How to keep the police on your side

I have a small bit of 'cop armor' on my vehicle.

what is it?

a few years back, I donated to the state police/Fraternal Order of Police retirement/benefit fund or other some such thing at the mall. They took down your info and a donation and in return for my $10 I got a little bumper sticker emblem, and a letter every 2 years or so seeing if I want to donate $5-$10 or more again.

Stuck that sucker right next to my license plate and haven't been tagged yet. I've had a few cops come up behind me when I was speeding a bit, or pushed a yellow light. Then peel back into traffic.

Only 2 times I have actually been pulled over were for non-offenses. One cop to let me know that my plates expire day after tomorrow, and another asked for a light since he saw me smoking and his lighter ran out. It was along stretch of road and there wasn't anything for miles, so I could believe that one over trying to see if I had any reason to be searched. I had a book of matches in the floor console, so I said hang on and gave him the book of matches. You could kind of see him noticeably exhale and gave an honest 'thank you' and gave me a honk as he drove off.

whenever I've sold my car, I've gone and peeled that sticker off and put it on the next car. I don't go stupid when breaking the law, but I think sometimes things like that give a person a bit more 'wiggle room' when it comes to 'pull over or not' for a cop.

As a Law Enforcement Officer I am utterly appalled and disgusted at some of the replies to this post. While the OP had a few good tips, most of what he said is, or at least should be, common sense.

As to the poster who stated that the "only good cop is a whatever (dead being the implication) cop" it is hard for me to fathom that you seriously believe that a fellow human being should be deprived of his right to LIVE simply due to his chosen profession.

As to the posters who claim to have "outsmarted" or intimidated the officers out of performing their sworn duty, you are most likely lying or are embellishing to the point of complete bastardization. No mere threat of calling a lawyer at 2 in the morning is going to intimidate any officer worth his salt into not making a lawful arrest committed in his presence.

Some of you have such little understanding of even the basic rule of law that it is embarrassing. If ANY of you had any real idea of what you were talking about you might actually be dangerous.

Police officers are, as has been stated, people too and we deserve the same respect as any other person, the fact that we are held to a higher standard is obviously lost on most of the repliers to this thread.

I sincerly hope that some of you aren't representative of the general public's attitude toward Law Enforcement as that would truly be a sad state of affairs...

I'm 51 years old and I've lived - and driven - all over the country. I've never once had a truly bad experience with a police officer.

Yes, I've gotten a couple of warnings. Yes, I've gotten a few tickets. But I've always been treated with courtesy and respect - just like I treated them.

I have been "arrested" once. It's a very long story, but I went downtown and 'turned myself in' for a book-and-release over a breaking and entering charge. They did have to cuff me, photograph me, and fingerprint me but they were all very polite and kind, and when they had to leave me in the waiting room (cuffed to the bench) they made sure I was off by myself and well away from the other men in the room.

Be polite, show a little respect, do what they ask you to do. That isn't humbling yourself or groveling, it's simply according them what you really should accord any human being who hasn't done you or yours any harm and has legal authority over you.

The Friday after Thanksgiving, my friend and I went to a state park near Stillwater, OK to ride our horses. There was a football game that evening, so traffic was really bad as we headed home pulling 2 horses in a horse trailer. My truck had been having some problems - I knew it had a radiator leak - but I had filled it with water just before we left. Unfortunately, I forgot to factor in the stop-and-go traffic and wasn't watching my gauges as closely as I should have been. I glanced down to see my temperature gauge pegged and pulled off onto the shoulder to put more water in it. The truck died when I stopped and wouldn't start again.

After 20 minutes it still wouldn't start, so my friend called her husband to come and get the horses, who were getting very upset by passing trucks shaking the trailer. Finally we let the horses out and took them off to the side of the road while waiting for her husband.

As we're waiting, a state trooper comes cruising by the other direction and, upon noticing us, crosses the median and pulls up behind us. Oh, poop!!! My disabled truck and trailer are barely off the highway, and I'm pretty sure it's not legal to be grazing horses on lead ropes on the side of the highway.

