Like in Mexico, our towns need Check Points

By John Derby
August 19, 2010

It's hard to believe that we would one day be calling for Check Points in our town.

However, we live in an armed camp, and it seems that the only people who are unarmed are us.

Gang members and criminals drive around town with relative impunity carrying guns, and unless they violate a driving law, they are not stopped.

Police are not suppose to stop them just because they look suspicious, or fit a profile of a gang member.

What we need are Check Points manned by law enforcement officers or the military.

These are common place in Mexico, and they cause no harm except the inconvenience of having to wait to be inspected. There can be no illegal guns, ammunition or drugs. If any of these three items are found, the individual goes to jail and it is not a pleasant experience.

In Mexico, the Check Points are manned by the military. Young men who are serving their two years mandatory duty.

In our country this would be a good use for our military.

When the problems in Iraq settled, we thought we would see our young people come home. That has not been the case. They are being sent even further away to Afghanistan, a no-win situation in which our presence is not requested -- and not even appreciated.

Our government has felt it politically expedient to send our soldiers to another war zone because there are no jobs for them at home.

Check Points could be the answer.

More border patrols and less fences.

More Check Points and less guns and drugs in our town.

This just makes sense.

Gang members who know that their car is going to be stopped and searched are not going to carry around guns with them.

Right now there are no laws which allow law enforcement officers to just stop people because they think they might have a gun.

Check Points would act as a deterrent and it would also give meaningful job for our young troops.

This country cannot continue doing things as it has in the past. Check Points are common in most countries in the world, and the world is changing. While we would like to keep things as they have been in the past, we need to realize it is no longer safe to walk on our streets.

Check Points are the answer.