Charlotte Cops take cars

[SNEEZ]

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/15357798/detail.html (http://www.wsoctv.com/news/15357798/detail.html)

“If you get caught street racing, we're going to take your car and I'm going to enjoy driving it." –CMPD Capt. Andy Kornberg
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Just the rims on the glossy blue and black 2005 Nissan 350 Z are worth three grand. You can tell the owner really put a lot of time, money and effort into making it one bad ride.

The same can be said for the sonic blue 2003 SVT Cobra parked right next to it. This baby puts more than 500 horses out of it's hand crafted engine.

"Thanks for giving me a nice ride," said Capt. Andy Kornberg. He runs the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police HITS Unit - short for Highway Interdiction and Safety.

Kornberg is thanking the previous owners of these two cars. You see, they were both confiscated when the owners were caught illegally racing them through the streets of south Charlotte.

Now, they belong to the police. The cars that were once used to break they law will now be used to enforce it.

"The precedent has been set," said Kornberg. "If you get caught street racing, we're going to take your car and I'm going to enjoy driving it to be perfectly honest."

The police will be driving them all over town in hopes of catching speeders and aggressive drivers by surprise.

"We are going to hide in plain sight," said Kornberg.

The police are moving away from the days when they hide behind billboards in marked cars to catch speeders. These units, looking like anything but police cars, will be out in the flow of traffic, keeping an eye on things, ready to pounce.

Of course, some modifications have been made to the cars sice their street racing days.

The exhausts were made street legal and all the nitrous boosters had to be removed. After that, the cars were equipped with the latest laser dectection radar and wide array of blue lights hidden in the grill, windows, tail lights and mirrors.

All the lights make for a dazzling display and are there for a very good reason.

Police don't wan't the public to confuse them with so-called "blue light bandits," people who prey on motorists by pretneding to be police in unmarked cars. There are so many lights on these new units and they will only be manned by police in uniform. The hope is all of these precautions will eliminate any confusion.

Kornberg says people who are still leary of blue light bandits should put on their hazards, pull into a populated well-lit area and call 911 if they are worried. Polioce dispatch will confirm whether or not the person pulling them over is an actual police.

These two cars are now part of a 24 car, unmarked fleet used by HITS to enforce traffic laws throughout the county.

You can check out the new unmarked police cars. There is a slideshow in the sidebar of this article.

Commie bastards. Yes I have a huge problem with govmnt confiscation of private property.
they're jsut pissed they can't keep up or catch the people doing it, and that they never had anything that nice

what they dont realize is that "street racers" aren't the 16-18yr olds

its the 25+ age groupd who are SMART AND GO AWAY FROM CITIES, AND ARE QUIET ABOUT IT

[SouthernCock]

that's why i hate cops

[cack]

this is jsut ****ing GHEY ...

[Colatown]

Good for the cops, keep these scum off the roads.

[LBC]

As long as they race on PRIVATE roads I don't care what they do. However, as soon as they endanger people (more importantly my friends and family) on a PUBLIC road they should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

[SNEEZ]

Cops...keep those scum off the roads.

*Fixed

[cack]

if people are racing out in the open ... then i have no problem with it ... if it's some back road and they block it off ... and pretty much are smart about it ... who cares

[Mecklenburg Cock]

As long as they race on PRIVATE roads I don't care what they do. However, as soon as they endanger people (more importantly my friends and family) on a PUBLIC road they should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

I agree 100%.

[FlorenceCock]

I am in total agreement with this. If they want to race they need to do it on private property or at a race track. If they do it on a public road no matter how far out in the country it is or how un traveled it is they should be punished. I think they should take their cars away and take their licenses away from them for at least 1 years time. People who talk badly about the police are ignorant. It is just 1% of the police you see on tv and youtube doing bad things that give the other 99% a bad rap. You have no idea the crap police have to put up with for very little pay. They are out there every day making sure that we are safe and I appreciate everything they do for us.