He got out of his vehicle and walked over to us, realizing that we couldn't go to him because we had the horses on lead ropes. We explained the situation, whereupon he became very friendly. He petted the horses and chatted with us about horses for a bit, then remarked that it seemed as if we had the situation under control and didn't need his help, then left. No ticket, no warning. He just wanted to see if we needed help, and when we didn't he left.

Most of the time they ARE on our side, if we let them be.

(Just so as not to leave you wondering, her husband came and got the horses in his trailer, then came back and got my trailer, and later that night my husband and I were able to get the truck started and get it home.)

I am not going to be overly polite or kiss his backside just to get out of a ticket.
People really annoy me sometimes, I got pulled for doing 2mph over down a hill - that is an insult to me and I was not going to be mr nice guy.

Go fight crime like your supposed to, instead they'd rather make the money and annoy people who aren't posing a threat.

reply to post by Angry Danish

Your reply would be laughable if it wasn't so tragic. I am careful to obey ALL the traffic laws, because it is the right thing to do. If the behavior of the 'law enforcement officers' had anything to do with it, I would ignore laws because I GET PULLED OVER NO MATTER WHAT. According to my cop brother, there are numerous laws written to allow the cops to pull you over whenever they want; ie unreasonable search and seizure or whatever. They do NOT have a legal right to pull you over because they don't like the color of your car, but they can and do. And the judges also have an utter contempt for law and justice. If you don't believe me, just go down to a courthouse and watch a couple hours. Judges, cops, lawyers, and bureaurats do what ever they want, because the other 'club' members will watch their backs. I was consistently getting pulled over and written up for imaginary infractions when I had a Porsche. Now that I am driving a Toyota, I am rarely pulled over. But as far as 'law enforcement', they have actually become 'lawless enforcement', guaranteeing that people will lie, cheat, and steal to avoid being ticketed. So now, instead of obeying the law, you have to take steps to avoid being illegally ticketed or harrassed. And if it should go to court, the judges ONCE IN A WHILE will follow the law, to promote the popular misconception that we are still a country of law.

reply to post by eyewitness86


Thank you for being tbe voice of reason and logic in this thread. It is beyond me, why people would assume that I am lying about being abused by the police. It happens every day. It is evident to me, that there are still some SHEEPLE on ATS.

reply to post by xynephadyn


Wow your arrogance astounds me. We are just suppose to believe you with out one once of proof. Look around this is ATS. People might be more willing to believe you if you didn't use slang like OMG and what are you smoking.

FYI Its better to be a sheep then a minnow. At least a sheep has a direction A minnow just goes from here to there with out a purpose.

reply to post by AgentBlack


Police departments in Florida do have ticket quotas, and they use DUI/speed traps to obtain them though by law they have to disclose those sites in advance in the paper. Cops in Volusia County are notorious for driving up behind other cars and getting them to speed up so they can ticket them. I live in one of those zones and it happens a lot.
The first post makes sense, I've known many LEOs and they lose the ability to switch it off work-related stress. The only thing worse than poor pay and dealing with other people's nonsense is having soemone lie to you to cover up the fact that they broke the law. I don't like cops much for several good reasons but I'm always surprised when the don't smack someone who deserves it!

reply to post by RR


Brother if you know better police departments than I do, then I mean you no offense when I talk about bulling around cops. But the Indio Police Department covered up the rape of my mother and looked the other way at the murder of my grandfather, and I consider it dang civilized conduct on my part if all I do is take a little pleasure in rattling their cages during T-stops. (that's Indio, California. Look into them if you like- they're crooked, their incompetent, and they're cowards. You can stand in their station and tell a commander that he couldn't find his genitals with both and a flashlight and they'll take it- I speak from experience and I can name the reporter who was there when it happened.)

That being said, there's a cop or two here on ATS I'd be nothing but polite to if I were pulled over by. That's the great point you have there on "people too" point. I find that cops are in fact wonderful people, when they don't meet me in the line of duty. Cops deal with a lot of crap day in day out and reality demands a certain cynicism of them in certain situations. I can understand that, but I don't feel obligated to tolerate it, or to live with the consequences when it goes horribly wrong (as it has twice in my family's experience).

Originally posted by angryamerican
reply to post by Resinveins

 

lawyer are not real good for advise in less there is money in it for them. Do your self a favor and stop thinking of the police as the enemy.

