DUI Dismissals for Sale

The DUI Blog has picked up our local story about being able to buy your way out of trouble if you get a DUI.

Just so we’re clear on where the “War on Drunk Driving” is headed, take a look at what’s been happening in Washington State. The courts in the Tri-Cities area (Kennewick, Pasco and Richland) have a “cash-for-deals” approach to those arrested for drunk driving: contribute some money to the police department or a designated charity and your DUI charges will be dismissed or reduced.

Unfortunately, the local gold mine caught the FBI’s interest — but only because the cash started going into the wrong pockets:

Deals for Dollars Gain Statewide Notoriety

Tri-City Herald, April 17. News about Tri-City jurisdictions reducing or dropping criminal charges in exchange for cash donations just keeps on coming. Now, our local programs have drawn statewide attention — and criticism…

As much as I am against people driving drunk and think that those who do so should be prosecuted, it is an area where I feel the we have given too much power to the police. The DUIBlog is quite interesting reading and shows how our liberties have been sacrificed and how the once cherished, “innocent till proven guilty”, ideal is under direct attack.