[usc90grad]

The problem is Charlotte is rich kids with hot rods...or their Daddy's BMW or Porsche...were racing on I-485 at speeds topping 100 MPH. I'm glad the cops took their cars. The little punks shouldn't be endangering others.

Now if they can just stop the drunken illegals from riding the wrong way on 485.

[RGHoskins]

I don't agree with seizure, but the defendants were well aware of what the penalty for street racing was. What I have a problem with is some jackass city cop piloting a car he has absolutely no business piloting (and anyone who brings up the "professional driving" that cops learn knows nothing about the capabilities of either of these cars). Furthermore, these are very high strung race cars that are difficult and expensive to maintain. Not fair to the taxpayers. Lastly, it's a huge security issue. The police dept's are just perpetuating the idea that flashing blue lights make a car a police car. They don't.

[RGHoskins]

I am in total agreement with this. If they want to race they need to do it on private property or at a race track. If they do it on a public road no matter how far out in the country it is or how un traveled it is they should be punished. I think they should take their cars away and take their licenses away from them for at least 1 years time. People who talk badly about the police are ignorant. It is just 1% of the police you see on tv and youtube doing bad things that give the other 99% a bad rap. You have no idea the crap police have to put up with for very little pay. They are out there every day making sure that we are safe and I appreciate everything they do for us.Is there a respectful way to say "bullsh*t"? I guess underpaid is relative. I think their salaries are very adequate. Most of what law enforcement does is generate revenue for the community...kinda like hall monitors. As for "protecting the community", I'm fully capable of protecting myself, and to date, have never needed law enforcement to intervene on my behalf. I also think that way more than 1 percent of law enforcement abuse their meager power, but I have no way to prove that, just as you know way to prove your one percent theory. I do agree with you that the defendants should lose their license for a spell.

[SNEEZ]

People who talk badly about the police are ignorant. It is just 1% of the police you see on tv and youtube doing bad things that give the other 99% a bad rap. You have no idea the crap police have to put up with for very little pay. They are out there every day making sure that we are safe and I appreciate everything they do for us.

You've never been to richmond county in augusta

cops are crooked as hell

I don't give a damn about cops on tv, I'm adult enough to formulate my own opinion and cops, around here, are crooked power abusers.

They SIGN ON FOR THE JOB, they aren't forced, and I don't want to hear about the crap they put up with, they can finc otehr jobs jsut like anyone else.

usually its the kids in HS who have 0 friends and were picked on their whole life becoming cops and then they develop a power compex and chip on their shoulder against others.

[JAYBEZ]

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/15357798/detail.html (http://www.wsoctv.com/news/15357798/detail.html)



Commie bastards. Yes I have a huge problem with govmnt confiscation of private property.
they're jsut pissed they can't keep up or catch the people doing it, and that they never had anything that nice

what they dont realize is that "street racers" aren't the 16-18yr olds

its the 25+ age groupd who are SMART AND GO AWAY FROM CITIES, AND ARE QUIET ABOUT IT


So... you're a big fan of the police not enforcing the law? Keeping the rest of the city safe from jackasses racing through traffic? This can be especially dangerous in charlotte. The roads are always crowded here.

Of course, if you stay pat with your current logic, you should also be very pissed off when the police confiscate a persons license for DUIs. That too is personal property and the police took it away because someone broke the law.

grow up man.

If the punks didn't break the law, they would still have their rides.

[Mecklenburg Cock]

The problem is Charlotte is rich kids with hot rods...or their Daddy's BMW or Porsche...were racing on I-485 at speeds topping 100 MPH. I'm glad the cops took their cars. The little punks shouldn't be endangering others.

Now if they can just stop the drunken illegals from riding the wrong way on 485.

Too many innocent people are killed in Charlotte and on I485 each year because of these guys racing. The police have fought this for years and now they're taking swifter action. I can't blame them. How many innocent people have to become victims before these guys get it?