They are just like the rest of us only getting much more abuse for doing a job most wont.

There are good there are bad just as in every other profession.

I am a nurse in a nursing home. I get abuse all day and dont get to be a dick to your grandma for it. # them.

i think it all depends on various things, and just being nice doesnt always get you off a ticket.

i used to get pulled over all the time when i was 16-20, i had a history of speeding tickets and i think that was why they werent really lenient.
history = repeat offender = no leniency.


i then decided to set myself the challenge of seeing how long i could go between tickets. many many many years passed and i found i never got pulled over by them. i assume having a good driving record = good citizen, so no point hassling you.


abou 10 yr ago i was riding my motorcycle down a dimly lit main road in the city. i see a car pull level with me and some big dudes gesturing for me to pull over.
i ignored
then hazard lights come on the car, and he gestured more.
i ignored.
he kept level with me and eventually i turned off down a side road and stopped directly under a bright street light.

i sat on my 750cc m/bike, leaning forward, in gear, rev's raised.. like valentino rossi awaiting the green light of the aussie motoGP
i had no idea who it was hassling me to pull over.

dude says "turn it off, NOW!"
i said who the hell are you? !!!!
he replied "police" and flipped out his badge. instantly i switched off the engine and got off the bike without being asked to.

he asked why i didnt stop, "didnt you see the police sign in the window"
i said you had no lights flashing and no police sign and i just seen 2 big dudes in a car telling me to pull over on a dark road, so i stopped under street lights and prepared for a very quick getaway if it was trouble.

i was told "your tail light globe is a bit dodgy, might pay you to replace it asap." i told him i'd drive to the next service station and replace it since it was a 2min job.

so in summary: i didnt stop when requested to multiple times. i looked like a bike dude from the TV show COPS, waiting to do a runner. but got let off with a warning because i was honest and i also think coz i had no tickets for many many years.

acting like you know your rights can sometimes lead them to think your hiding something.
but being too honest can leave you open to becoming part of his ticket quota.

if you dont have a history, and dont run your mouth off, you stand a good chance of a warning if its just a minor traffic stop.


[edit on 23/12/08 by Obliv_au]

In the interest of not being completely negative, I'd like to add that the manners and honesty approach works WONDERFULLY on judges. With cops, I've found the most success in being scarry or manipulative or downright dishonest (that last one only works if you are able to believe your own BS- a skill i perfected while I was engaged to be married and further improved after breaking said engagement), but with judges, it does seem to be different.

Go into court and say, "I'm sure everything the officer said is true, I had a few questions because to be honest with you I wasn't paying such great attention when I (ran that stop sign, let the accelerator get away from me, whatever), but the officer has answered those in his testimony and I accept responsibility".

Not only will the judge knock your fine down, but he'll make small talk with you just to avoid moving on to the next scumbag too quickly.

I kid you not, I've had a judge pretend to know something about punkrock just to make conversation about my T-shirt (you're allowed to wear a T-shirt in court if you don't have your head up your nethers) and then tell me to get a haircut and get a real job (I shave my head and at the time I was making more than the judge- as he discovered and admitted during the small talk).

The OP is giving horrible advice. You NEVER confess jack spit to a cop. Check out youtube for some of those citizen's guide to police encounter videos. Some of these videos are done by former attorneys for the ACLU.

Giving up personal info is just foolish. The police are NEVER on your "side" if the engage you for questioning.

Originally posted by traderjack
The OP is giving horrible advice. You NEVER confess jack spit to a cop. Check out youtube for some of those citizen's guide to police encounter videos. Some of these videos are done by former attorneys for the ACLU.

Giving up personal info is just foolish. The police are NEVER on your "side" if the engage you for questioning.

i live out here in california and have had my car broken into a few times, and the police want you to file a report over the phone, because they say they are tooo busy for such a low level crime. my house has been burglarized 3 times in 26 years, evidence techs come out and dust for fingerprints and they file a report.

result...nothing returned, and nobody caught

however i have had 3 traffic tickets for speed and rolling stops, and of course, the city got promptly paid off by me. as far as they are concerned, i'm just a dumb SOB cash cow, easy pickings for a cop sitting in a car at an intersection with a ticket book in hand.

but as far as the police actually spending money to get my property back, i'm just a low level crime whiner, low enough on the local status pole to be ignored.

