Afraid of the Po-po!

[Carlawarla 1]

I don't know that I've even talked to a police officer here in Missouri. There are a few small town cops that I hear about in the paper that sound like Paul Blart though.

[thetreble 19]

Funny Carla.

This is what scares me about cops here and my father in law has had long discussions about this with me. We know a couple kids who are cops who aren't..."right in the head.." My father in law worked most of his life so far as a teacher, then a principal and now administrator. He has had some super troubled kids with psychological issues or anger issues in the past, only to see them in a patrol car years later. This scares him, a lot.

When I first came here my husband told me if I ever got pulled over, to never go right over to the glove compartment and take out my documents. When you see officers come up to your window for a violation for "failure to put on headlights" with their hand on their glock, it's not exactly a simple case of "oops, sorry officer." Because there are many incidents in North East Jersey with gang activity and stolen cars, etc., every one is a potential suspect. I don't think it should be this way. You end up making people more nervous then anything for a silly speeding ticket.

Any way, Jared told me I must wait until the officer gets to my window, answer his questions and then do what he says. If I reach over to my glove compartment, he may think I am pulling out a weapon of some sort. I shouldn't even have to think about something like that.

It's just my opinion, I guess.

I don't like quotas either...and don't think it's right to ticket someone who is going 5 miles over the speed limit because you have to meet a quota.

Many officers are great and there to protect people. But, when you have SO MANY officers per square mile..it gets so ridiculous. The Region of Waterloo in Ontario has half a million people and 699 officers as of today.

Hillside, NJ, for example ,has a population of 21,000, is 2.8 square miles and has about 100 officers.

See the difference in the ratios?

We just have a lot of cops in really small towns.

Edited April 7, 2009 by thetreble

[warlord 72]

Yes I'm sure every state has their unmarked cars, I have never heard of ghost car though. I remember at one time in Indiana seeing a corvette that was an unmarked car. That was funny seeing that pulling someone over.

I usually play dumb tourist when I'm pulled over, good thing is it's usualy out of state anyways and I just claim oh I'm just enjoying the scenery (even did this in Kansas) or oh I'm a bit lost etc. Even though a) I've seen the crappy scenery in all these states a million times and B) I know these roads like my own neighborhood.

8 or 9 out of 10 let me off with a warning.

I even had one guy check on dispatch because I told him I was storm chasing (which I was) and he came back to my car with all the latest reports and sightings and which roads to take there...

[Sprailenes 47]

It's not just North Jersey Amanda, things like that happen everywhere. There are two types of people who become cops... bullies or people who have been bullied.

My mom is doing some extra studies at Carlton in Ottawa, and drives back and forth once a month. Well about a month back she got nabbed for speeding on the highway and when she had finally pulled over she went into the back seat to get her purse so she could get her license and the cop pulled out his gun and told her to get out of the car with her hands on her head.

She got out and was told to kneel down on the ground while the officer searched her and she told him she was just going to get her license. As her daughter this angered me, but she laughed it off and understood.

One of my moms clients who is mentally challenged was recently shot to death by a trigger happy cop in Midland, this just happened a couple of months ago. He had no weapon, he was walking outside of his home with another officer, the cops had answered a domestic dispute call and this guy wasn't even at fault for anything.

I don't think it's just a Jersey thing, I think a lot of the time the wrong people become cops.

[Carlawarla 1]

Ugh, ratios. It's all about the fear mongering. A small community not far from us has a population of 200. It's a 2 mile radius community. There are seven policemen there. Of course they have a little speed trap through their community as well. It's absolutely overkill. The police credentials are ludicrous as well. They are nothing but glorified security officers with guns!

Another community just across the river in Illinois hired 10 new police officers not that long ago, and the paper did some investigation and found out that two had previous criminal records and I'm not talking about shoplifting when they were 16...one had an actual arrest warrant out on them for domestic violence and their spouse, who was the victim was his supervisor?... some had previous criminal and traffic fines outstanding...

What an absolute joke!

I did want to edit as well to say that I truly believe that my experience with police in Saskatoon was the complete opposite. The police there, most anyway, had degrees, and had firstly got into policing to help people. Surprisingly there were many that still went out everyday to assist people. Most had respectful demeanors and didn't abuse their positions. I do believe we need police, we don't need those that use their position to abuse and intimidate people.

