Raid Car Enthusiast Gathering, Generate Revenue
Police raid Riverside, California parking lot to issue modified car tickets at local car enthusiast gathering.
Using $503,000 in federal and state gas tax revenue to pay for overtime, nine police agencies in Riverside, California sent more than one hundred police officers to surround a gathering of automotive enthusiasts. Owners of imported sport compact cars had gathered at the Canyon Crossing shopping center on Friday night to swap stories, talk about their passion for cars and show off the latest enhancements to their rides. At around 11pm police surprised participants by blocking all exits with fifty police cruisers. Officers then began a warrantless search and interrogation operation of the 150 vehicles that were present.
"If you're not into street racing, why would you need that?" Riverside Police Traffic Sergeant Skip Showalter asked an enthusiast during a similar crackdown last year. "Why would you want more power going to your car?"
Police issued a total of forty-eight tickets for "engine modifications" with police accusing the owners of the parked vehicles of being street racers. Another fifty tickets were issued for paperwork violations, dark window tinting and lack of a front license plate. The most revenue, however, will be generated from the fees imposed on twenty vehicles that were confiscated. Despite labeling the parking lot raid as taking place at a "street racing venue," Riverside Police offered no evidence that any street racing actually took place.
Across the state, gas tax funds are regularly used to fund similar crackdowns that generate big revenue. In 2004, the California Highway Patrol issued a total of 101,553 "modified car" citations worth $10.5 million according to CHP data obtained by TheNewspaper.
Other law enforcement agencies participating in Friday night's raid included the California Highway Patrol, Riverside County Sheriff's Department, and police from Baldwin Park, Fontana, Irwindale, Moreno Valley, Ontario and Mount San Jacinto Community College.
http://thenewspaper.com/news/23/2302.asp
Remember, before you guys start bashing all cops, take in mind that I have been a Police Officer for ten years now and I don't agree with what took place.
Police raid Riverside, California parking lot to issue modified car tickets at local car enthusiast gathering.
Using $503,000 in federal and state gas tax revenue to pay for overtime, nine police agencies in Riverside, California sent more than one hundred police officers to surround a gathering of automotive enthusiasts. Owners of imported sport compact cars had gathered at the Canyon Crossing shopping center on Friday night to swap stories, talk about their passion for cars and show off the latest enhancements to their rides. At around 11pm police surprised participants by blocking all exits with fifty police cruisers. Officers then began a warrantless search and interrogation operation of the 150 vehicles that were present.
"If you're not into street racing, why would you need that?" Riverside Police Traffic Sergeant Skip Showalter asked an enthusiast during a similar crackdown last year. "Why would you want more power going to your car?"
Police issued a total of forty-eight tickets for "engine modifications" with police accusing the owners of the parked vehicles of being street racers. Another fifty tickets were issued for paperwork violations, dark window tinting and lack of a front license plate. The most revenue, however, will be generated from the fees imposed on twenty vehicles that were confiscated. Despite labeling the parking lot raid as taking place at a "street racing venue," Riverside Police offered no evidence that any street racing actually took place.
Across the state, gas tax funds are regularly used to fund similar crackdowns that generate big revenue. In 2004, the California Highway Patrol issued a total of 101,553 "modified car" citations worth $10.5 million according to CHP data obtained by TheNewspaper.
Other law enforcement agencies participating in Friday night's raid included the California Highway Patrol, Riverside County Sheriff's Department, and police from Baldwin Park, Fontana, Irwindale, Moreno Valley, Ontario and Mount San Jacinto Community College.
http://thenewspaper.com/news/23/2302.asp
Remember, before you guys start bashing all cops, take in mind that I have been a Police Officer for ten years now and I don't agree with what took place.
04-03-2008, 07:05 PM
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Wow! I just don't know what to say.... is that even legal? One of the articles on the raids said
"The police then mailed each participant an accusatory letter, even though no law had been broken and no resident had been disturbed by the friendly meeting."
Did these people get tickets or was it more of a "Watch out because we are watching you!" scare tactic? Either way that sux and I'm scared now....
"The police then mailed each participant an accusatory letter, even though no law had been broken and no resident had been disturbed by the friendly meeting."
Did these people get tickets or was it more of a "Watch out because we are watching you!" scare tactic? Either way that sux and I'm scared now....
04-03-2008, 07:50 PM
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Well, I just fail to see the point. They obviously spent far more money on this whole operation than the amount of revenue they will receive from the fines they issued. $503,000? If this is accurate, how can they possibly justify that kind of expense just to break up a car meet? When all is said and done, the car guys will all be back on the road with their modified vehicles, and the state will be out hundreds of thousands of dollars even after collecting all the fines. What a waste of money. This state should try investing in something more worthwhile - you know, like schools, hospitals, and infrastructure.
04-03-2008, 07:57 PM
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Based on the numbers provided in the article, each "modified car" citation issued by the CHP in 2004 netted an average of $103 (given $10.5 million from 101,553 citations). Since the cops issued 48 engine tickets and 50 other modification tickets, that's 98 tickets at $103 average each, for a total ticket revenue of $10,094. As for the 20 impounded vehicles, the impound fees will probably be around $500 if each owner has the vehicle released immediately without incurring additional fees. Twenty vehicles at $500 each is a total revenue of $10,000, for a grand total net of $20,094. Given that the operation cost the state $503,000, that's a total loss of $482,906 for the state of California. Nice.
04-03-2008, 08:05 PM
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wow what a waste of money... i agree with you RodC that they should of spent the money on something worthwhile. its funny cause some of my buddies are cops and they have modified cars. even some of the people they work with.
04-03-2008, 08:33 PM
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I don't live in Cali but uif I soup up my scion then what happens to my Ferrari? Is that Illegal since it can go fast without Modifications???Sorry i live in the south and this does not make any sense at all!
