Thursday the Weldon Police Department notified us there will be a DWI checkpoint tonight on Highway 301.
In the most technical sense of the word this was not supposed to be a public notice, only an invitation but there was a miscommunication about this on the police department’s part.
Police departments that draw media attendance to these checkpoints are awarded points by the Governor’s Highway Safety Program for possible grants for new equipment.
So we publish the story, post it to the Facebook page and then comments come in.
You would think the Weldon PD had just killed someone or leaked the secret that the mill overlooking the river was a secret burial ground for ancient aliens.
Both rrspin.com and the Weldon Police Department don’t regret that news of the checkpoint was published.
In the age of social media someone thinking they are a cub reporter was going to go on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and report the goings on at Highway 301.
To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
We don’t regret a bit publishing this information and don’t think the Weldon PD is stupid, incompetent or irresponsible for mistakenly releasing information that was supposed to be an FYI.
Who is it hurting that there is a checkpoint planned tonight? Law-abiding citizens shouldn’t care and criminals that have read about it shouldn’t care because sooner or later they are going to get caught and criminals that haven’t read about it and try to turn around to escape the checkpoint are going to be stopped.
There is no reason we can think of to oppose publication of checkpoints. It lets casual drinkers know that they should slow down and drink responsibly and perhaps will make the problem drinker think about staying at home.
As of last check, 946 people read this story on rrspin.com and 1,415 people saw it on our Facebook page. That’s 2,361 people that know what is happening on Highway 301 and will perhaps enlist the help of a designated driver or decide to stay home. Some folks are just going to do what they want to do and will pay consequences whether in Weldon, Roanoke Rapids or out of the area. That’s something the Weldon Police Department or we can’t stop.
The comments coming in on this matter make it seem like we should embrace a speed trap state in our community when we should be embracing a working relationship with law enforcement.
The Roanoke Rapids Police Department routinely puts locations of radar areas and checkpoints on its Twitter feed.
It is a way for the community to stay connected with the police department and to adhere to the warnings.
It’s a greater part of a community outreach where law enforcement are public servants and part of the job is to prevent crime and not watch it happen.
Forewarned is forearmed — Editor
