Honolulu Police Department
The Honolulu Police Department have come up with a unique way to curb drunk drivers and DUI. By publishing pictures of suspects on the HPD website.
Although a group called Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, suggests that there is little evidence that this will deter drivers from drinking. In the mugshots, the suspects appear to be having a hard time keeping their eyes open, some are even smiling.
Each 24 hours the police will update the pictures with a new group of suspects. They hope it will embarrass the drivers to curb their habits. Some supporters are even saying that they think it should be used in other areas in the nation if it helps to reduce numbers of drunks on the roads.
But the exercise also has it’s critics who think the mug shot gallery is a heavy handed tactic which threatens violation of the constitutional rights and will hurt reputations before court convictions. Head of police traffic division Maj. Thomas Nitta said, “We’re not trying to embarrass anybody,” and continued. “This is public record, and we want people to be aware of this.”
But unfortunately even defense attorneys have their doubts about the move stopping drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel. Attorney Pat McPherson who has handled hundreds of cases of DUI said “There’s no empirical data to show it does anything other than embarrass them,” and also. “There may be a good intent here, but it doesn’t necessarily make it a good thing and really opens the police up to liability.”
It is a new step as the police themselves are publishing the same images that are only mere to the arrest records and photos seen as public records, which have been shown on TV and published for decades.
The American Civil Liberties Union has another angle Jay Stanley, a public educator for the ACLU’s technology liberty program said, “The police frequently arrest people who do not deserve to be arrested, and in today’s Internet environment having your picture posted on a Web site is something that can stick with you for the rest of your life.” Citing the possible unconstitutionality of the initiative.
As serious an offence as drink driving is, keeping drunk drivers off roads saves lives. Although a right to a fair trial is one of America’s principles. The mugshots being posted on the website by the Honolulu Police Department is assuming guilt. This does not leave the option of people being innocent until being proved guilty open.