[JAYBEZ]

You've never been to richmond county in augusta

cops are crooked as hell

I don't give a damn about cops on tv, I'm adult enough to formulate my own opinion and cops, around here, are crooked power abusers.

They SIGN ON FOR THE JOB, they aren't forced, and I don't want to hear about the crap they put up with, they can finc otehr jobs jsut like anyone else.

usually its the kids in HS who have 0 friends and were picked on their whole life becoming cops and then they develop a power compex and chip on their shoulder against others.

You have no idea what you are talking about do you?

I have several friends and family members that are in Law enforcement. And contrary to your view, they were all actually very popular in their youth (not some lonely kid that is looking to get back at the world).

Not to mention, these individuals do not WRITE the laws, they enforce them. They are doing their job. If you are so pissed at the punishments or penalties they enforce, maybe you should express your anger to your local politicians. This isn't the Wild West. Police officials cannot just do whatever they like, when they like.

[Colatown]

Too many innocent people are killed in Charlotte and on I485 each year because of these guys racing. The police have fought this for years and now they're taking swifter action. I can't blame them. How many innocent people have to become victims before these guys get it?
Sneez thinks there is no limit.

[cack]

the problem i have/see here is ... there will be a cop in one of these cars ... someone will try to race him ... and he'll do just that ... he'll take off at a redlight with him ... may even start the race ... that is entrapment(sp) ... the law is the law ... if you break it then you deserve whatever the punishment is ... but like RGHoskins said ... blue lights and street legal mufflers ... doesn't make this a cop car

[Mecklenburg Cock]

the problem i have/see here is ... there will be a cop in one of these cars ... someone will try to race him ... and he'll do just that ... he'll take off at a redlight with him ... may even start the race ... that is entrapment(sp) ... the law is the law ... if you break it then you deserve whatever the punishment is ... but like RGHoskins said ... blue lights and street legal mufflers ... doesn't make this a cop car

Crockett used to drive around in a Ferrari to fit the part. It's like a cop posing to be a drug dealer/buyer to bust the dealer/buyer.

[usc90grad]

the problem i have/see here is ... there will be a cop in one of these cars ... someone will try to race him ... and he'll do just that ... he'll take off at a redlight with him ... may even start the race ... that is entrapment(sp)

I see your point, but I don't see that as entrapment. If a guys gonna race, it might as well be with the police who can nab his azz.

[RGHoskins]

Crockett used to drive around in a Ferrari to fit the part. It's like a cop posing to be a drug dealer/buyer to bust the dealer/buyer.Crockett's Ferrari didn't put out over 500 rwhp....these cops are NOT equipped to drive these cars. The cop that drives the Cobra told my buddy at a dyno day last week "Oh I can handle it. I used to have a Z28". I give him a month before he crashes it.

[Mecklenburg Cock]

Crockett's Ferrari didn't put out over 500 rwhp....these cops are NOT equipped to drive these cars. The cop that drives the Cobra told my buddy at a dyno day last week "Oh I can handle it. I used to have a Z28". I give him a month before he crashes it.

I hear what you're saying. I wasn't thinking about the horsepower portion of it as much as I was thinking about the officers appearing to fit the part.

[SNEEZ]

You have no idea what you are talking about do you?

I have several friends and family members that are in Law enforcement. And contrary to your view, they were all actually very popular in their youth (not some lonely kid that is looking to get back at the world).

Not to mention, these individuals do not WRITE the laws, they enforce them. They are doing their job. If you are so pissed at the punishments or penalties they enforce, maybe you should express your anger to your local politicians. This isn't the Wild West. Police officials cannot just do whatever they like, when they like.

politicians...:rotfl:

like I said first thing in my post RICHMOND COUNTY, GEORGIA.
Is the only place I'm talking about. I know alot of them and I KNOW how bad it is.
You

[AtlGAMECOCK]

I for one think it is a horrible ideal, now these sick dudes that pretend to be cops to assault someone will have an easier time once ppl get used to these unmarked cars.There will also be alot of runners which could be potentially worse than street racing.They tried that around here because guys were flying on bikes on I-85 well I know of a couple of them that died, one ran into the cop's car.Coming from the street racing scene, take their license, impound their car, fine them, and detune their car,and govern it so it won't go past a certain speed.

