J.D. Tuccille Discusses DUI Checkpoints on HuffPost Live

I've written before about college student Chris Kalbaugh's video-recorded encounter with Rutherford County, Tennessee, sheriff's deputies at a DUI checkpoint. During his intitial contact with Deputy A.J. Ross at this odd court-approved carve-out from the Fourth Amendment, Kalbaugh's polite assertion of his rights — and unwillingness to simply knuckle under — was interpreted as grounds for reasonable suspicion allowing the deputies to prolong the encounter and, quite literally, call in the dogs.

As I discuss on HuffPost Live, Kalbaugh was correct in his assertion of his rights. But doing so will often make an annoying meeting with the police turn into an extended interview. That's especially true if they call in drug-sniffing dogs who almost always give the police the excuse they need for a full search.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't assert your rights. But having a camera handy when you do is not a bad idea.

The Libertarian Party of Tennessee plans an organized campaign to monitor police checkpoints. You can support their efforts by helping them buy dashcams through an IndieGoGo fundraiser.