Lawsuit challenges D.C. roadblocks

WASHINGTON, June 20 (UPI) -- Civil rights activists filed a lawsuit against a police checkpoint program in the District of Columbia that they contend amounts to illegal search and seizure.

The Partnership for Civil Justice asked the federal court in Washington to order the city to end the Metro Police Department's Neighborhood Safety Zone program and get rid of all of the personal information collected from people who were stopped.

The checkpoints were thrown up around Washington's Trinidad neighborhood to block outsiders who may be carrying guns or looking for drugs. The goal is to cut the high crime rate in the area where there had been a sharp increase in killings. However, the class-action lawsuit called it unconstitutional.

"People want their children to be able to walk the streets in their neighborhood in a safe and secure environment," the complaint said. "The district's military-style roadblock system was deployed, in part, to give the appearance that the government is addressing this deeply felt need. But it is neither constitutional, nor effective."

The organization said in a written statement that the checkpoints targeted innocent people who have the right to freely travel and collected data about their movements and the people they associated with.

Police and city officials have said that the program was thoroughly vetted before it began in anticipation of a court challenge, The Washington Post said.