[lakefire]

Wow, I am surprised so many of y'all are in favor of the government stealing private property.

So now that all the street racers see this, they are going to do everything in their power to not get pulled over. Why would you want to actually pull over when the police is then going to steal your car. You might as well just run and risk you totalling it than them having it.

No one deserves at $30k fine for speeding.

If they are going to steal street racer's cars then they also need to steal DUI drivers as well as generally speeders, and of course people that run red lights. Hell steal everyone's car for every auto law that is broken.

[palmettogirlusc]

i honestly don't know what to think about about. you would think they would donate the cars to something other than themselves. all i know is its the backroads the real racers use. I remember i was driving the back way home to roebuck from pacolet (driving through paluine on highway 53) on christmas eve...3 years ago (wow its really that long ago...crazy). and there were two cars coming right at me side by side extremly fast. this was at midnight. luckily they straitlined and slowed down as they approached me, but as soon as they passed me they were back to racin

[CockNBlythewood]

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/15357798/detail.html (http://www.wsoctv.com/news/15357798/detail.html)



Commie bastards. Yes I have a huge problem with govmnt confiscation of private property.
they're jsut pissed they can't keep up or catch the people doing it, and that they never had anything that nice

what they dont realize is that "street racers" aren't the 16-18yr olds

its the 25+ age groupd who are SMART AND GO AWAY FROM CITIES, AND ARE QUIET ABOUT IT
No offense but most 16-18 year olds cant afford 3,000 dollar rims.

[CountryLivNcock]

I agree with the police taking the cars. If you are going to break the law you should be willing to pay the price if you get caught. If you street race on public roads, and get caught losing your car is a just price. If you are that dumb you don't deserve a car or a license. As for the police being crooked there are jackasses in all walks of life and all jobs and you can't judge them all by the poor examples of some.

[CockNBlythewood]

I agree with the police taking the cars. If you are going to break the law you should be willing to pay the price if you get caught. If you street race on public roads, and get caught losing your car is a just price. If you are that dumb you don't deserve a car or a license. As for the police being crooked there are jackasses in all walks of life and all jobs and you can't judge them all by the poor examples of some.
But the way they are going about it is entrapment. It's like putting a gun in their hands and making them pull the trigger then giving them the charge of murder. You could have someone who has never broken a law. This cop pulls up in a street racer and revs up his engine signaling a challenge. You, feeling adventerous today, decide to accept that challenge. Breaking the law is one thing. Putting them in the situation to break the law is another.

[SNEEZ]

No offense but most 16-18 year olds cant afford 3,000 dollar rims.

as i said AREN'T 16-18yr olds

and no THEY can't, but mommy and daddy fund most kids under 18 with cars nicer than $3-4k

[SpuR48]

mommy and daddy fund most kids under 18 with cars nicer than $3-4k

Sad but true.

I agree with stiff penalties to street racers, but I don't think taking their cars is the answer. It's just going to escalate chases when the guys get caught, which will end up causing more injuries. Detune and fine. Simple.

I can't stand seeing all these newer cop tactics... using red SUV's and pickup trucks to pull people over. Everyone is going to be paranoid about being raped on the interstate when they get pulled by BLB.

[CountryLivNcock]

But the way they are going about it is entrapment. It's like putting a gun in their hands and making them pull the trigger then giving them the charge of murder. You could have someone who has never broken a law. This cop pulls up in a street racer and revs up his engine signaling a challenge. You, feeling adventerous today, decide to accept that challenge. Breaking the law is one thing. Putting them in the situation to break the law is another.

Well that is true. Entrapment will be something they will have to be careful to avoid. You can bet if there is even a glimpse of anything even remotely looking like entrapment on someone that is caught. They will get a lawyer and they will have the charges dropped and it will be all over the place.