04-03-2008, 09:02 PM
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Originally Posted by rswscion08
I don't live in Cali but uif I soup up my scion then what happens to my Ferrari? Is that Illegal since it can go fast without Modifications???Sorry i live in the south and this does not make any sense at all!
04-04-2008, 06:52 AM
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*sigh* well in cali, for the cops, probable cause is pretty easy to get sometimes.
You can interpret pretty much any action as probable cause if you frame it with the right language to the right judge.
"the suspect seemed TOO eager to cooperate with my inquiries and accepted all of my requests for cooperation"
"the subject appeared agitated, looking around, and laughing excessively to their friends"
"The subject appeared fidgety."
I'm guessing that everyone there probably had at least tinted windows and an aftermarket muffler so that was probable cause to search everyone's cars.
BTW, there's a California law saying you can't REPLACE parts of a cars exhaust system if they are still functional. And then , they specify that you can only replace mufflers with OEM parts. I don't remember the exact citation # but that's what the cops will use to get you even if you show paperwork that the exhaust noise is under 95 db. Also, please note, that a muffler, if its behind the catalytic converter, does nothing to the
IF they try to get you for smog, just inform that your cat is still there (assuming it is).
You can interpret pretty much any action as probable cause if you frame it with the right language to the right judge.
"the suspect seemed TOO eager to cooperate with my inquiries and accepted all of my requests for cooperation"
"the subject appeared agitated, looking around, and laughing excessively to their friends"
"The subject appeared fidgety."
I'm guessing that everyone there probably had at least tinted windows and an aftermarket muffler so that was probable cause to search everyone's cars.
BTW, there's a California law saying you can't REPLACE parts of a cars exhaust system if they are still functional. And then , they specify that you can only replace mufflers with OEM parts. I don't remember the exact citation # but that's what the cops will use to get you even if you show paperwork that the exhaust noise is under 95 db. Also, please note, that a muffler, if its behind the catalytic converter, does nothing to the
IF they try to get you for smog, just inform that your cat is still there (assuming it is).
04-04-2008, 01:21 PM
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Originally Posted by etli
*sigh*
BTW, there's a California law saying you can't REPLACE parts of a cars exhaust system if they are still functional. And then , they specify that you can only replace mufflers with OEM parts. I don't remember the exact citation # but that's what the cops will use to get you even if you show paperwork that the exhaust noise is under 95 db. Also, please note, that a muffler, if its behind the catalytic converter, does nothing to the
IF they try to get you for smog, just inform that your cat is still there (assuming it is).
BTW, there's a California law saying you can't REPLACE parts of a cars exhaust system if they are still functional. And then , they specify that you can only replace mufflers with OEM parts. I don't remember the exact citation # but that's what the cops will use to get you even if you show paperwork that the exhaust noise is under 95 db. Also, please note, that a muffler, if its behind the catalytic converter, does nothing to the
IF they try to get you for smog, just inform that your cat is still there (assuming it is).
whoa whoa whoa~
So then, is having a TRD exhaust on a tC actually illegal if it was installed after the car was purchased as new? Or does that qualify as an "OEM" part since it is from Toyota..technically?.....
04-04-2008, 05:30 PM
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Originally Posted by RodC
Based on the numbers provided in the article, each "modified car" citation issued by the CHP in 2004 netted an average of $103 (given $10.5 million from 101,553 citations). Since the cops issued 48 engine tickets and 50 other modification tickets, that's 98 tickets at $103 average each, for a total ticket revenue of $10,094. As for the 20 impounded vehicles, the impound fees will probably be around $500 if each owner has the vehicle released immediately without incurring additional fees. Twenty vehicles at $500 each is a total revenue of $10,000, for a grand total net of $20,094. Given that the operation cost the state $503,000, that's a total loss of $482,906 for the state of California. Nice.
04-04-2008, 05:39 PM
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Originally Posted by IntegreS_350
Originally Posted by etli
*sigh*
BTW, there's a California law saying you can't REPLACE parts of a cars exhaust system if they are still functional. And then , they specify that you can only replace mufflers with OEM parts. I don't remember the exact citation # but that's what the cops will use to get you even if you show paperwork that the exhaust noise is under 95 db. Also, please note, that a muffler, if its behind the catalytic converter, does nothing to the
IF they try to get you for smog, just inform that your cat is still there (assuming it is).
BTW, there's a California law saying you can't REPLACE parts of a cars exhaust system if they are still functional. And then , they specify that you can only replace mufflers with OEM parts. I don't remember the exact citation # but that's what the cops will use to get you even if you show paperwork that the exhaust noise is under 95 db. Also, please note, that a muffler, if its behind the catalytic converter, does nothing to the
IF they try to get you for smog, just inform that your cat is still there (assuming it is).
whoa whoa whoa~
So then, is having a TRD exhaust on a tC actually illegal if it was installed after the car was purchased as new? Or does that qualify as an "OEM" part since it is from Toyota..technically?.....TRD CAI on the other hand= illegal due to not being CARB approved
thats why if you check out the CAI, it'll have a bigg @$$ sticker sayin "for off-road use only"
so you should be good
04-04-2008, 09:16 PM
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happened here in houston tx... city got sued big time so they dont do raids anymore on them.. they usually just send one cop to make ppl leave.
http://www.click2houston.com/news/1634868/detail.html
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5546315.html
http://www.click2houston.com/news/1634868/detail.html
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5546315.html
04-04-2008, 09:38 PM
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Wow...that sux, what a waste of money! Glad I live in AZ... PHX is short handed on Officers and they spend their time (mostly) on more important business like murders and home invasions...REAL POLICE WORK!
but on a serious note, that was not cool what they did. what if you werent even apart of the meet and you just happened to have a modified car?