What are your experiences with Police?

a reply to: underwerks

Never had an issue. Everytime I was in the wrong I got a break.

Had a car accident, got a ticket for crossing the lane where I could not cross, had a suspended license at the time. Was a pretty bad accident first months driving. I could have had my life ruined. The cop just wanted to know I was ok.

Got pulled over for running a stop sign, still had a suspended license (before accident) had weed in the ash tray, got a ticket for the stop sign and was told not to leave clips in ash tray "jackass". Was allowed to park and "have someone else drive car home". Could have been towed and kept in impound.

Way before all that, got stopped for looking funny (I used to dress like a militant idiot), had much weed on me, was told to stomp it out and get the F home.

Got stopped before even that, had a knife taken from me, they didnt even get out of the car.

I have had bad encounters, but not terrible. Got a ticket while a blond in a sports car in front of me was waved off for speeding like me.

Got a ticket by a butch female cop for not signaling when switching lanes....bitch trying to prove herself. I did, she was just mean because I was over worked and made the mistake of bitching.

Got arrested for trespassing because I wanted to NOT litter and use a trash bin down some street side steps of a building...cops were not idiots and wrote it up as such, currently waiting for dismissal due shortly. That kind of sucked as it set back my enlistment into the army, but even that worked out for me. I am more ready than I was before.

All and all I have had positive interactions. There is more but I just get called an idiot or dumbass, am told what I did wrong and I never do it again.

I think it has everything to do with how YOU deal with them. We are mirrors. There are times that cops are just retards or assholes, but overall they have been great fellow citizens to me.

When I get pulled over, keys go on roof, hands go on steering wheel, head goes out of ass.

On foot or driving, ID always comes out, and my respectful voice sets the tone.

I have yet to meet a cop I cant say my peace to. I dont ONLY try to get my way. I accept fault, try to make amends, and am let be free. They feel comfortable calling me a jackass instead of showing me how much of one I am.

That has allot to do with it.

I have smoked weed in front of a cop once. He caught me, I admitted it like the time they made me stomp it out, he let me finish and we talked about rent. I said good night and that was it.
This was when it was still not decriminalized in NY.

I think every state is different, but NY cops are good people. They are also the devil himself if you mess with them.

I guess they see so much that they become expert human watchers. They understand and will be "human" if YOU let them.

Pro tip: Dont BS. Dont bitch. Dont blame.

a reply to: underwerks

Indeed. The low hanging fruit scenario is very much born out by events locally.

However, that is not what we pay taxes for. We pay taxes to get the kind of policing that protects the innocent from the predatory nature of the guilty, and yet...

I am very dissatisfied with the service we receive, put it that way.

Well, here’s a story. Me and my girlfriend of the time were driving in west Texas and were flagged down by a policeman on a long and empty highway. I pulled over. He stood there chatting to another policeman in another police-car, and completely ignored me. Now, I’m not from the States so I am not familiar with such customs, so assumed he was disinterested and I started to drive off. He sprang into action and jumped in front of the car.

“What are you doing” he drawled loudly
“Er, driving”, I said in my best West Country English.
“Weal”, he said “you’re not from ‘round here are you”?
“Er”, I said “nope”.

What then ensued was a cordial and interesting conversation with two American policemen who looked and sounded stereotypical (as in Dukes of Hazard), but were polite, humerous and bored with stopping Mexicans.

As to English policemen/women. Our local community policewoman is often found in the village pub. The last serious crime she had to deal with was a break-in at a paddock leaving a damaged padlock and a couple of packets of hob-knobs missing. It’s scary where I live. Never been stopped by the police, and have only had good experiences with them.

originally posted by: paraphi
Well, here’s a story. Me and my girlfriend of the time were driving in west Texas and were flagged down by a policeman on a long and empty highway. I pulled over. He stood there chatting to another policeman in another police-car, and completely ignored me. Now, I’m not from the States so I am not familiar with such customs, so assumed he was disinterested and I started to drive off. He sprang into action and jumped in front of the car.

“What are you doing” he drawled loudly
“Er, driving”, I said in my best West Country English.
“Weal”, he said “you’re not from ‘round here are you”?
“Er”, I said “nope”.

What then ensued was a cordial and interesting conversation with two American policemen who looked and sounded stereotypical (as in Dukes of Hazard), but were polite, humerous and bored with stopping Mexicans.