[Cocky2001]

Here is what I don't understand...Why aren't the cops going after drug dealers???

I know that speeding and racing is dangerous and that sometimes innocent people pay the consequences...but, do you really think that more innocents are hurt by street racers or by drug dealers??? The answer is drug dealers and it is by a long shot. It is not even close. And I am not just talking about the lowlife street dealers, I am talking about the suppliers that are usually insulated from the street by the punks that end up in jail.

I can tell you why cops don't go after the dealers...

First off...A street racer is far less likely to pull out a gun and pop a cap in an officers ass when he is finally cornered.

Secondly...These cars are worth some serious cash. They can use them. They can auction them off. Either way, they make money.

And the same goes for the speed traps that we all have to endure on our daily commutes to work. Their asses are safe pulling over an accountant in a suit or a mommy in a Tahoe (the new minivan), and they know that the odds are that they'll just pay the fine and save their vacation days for something hopefully not involving a cop. But a thug dealin'??? First off, they haven't got anything worth taking usually. Secondly, they sure don't have fine money to pay and they'll have to take the jail time which means that instead of making money for the represented municipality, they will be costing it money. Third...they are going to put up some sort of fight...so, they just go after the decent working people that happen to slip up and be 5 mph over the limit or that didn't slow down in time when they passed the sign.

Law enforcement is nothing more than a money generating machine for governments these days. No more, and usually no less.

[ductman2]

all i can say is u can afford to spend that kind of money on your car and then street race with it u deserve to lose it .

[Gaichon]

Man, reading threads like this reminds me how many of you have MAJOR ISSUES with authority.

[Mecklenburg Cock]

But the way they are going about it is entrapment. It's like putting a gun in their hands and making them pull the trigger then giving them the charge of murder. You could have someone who has never broken a law. This cop pulls up in a street racer and revs up his engine signaling a challenge. You, feeling adventerous today, decide to accept that challenge. Breaking the law is one thing. Putting them in the situation to break the law is another.

Personally, I don't see this as doing anything different than going undercover to bust a drug dealer or a buyer. Just because you have some pimped out street rod, doesn't mean you have endanger innocent lives everytime someone pulls up beside you and challenges you to a race.

Here's a story....two guys I know from high school were racing through a neighborhood. Both ran the stop sign, hit a car with two or three girls in it. The impact was so bad that one girl was thrown more than 100 feet from the car. She landed on the front porch of a nearby house. Dead.

Just because you have a fast car doesn't mean you're justified to prove it everytime someone pulls up beside you and challenges you. I used to have a fast car, I knew it. My friends new it, and the people that pulled up beside me knew it. I didn't have anything to prove so I didn't.

[Mecklenburg Cock]

^^By the way CockNBlythewood, I'm not going after you in my post. I'm just stating my point. I hope my point doesn't come off wrong.

[sc455]

the problem i have/see here is ... there will be a cop in one of these cars ... someone will try to race him ... and he'll do just that ... he'll take off at a redlight with him ... may even start the race ... that is entrapment(sp) ... the law is the law ... if you break it then you deserve whatever the punishment is ... but like RGHoskins said ... blue lights and street legal mufflers ... doesn't make this a cop carsorry cack but you gotta be a total dumbaft to look across and race a guy in a uniform. somehow i dont think there is going to be anyone racing cops. on the one hand i am happy they are taking them, on the other hand it sucks to think the nissan 350 is a cop. now i got to pay attention

[ultimatetailgater]

Entrapment - the act of a law enforcement agent in inducing a person to commit an offence which the person would not have, or was unlikely to have, otherwise committed.

So they "steal" another busted street racers car then drive it around trying to get others to race them so they can take their car.

That sounds like the definition of the word to me. Most cops are power hungry PIGS. Some aren't but the vast majority that I have ever seen are. The ones here in Aiken and North Augusta are horrible.

