Random Selection Law Enforcement

In order to reduce the drunk driving problem, police agencies have employed the new weapon of stopping cars randomly to check for drinking violations. The fundamental concept is quite new here in America; that is, guilty until proven innocent.

Similarly, in order to reduce the drug smuggling problem, the U.S. Coast Guard is using the same weapon in randomly stopping vessels at sea to check for any drug law violations. The guiding principle is the same--guilty until proven innocent.

It seems to me that the child abuse problem could be reduced the same way. A special police force would operate between the hours of 6 and 9 in the evening. Armed with lists of families with children, the officers would randomly knock on doors of homes with children at the address, and ask to have all children presented for inspection by the accompanying medical official to check for any child abuse violations.

The principles behind this, random selection and guilty until proven innocent, already seem to be well established laws in our free republic. The new police detail could even be given special recognition with a catchy name--Government Enforcement Squad To Arrest Parental Offenders, or GESTAPO for short. If passed by our political leaders, such a law would have a chilling effect on child abusers. And it would clearly be constitutional, since our courts have repeatedly upheld the fundamental principles behind it. Of course, our police would unquestionably enforce “the law.”

But realistically, would such a dangerous law ever exist in this country? Why not? Lawmakers, judges, police and the populace have already demonstrated a willingness to allow constitutional protections to be devastated so long as the goal is “the public good.” The onslaught has begun . . .

WILLIAM M. MARVEL

San Pedro