Edited April 7, 2009 by Carlawarla

[Ban Hammer 13,144]

I don't know that I've even talked to a police officer here in Missouri. There are a few small town cops that I hear about in the paper that sound like Paul Blart though.

i got stopped by a missouri one for doing 90+ right after i got back from germany. after telling the officer that i was used to autobahn speeds (and after 7 years over there, i thought i was driving slow) he let me off with a warning. i guess having german plates paid off

[The_Dude 1,142]

It's not just North Jersey Amanda, things like that happen everywhere. There are two types of people who become cops... bullies or people who have been bullied.

My mom is doing some extra studies at Carlton in Ottawa, and drives back and forth once a month. Well about a month back she got nabbed for speeding on the highway and when she had finally pulled over she went into the back seat to get her purse so she could get her license and the cop pulled out his gun and told her to get out of the car with her hands on her head.

She got out and was told to kneel down on the ground while the officer searched her and she told him she was just going to get her license. As her daughter this angered me, but she laughed it off and understood.

One of my moms clients who is mentally challenged was recently shot to death by a trigger happy cop in Midland, this just happened a couple of months ago. He had no weapon, he was walking outside of his home with another officer, the cops had answered a domestic dispute call and this guy wasn't even at fault for anything.

I don't think it's just a Jersey thing, I think a lot of the time the wrong people become cops.

I think that is a bit of an oversimplified stereotype and not the case for a vast majority.

I agree it is a bit overzealous for an officer to pull over someone for going 5 mph over the speed limit. But, you are breaking the law, and they have every right to do so.

Where I work, we have a course that shows a lot about what a police officer does, and the inherent dangers of the job. What would you think if you were an officer and you had just pulled someone over and they immediately reached into the glove box, or something in the back seat. Even without tinted windows, it is very difficult to see what exactly is going on, and it is not beyond the realm of possibilities, or sadly, even that uncommon for someone to shoot an officer. I always thought it was a bit over the top, but when your life can be potentially taken during the course of your job, I think it is justified to take precautions.

Now, I don't want to seem like I'm justifying the actions some officers take after a stop, or the brutality. I've seen the videos of people who reach in the back, and the cop reacts by pulling his gun, and then drags the person out of the car and beats on them. Those videos are sensational tabloid news fodder. But that is an aberation, NOT the norm.

[Sprailenes 47]

No you're right it isn't the all around norm, but a lot of the time that's what I have found in terms of the power hungry ones. I don't have a hate or fear of police officers. I don't have a problem with police pulling people over. Infact I think places like the 401 and 400 could use more traffic cops. I hate it when I see someone cruising down the highway at crazy speeds because they're putting my family in danger. Leave 10 minutes earlier, you have four wheels you're going to get there, why not get there alive?

Unless you've done something wrong, you really have nothing to worry about. If they catch you for speeding, then that's really your fault. Even when my mother was pulled over that day she knew she had done something wrong and admitted it. Perhaps he felt bad for pulling her over the way he did, but he did let her go with just a warning.

[The_Dude 1,142]

I had always thought the practice of pulling out a firearm when someone went for something in the backseat was a bit excessive until I did the course that the PD here offered. It's conducted by officers, and they basically put you through a litany of scenarios involving traffic stops. Out of 5 tries, I was dead 3 times, wrote a ticket 1 time, and 2 times, I got so frustrated and annoyed that I actually said a few things that would have gotten me fired. After the exercises, we then watched a video, of scene after scene of the officers at the department (through dashcams) in the exact same scenario.

But if I get pulled over for no reason, and an officer asks to search my car. My response will ALWAYS be "not without a search warrant you won't". And if ever I get pulled over and an officer acts inappropriately or even illegally, I will not hesitate to file a Pitchess' Motion. I know that a lot of officers give people a lot of leeway when it comes to traffic infractions. So, it seems quite arbitrary and unfair sometimes when you are that one person pulled over for going 3 miles an hour over the limit. I would suggest to people who get pulled over and feel that it was unjustified, or even wrong that you have a legal recourse. But some of the judges out there are so beyond rational, I know that unless I had video evidence that I didn't do it, I'd just pay the ticket and go to traffic school.