The truth is somewhere in between.

The only way I can see outright admitting guilt is if I already know I'm caught red handed. If your best hope is that the cop takes pitty on you and lets you off with a warning, then spill your guts. This basically applies to non-malicious felonies (like when a cop catches you with hot plates trying to hide the fact that your license is suspended- and no that one wasn't me, just somebody I trade stories with who would be in jail right now if the Las Vegas Police Department didn't have a sense of humor).

But there is absolutely no benefit in defending yourself to a cop who is sure he's caught you doing wrong (mistakenly or otherwise). If anything, arguing in a position where anyone would know they are busted would convince the cop you've got more to hide and the search will only end up being more thorough.

In those rare cases where you really don't know how things are going to turn out- (usually when you're innocent but having a hard time convincing the cop of that), you just be polite and level with the cop that you're sure he knows what he's doing, but you're confused by the situation and don't think you should say anything at the moment.


The only thing that I would say it's really NEVER a good idea to do with a cop is come of like you're trying to lawyer your way through. So if you're gonna use one of those guides, study it and own it- don't try to repeat it from memory under stress and don't sit silently and hand the cop one of those ridiculous pre-printed statements.

Originally posted by traderjack
The OP is giving horrible advice. You NEVER confess jack spit to a cop. Check out youtube for some of those citizen's guide to police encounter videos. Some of these videos are done by former attorneys for the ACLU.

Giving up personal info is just foolish. The police are NEVER on your "side" if the engage you for questioning.

When they engage me for questioning. Is this before or after they read me my rights? What if I'm a security officer? How does that fit in?

Oh and BTW? I'm sure everybody has seen this...

[edit on 12/24/08 by Marked One]

I remember being pulled over once and the cop said something about how I didn't pull over fast enough and I made a joke, something to the effect of "Sorry, I thought you were trying to collect alimony for my ex-wife".

The cop went from being really stern to laughing and just said, "That's funny, now get out here."

No ticket. Sometimes using HUMOR while making sure it is not at the COP'S expense can help too.

this is good advice provided you are dealing with a fair open-minded officer, which by the way i have yet to meet. it is my opinion that police think of people in 2 categories...1) police or family of police or law enforcement/court officers or family members thereof etc. and 2) scumbags. now maybe you are a rich, influentual scumbag or one of those annoying scumbags who knows thier rights and therefore can't be messed with but scumbag all the same.

just my opinion.

or like the JOKER said "good evening commisioner"
COPS are not people
cops are THUG HIGHWAY ROBBER MACHINES
some maybe be cool or nice~ maybe if youre lucky
i hear what youre saying and i do most of that
but while im doing that i also know they are CORPORATE AGENTS
thats right they aint even government agents, they work for a
corporation, if you can imagine a EXXON-MOBILE representative pulling
you over and asking for your papers, that is what is happening

Originally posted by AgentBlack
reply to post by Revealation

 

wow, could not be more wrong! there are no quotas. the revenue you speek of is based on FBI annual crime reports filed by the PD. traffic infractions get a zero value for funding, ticket books don't cost that much. bugets are based on violent, drug, and property crimes. cops get more bonuses when traffic violations go down, cause it means what their doing is working, duh.

but yes, i just finished a semester in criminal justice. and yes cops are trained to make up their mind if your getting a ticket or not before they get out of the car. but, if you are polite and cooperative cops are human and have the descrestion to change their mind and just give a warnng.

one trick i have used that works is: instead of putting your hands on the wheel, i put both hand out the window with fingers streched out. the officer instantly relaxes and takes his hand off his weapon and smiles. then he usually says "you must have been pulled over before?" and i say "not that, i just know a few cops and that it makes your job easier." his reply..."have a nice day, and slow down."

Before you commit to this no quota assumption, look up "civil remeidal fees" or Redford township. I think Car & Driver or Road and Track did an article on these last year. There are quotas, and bonuses in some cases.

www.caranddriver.com...

edited to add link

[edit on 24-12-2008 by coop039]