As to English policemen. Our local community policeman is often found in the village pub. The last serious crime she had to deal with was a break-in at a paddock leaving a damaged padlock and a couple of packets of hob-knobs missing. It’s scary where I live. Never been stopped by the police, and have only had good experiences with them.

I really think the UK has a better handle on how policeman are supposed to act towards citizens who have done nothing wrong. It'd be amazing to drink a pint with your local policeman and get to know him/her and who they are as a person. Over here, it's immediate suspicion and an us vs. them mentality first and foremost during any encounter I've had. When a police officer puts the badge before the human part of themselves they turn into nothing but an instrument of the state, and that is exactly how people will respond to them.

UK pigs are UN-approachable scum who would rather watch out for the safety of the local paedophiles than do anything about them.they hide behind there tazers and wield them at will cos there power crazed bully's with gang mentality.20 years ago they were at least approachable but "old school bobby" has long gone.
Fu*k the police! as NWO said.

a reply to: thesungod
Normally they´re friendly, if you are. You were not, it seems so.. ;-) They´re not "mean" per se, not as "mean" and trigger happy as the US police, or at least that´s my impression when you compare the news.

a reply to: verschickter

They are. I only ever had the one run in. We were in like 6 on 10 bar brawl out numbered. They were just breaking it up.

I would say that by virtue of there being more firearms in the US there is more "gun crime". Cops in the US don't carry repeater sticks or automatic weapons like the Polizei do.

When I say "mean customer", I guess I mean they don't play games.

a reply to: thesungod

That´s true, they don´t play games. However, I think I posted it sometime here, would you:

drive without the seatbelt on past a police station (my garage is like 300m and I did not lock it yet, normally I always do before driving), notice an officer pulling out from the parking spot and have the balls to point with two fingers to your eyes and then one finger to him, because he too has not locked his seatbelt, yet and he sees you doing it, while roling past him with walking speed? And get away with it

a reply to: verschickter

Depends on the cop and the area. Strictly speaking though, no. I'd probably get hassled for a bit.

I miss some things about Deutschland... honestly.

a reply to: thesungod
I bet it´s not the weather, eh ^^

I never had an unpleasant experience with the police, until I married one...he molested my daughter. Now, everywhere I go it's like they are out to get me. I don't even drive. They will harass me walking down the street or waiting for a ride outside of department stores. I hardly go out anymore. Just work and home. I use to have a lot of respect for our police, but now, I can't trust any of them.

Havent had much experience with them. I have police in the family.

If you talk calmly and proper enough while being calm and clearly not being a threat I think thatll put them at ease.

Stay calm. Talk calm, clear, and to the point.

Or..

Just dont say anything. You have that right.

Simple enough.

Hello there .. I have been a long time lurker of ATS since the early 2000's...recently decided I better get in some of these topics. I am a Seattleite ..born and raised here 33 years.

I am a "ghetto child" raised in section 8 projects just south of Seattle in White Center. My Ethnicty is HEINZ 57. My mother was a single parent raising two boys...she worked her behind off for us so she was rarely home. This led a bit of street life for us.

Well my first run in was in the 3rd grade with King County police pulling a shotgun on my friend Sam and me. I must have been 8 or 9 years old...but you never forget that kind of scenario. I remember it was fall when its dark at 5pm (moms still @ work till about 6:30, so my brother 5 years older than me was my sitter). Anyway my friend Sam and I were playing Cops and Robers in my FRONT YARD. It was two cap guns....mine looking like a silver colt outta Clint Eastwood western with an ORANGE TIP....and Sam's was a red ryder shotgun with the massive ORANGE tip. The officer stopped at the end of the street..threw his car in reverse, whipped torwards our block (about 200 yards away) ...no police lights or headlights ..just the winding up of a Chevy caprice ...and he pulls in my neighbors driveway half on lawn his BRIGHT a$$ spot light beaming on us.......as he jumps out of his patrol car with shotgun drawn at us yelling DROP THE WEAPONS or I will shoot!!!!!!!