[DeadPoolX 9]

I had always thought the practice of pulling out a firearm when someone went for something in the backseat was a bit excessive until I did the course that the PD here offered. It's conducted by officers, and they basically put you through a litany of scenarios involving traffic stops. Out of 5 tries, I was dead 3 times, wrote a ticket 1 time, and 2 times, I got so frustrated and annoyed that I actually said a few things that would have gotten me fired. After the exercises, we then watched a video, of scene after scene of the officers at the department (through dashcams) in the exact same scenario.

But if I get pulled over for no reason, and an officer asks to search my car. My response will ALWAYS be "not without a search warrant you won't". And if ever I get pulled over and an officer acts inappropriately or even illegally, I will not hesitate to file a Pitchess' Motion. I know that a lot of officers give people a lot of leeway when it comes to traffic infractions. So, it seems quite arbitrary and unfair sometimes when you are that one person pulled over for going 3 miles an hour over the limit. I would suggest to people who get pulled over and feel that it was unjustified, or even wrong that you have a legal recourse. But some of the judges out there are so beyond rational, I know that unless I had video evidence that I didn't do it, I'd just pay the ticket and go to traffic school.

I've always been under the impression that a police officer can search your car without a warrant if he or she has "reasonable suspicion." I remember a friend (who's a police officer) warning me about this and learning in a law class. Now I'm from Texas, so state laws can vary.

As far as I know in Texas, it's perfectly legal for a police officer to search your car, with or without a warrant, at any time provided they have "reasonable suspicion" that something is amiss. What counts as "reasonable suspicion?" Well... just about anything. The decision is up to the officer. In my experience, however, it's extremely rare for a police officer to search the car. I think it's usually too much hassle.

[The_Dude 1,142]

I had always thought the practice of pulling out a firearm when someone went for something in the backseat was a bit excessive until I did the course that the PD here offered. It's conducted by officers, and they basically put you through a litany of scenarios involving traffic stops. Out of 5 tries, I was dead 3 times, wrote a ticket 1 time, and 2 times, I got so frustrated and annoyed that I actually said a few things that would have gotten me fired. After the exercises, we then watched a video, of scene after scene of the officers at the department (through dashcams) in the exact same scenario.

But if I get pulled over for no reason, and an officer asks to search my car. My response will ALWAYS be "not without a search warrant you won't". And if ever I get pulled over and an officer acts inappropriately or even illegally, I will not hesitate to file a Pitchess' Motion. I know that a lot of officers give people a lot of leeway when it comes to traffic infractions. So, it seems quite arbitrary and unfair sometimes when you are that one person pulled over for going 3 miles an hour over the limit. I would suggest to people who get pulled over and feel that it was unjustified, or even wrong that you have a legal recourse. But some of the judges out there are so beyond rational, I know that unless I had video evidence that I didn't do it, I'd just pay the ticket and go to traffic school.

I've always been under the impression that a police officer can search your car without a warrant if he or she has "reasonable suspicion." I remember a friend (who's a police officer) warning me about this and learning in a law class. Now I'm from Texas, so state laws can vary.

As far as I know in Texas, it's perfectly legal for a police officer to search your car, with or without a warrant, at any time provided they have "reasonable suspicion" that something is amiss. What counts as "reasonable suspicion?" Well... just about anything. The decision is up to the officer. In my experience, however, it's extremely rare for a police officer to search the car. I think it's usually too much hassle.

Gotta love state law variations. I think it is fairly uniform across the U.S. with a few variations here and there (Louisiana). If an officer really wants to get into your car, he can. "I thought I smelled mairjuana", "He fit the description of a suspect in a crime last week" and on and on. However, if this is just a guess, and the officer better be right. The price of being wrong is your job, or the ability to work as an officer. The "Fit the description" line can be particularly bad if it turns that the officer is wrong. Thats racist, and can lead to a huge lawsuit against the officer and department. As an officer, your resume is your personnel file, and it follows you everywhere you go.

[DeadPoolX 9]

I had always thought the practice of pulling out a firearm when someone went for something in the backseat was a bit excessive until I did the course that the PD here offered. It's conducted by officers, and they basically put you through a litany of scenarios involving traffic stops. Out of 5 tries, I was dead 3 times, wrote a ticket 1 time, and 2 times, I got so frustrated and annoyed that I actually said a few things that would have gotten me fired. After the exercises, we then watched a video, of scene after scene of the officers at the department (through dashcams) in the exact same scenario.

