ACLU
from pagiXI
points the department held
during the 12-month period
the ACLU requested records
for "excessive," said the
checkpoints are being staged
almost exclusively in areas
that are predominantly black
and Hispanic.
"Racial disparities are
occurring when the police set
up these checkpoints," Pinto
told the handful of people in
attendance at the meeting.
"...If you live in a neighbor
hood that is 61 percent or
more minority, you are 17.8
times more likely to see a
1 checkpoint than a white
neighborhood."
The Police Department
has denied that its check
points target minorities.
Pinto said the ACLU
doesn't want a lawsuit, only a
suitable resolution to the
conflict, but the organization
will sue if no resolution can
be amicably reached.
"The overall goal of the
ACLU is to bring about
change in what's going on
and how it can be done," he
stated. "...We're trying to be
as open and as reasonable as
possible with the police
department, as a way of say
ing, 'Look, this is how you
can make this better for the
community.'"
Others in attendance
weren't so willing to settle
for an out-of-court resolu
tion. S. Wayne Patterson, a
civil rights attorney and pres
ident of the local NAACP,
said he wants to try the case
in hopes that its outcome
could establish restrictions
on the implementation of
checkpoints that do not cur
rently exist in the state.
"The goal is to set prece
dent. Precedent is far more
important than damages,"
declared the city native. "If.
we can set a precedent here
in Winston-Salem, it will set
precedent throughout the
state, and hopefully across
the Southeast."
E. Clarke Dummit of the
Dummit Law Firm said he
has spent over 15 years fight
ing stationary license check
points in court. He implored
those present to take advan
tage of the opportunity to
attack the issue as a commu
nity.
"The work you've done
here is incredible. We need to
litigate," Dummit declared.
"...When the community's
doing it, it puts a lot more
pressure on the Court of
Appeals. It takes this kind of
audience and this kind of
Photos by Layla Fanner
Attorney E. Clarke Dummit speaks.
community involvement to
get the Court of Appeals to
say, 'that's wrong."*
Dummit went on to say
that the checkpoints, which
are known to affect undocu
mented drivers the most
adversely, wouldn't be neces
sary had it not been for a
2006 law that made it illegal
for undocumented residents
to obtain drivers licenses or
insurance.
"We legislated it so peo
ple could not get a license
and could not get insurance,"
he stated. "We created this
problem."
Elbia Altamirez has
pledged to help galvanize the
Hispanic community around
the issue and encourage
those affected by the check
points to speak out. A com
munity health educator for
the last three years,
Altamirez says she has seen
firsthand the devastating
effects the licensing laws and
the frequent traffic stops that
often ensnare unlicensed
drivers can have.
"I see that happen every
day," the Nicaragua native
said of unlicensed drivers
being ticketed, fined or
retained. "They lose their
jobs because they are not
able to get to their jobs. They
become homeless. It is a
common problem that is hap
pening in the community."
Patterson said trying the
case would be an opportunity
for the city to lead the charge
in forging practices thatdon't
disproportionately impact
one group.
"Just like North Carolina
established a precedent in
2006 with the license laws,
now we need to set a prece
dent in a positive way," he
said.
Mayor Pro Tempore
Vivian Burke said she has
received good feedback
about the frequent police,
presence in minority commu
nities, and that some report
feeling safer with more
police around.
"Some people don't see it
in a negative way. They see it
in a positive way," she said.
"They really are happy to see
the police, no matter what
reason they are here for."
The city's Public Safety
Committee is slated to exam
Elbia Altamirez
ine the issue during its meet
ing on Feb. 13. Burke, who
chairs the committee, urged
all those who have strong
opinions about the subject to
come out and let their voices
be heard.
"When we irtfte this
meeting, we're asking every
one to come," she said. "If
they have concerns, we want
to hear from them. We need
to see them. That's why
we're having this open, pub
lie meeting."
The Public Safety
Committee meeting will be
held on Monday at 5:30 p.m.
at City Hall, 101 N. Main
Street. For more information,
call City Link, 727-8000 or
311.
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