Gotcha'!!

Welcome to the Hamptons! Have our leaders become so  immersed in the day to day stress of their lives that they don't see that they are creating the sensation of a police state. This past week alone I've seen police helicopters and three squad cars circling all around Bridgehampton Village, a blockade of Main St. in East Hampton by police to check any passing motorist's papers, a cop in the exact pose of this sign trying to catch unsuspecting parents as they drove on a 25 mph zone on the way to baseball practice (actually the disappointment on his face as car after car went by at 25 mph  was quite humorous) and now this marvelous bit of photography as all our visitors arrive for their weekend of relaxation. At least Linda Kabot has said the town will think about taking the horrible things down if enough people complain. Please everybody complain - we want to be known as a friendly, hospitable place. 

Interestingly, I've been talking about the pervasive presence of traffic police out here for the last month but I thought maybe I'm out of touch since no one seems to think its such a big deal. But last week I did my own informal survey of  people who spend a lot of time in their cars, driving in the suburbs and small towns etc. I asked if police ever did blockades to check for vehicle documents etc. like they do here. To a person they looked at me as if I was crazy and reminded me that this wasn't stalinist Russia, the Berlin wall was torn down, we were living in America. So I repeat why are our police encouraged to overdo it like this. Traffic laws are meant to make everyone live together more easily not to scare us or provide a source of revenue. The vast majority of citizens follow the laws and they should feel comfortable with the police and not subjected to threatening signs or scary blockades. 

 

www.myhamptons.us - kara

Comments

[siddmartha]

I really agree with you about this. This new breed of jack-booted young cops with buzz hair cuts is a far cry from the Protect and Serve police of the past. There are more courts and judges and young DA's on the East End every year and the cops are well-paid to keep the system going. It's a money machine for lawyers, judges and municipalities. And you are right - the public seems to support it. It truly terrifies me.