But if I get pulled over for no reason, and an officer asks to search my car. My response will ALWAYS be "not without a search warrant you won't". And if ever I get pulled over and an officer acts inappropriately or even illegally, I will not hesitate to file a Pitchess' Motion. I know that a lot of officers give people a lot of leeway when it comes to traffic infractions. So, it seems quite arbitrary and unfair sometimes when you are that one person pulled over for going 3 miles an hour over the limit. I would suggest to people who get pulled over and feel that it was unjustified, or even wrong that you have a legal recourse. But some of the judges out there are so beyond rational, I know that unless I had video evidence that I didn't do it, I'd just pay the ticket and go to traffic school.

I've always been under the impression that a police officer can search your car without a warrant if he or she has "reasonable suspicion." I remember a friend (who's a police officer) warning me about this and learning in a law class. Now I'm from Texas, so state laws can vary.

As far as I know in Texas, it's perfectly legal for a police officer to search your car, with or without a warrant, at any time provided they have "reasonable suspicion" that something is amiss. What counts as "reasonable suspicion?" Well... just about anything. The decision is up to the officer. In my experience, however, it's extremely rare for a police officer to search the car. I think it's usually too much hassle.

Gotta love state law variations. I think it is fairly uniform across the U.S. with a few variations here and there (Louisiana). If an officer really wants to get into your car, he can. "I thought I smelled mairjuana", "He fit the description of a suspect in a crime last week" and on and on. However, if this is just a guess, and the officer better be right. The price of being wrong is your job, or the ability to work as an officer. The "Fit the description" line can be particularly bad if it turns that the officer is wrong. Thats racist, and can lead to a huge lawsuit against the officer and department. As an officer, your resume is your personnel file, and it follows you everywhere you go.

Yup. Although depending on the circumstances, the officer might be believed before the individual who was pulled over.

[The_Dude 1,142]

I had always thought the practice of pulling out a firearm when someone went for something in the backseat was a bit excessive until I did the course that the PD here offered. It's conducted by officers, and they basically put you through a litany of scenarios involving traffic stops. Out of 5 tries, I was dead 3 times, wrote a ticket 1 time, and 2 times, I got so frustrated and annoyed that I actually said a few things that would have gotten me fired. After the exercises, we then watched a video, of scene after scene of the officers at the department (through dashcams) in the exact same scenario.

But if I get pulled over for no reason, and an officer asks to search my car. My response will ALWAYS be "not without a search warrant you won't". And if ever I get pulled over and an officer acts inappropriately or even illegally, I will not hesitate to file a Pitchess' Motion. I know that a lot of officers give people a lot of leeway when it comes to traffic infractions. So, it seems quite arbitrary and unfair sometimes when you are that one person pulled over for going 3 miles an hour over the limit. I would suggest to people who get pulled over and feel that it was unjustified, or even wrong that you have a legal recourse. But some of the judges out there are so beyond rational, I know that unless I had video evidence that I didn't do it, I'd just pay the ticket and go to traffic school.

I've always been under the impression that a police officer can search your car without a warrant if he or she has "reasonable suspicion." I remember a friend (who's a police officer) warning me about this and learning in a law class. Now I'm from Texas, so state laws can vary.

As far as I know in Texas, it's perfectly legal for a police officer to search your car, with or without a warrant, at any time provided they have "reasonable suspicion" that something is amiss. What counts as "reasonable suspicion?" Well... just about anything. The decision is up to the officer. In my experience, however, it's extremely rare for a police officer to search the car. I think it's usually too much hassle.

Gotta love state law variations. I think it is fairly uniform across the U.S. with a few variations here and there (Louisiana). If an officer really wants to get into your car, he can. "I thought I smelled mairjuana", "He fit the description of a suspect in a crime last week" and on and on. However, if this is just a guess, and the officer better be right. The price of being wrong is your job, or the ability to work as an officer. The "Fit the description" line can be particularly bad if it turns that the officer is wrong. Thats racist, and can lead to a huge lawsuit against the officer and department. As an officer, your resume is your personnel file, and it follows you everywhere you go.

Yup. Although depending on the circumstances, the officer might be believed before the individual who was pulled over.

Good thing most departments use the dashcam now

[thetreble 19]

sabotage!