[ultimatetailgater]

sorry cack but you gotta be a total dumbaft to look across and race a guy in a uniform. somehow i dont thinwk there is going to be anyone racing cops. on the one hand i am happy they are taking them, on the other hand it sucks to think the nissan 350 is a cop. now i got to pay attention

Who said he was in uniform. He could be undercover is street clothes.

[SNEEZ]

sorry cack but you gotta be a total dumbaft to look across and race a guy in a uniform. somehow i dont think there is going to be anyone racing cops. on the one hand i am happy they are taking them, on the other hand it sucks to think the nissan 350 is a cop. now i got to pay attention

any type of undercover cops do not wear uniforms. if they did they DESERVE to be shot...LoL

street clothes with a badge.

[acejrock]

true

[RGHoskins]

sorry cack but you gotta be a total dumbaft to look across and race a guy in a uniform. somehow i dont think there is going to be anyone racing cops. on the one hand i am happy they are taking them, on the other hand it sucks to think the nissan 350 is a cop. now i got to pay attentionBoth cars have 5 percent tint. That's another thing. Neither of these are canine units, why is it legal for them to have illegal tint? The point is, you're not going to see who's driving the car.

[d20636]

Nothing new in NC - 30 yrs ago pre-arranged drag racing - if you were driving your own car - they took your car. Spontaneous drag racing would get you a big ticket, maybe lose your license, but you kept the car/bike.

[cack]

Both cars have 5 percent tint. That's another thing. Neither of these are canine units, why is it legal for them to have illegal tint? The point is, you're not going to see who's driving the car.

thank you for explaining things in the terms of a dumbaft

[RGHoskins]

thank you for explaining things in the terms of a dumbaftlolz ...

[LeeSC]

This has been happening for years in regards to other crimes.

If you are caught dealing drugs your vehicle and cash will be seized by the Police. Federal law allows the arresting jurisduction to keep most, if not all, of the confiscated proceeds. We are talking about HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of dollars. Many times, Police Departments will paint their vehicles with signs that state "confiscated from a drug dealer". Granted, this is money made off of an illegal activity.

An instance where a crime can get your "legally" obtained property seized is wildlife violations. If you are caught hunting/trapping/fishing illegally Wildlife Officers can seize your firearms, vehicle, and watercraft.


Back to the original post, I think many people have forgotten that operating a vehicle on public roadways is a PRIVILEDGE, not a right. If you choose to break the law and endanger the lives of innocent people, then I think your license and vehicle should be surrendered. I would love to see them apply this same principle to DUI offenders as they kill many more people every year on the roadways than streets racers.

[SNEEZ]

Back to the original post, I think many people have forgotten that operating a vehicle on public roadways is a PRIVILEDGE, not a right. If you choose to break the law and endanger the lives of innocent people, then I think your license and vehicle should be surrendered. I would love to see them apply this same principle to DUI offenders as they kill many more people every year on the roadways than streets racers.

Owning property is RIGHT. Driving IS a privelege.
license is gone but they have no right to take private property. it was the same with the whole landsnatching incident, Immenant Domain.
It is an ABUSE of power to take any private property regardless of its usage.

I think adequate jail time would suffice but confiscatino of private property is inexcusable

[LeeSC]

Owning property is RIGHT

Yes it is. But I think our Founding Fathers saw "property" as land and livestock. They wanted to ensure Government could not walk in and take someone's House/Land/Livestock without justified cause.

At what point do we as a society stop individuals from wielding pieces of "property" as weapons? Individuals using "property" to, whether intentionally or inadvertently, deprive others of the most basic right, the right to life.

If I decide to take a semi automatic hunting rifle and randomly fire it into Williams Brice during a Saturday football game, shouldn't the Government have the right to seize that piece of property from me? I have shown that I cannot own that piece of property without endangering the lives of others. Those individuals who recklessly operate a motor vehicle at speeds 3 or 4 times the posted speed limit also show that they cannot own such a piece of property without endangering the lives of others.