At that moment we were blinded just like deer in headlights....frozen. My short life was over..everything flashed before my eyes...however being frozen the toy guns were still in our hands.
More shouting from the officer "King COUNTY sheriffs deputy....you (sam) in the trench coat slowly lower your weapon and take 10 steps back slowly keeping your hands where I can see them. As I'm standing there...with my toy dangling from my frozen finger tips...he shouts you in the red...take 5 steps towards me and slowly place your weapon on the ground. This is when his voice kinda calms as he realizes the orange on my plastic gun and recons that we are minors not even 10 years old.

Then from there he was like what are you two doing in the dark..we reply just playing cops and robbers like we always do. He was kinda in a oh shoot mood I have another call but asked where do you live. I pointed to the house behind us...and he said go home now I have another call. And sped away.

Sam and I looked at each other like what did we do wrong???

More incidents to come..ill just separate the scenarios.

I have had maybe a dozen interactions with law enforcement. Mostly over minor stuff, some semi serious stuff.

The Alaska state troopers and the city cops where I live have always been pretty reasonable. I have found that if I act respectful, make eye contact and don't act nervous they are pretty nice.

The cops I encountered in southern California and Arizona were extremely rude and impatient.

Cops in Hawaii were like cops in Alaska.

Scenario two was specifically with Seattle Police Department. I was in the fourth grade, acting up in school because the teacher didn't care what was happening at home. (My mother was having a breakdown cuz brother was brought home by the King County Police nightly because he was wearing all blue and they consider cripping with a blue bandanna as gang banging). I missed two days of school because mom was challenging the reasoning for police stopping him. Well ...me returning to school I had no idea there was home work on the days I missed. Ms. Loagan (you never forget the wicked witch ones) told me to stand in front of the class...and said where is your assignment from yesterday? I replied "I have been gone for two days, I don't have anything" she raised her voice extremely..and said "that's unacceptable WHERE IS YOUR ASSIGNMENT?" I shoulder shrugged as the whole class looked on with raised eye brows....she yelled to the whole class room....if any of you forget any assignment you will FOLLOW him straight to the principals office...now GO TO THE PRINCIPALS office and never return to my class!!!!

I slammed the door on the way out...and hid in the library. I was contemplating if I should just run off school grounds...but I hid in the recess toys. Maybe 10 mins pass....I hear the school intercom beep and the front office lady states my name to report to the office immediately ( that witch phoned the front office knowing I didn't go) . I seeked brotherly help..but he was in middle school now....but his old teacher knew what was happening. I peeked in her window...she saw me and left her class...gave me a hug and walked me into the principals office.

She had to leave me...and that's when ishhh got crazy. Lets just say they had a tornado go through the office because the witch accused me of a laundry list of carp I had no idea of and I was basically fighting the system. Then some how my mom was there she wasn't at work due to the home drama...so she had a talk with me and said I'm going away for awhile and my brother is too. He went to family's house away from ghetto white center. I was put in a foster home.

So our family counselor took me to the foster home....this was HELL. I met about 6 other kids....looked like they haven't bathed in weeks. We were stuck in a playroom but I saw out the window and could see Myers way hill across from Boeing field. I knew where I was thanx to mom taking me on every bus route in Seattle. I knew all the buses since age of 6. I knew how to get home.

Sorry..the memories all here so I'm sharing too much but ahhh..anyway...these fosterparents were abusive. I don't eat oatmeal nor wheat bread. They forced me to eat it. I threw up all over the table. They locked me in a room for almost two days with no food. Lucily I was planing an escape since I saw the way home....all I wanted was to go home.

The mail man came daily same time. They open the front door to get mail. Being locked in the room I said I have to go poop....this bought me time so I can jet as soon as the mail man came. SUCCESS...I freaking booked bare foot down the cement hill. As I made it blocks away outta breath a school bus full of kids drove by me looking at me...walking barefoot in pouring down rain and glass shards cutting my feet. I felt ashamed...but was determined to run home. I got passed the overpass of i5..and I see my counselors car drive by just by Boeing field...he rolled his window down and says he is going to turn around and pick me up to go home.

Well....before he could turn around 6 Seattle Police cars swarm me...the grab me and cuff me and throw me in the back..big mistake on their part...they had to clean that pretty well. Apparently I was reported as running to commit suicide to jump of the bridge in to i5 is what the foster parents reported. I said no..I was running home because they locked me in a room for two days.....so I was brought to juvenile detention center , handcuffed to a chair for several hours as they figured out what the heck happens. Me thinking if I get to see mom....nope they put me in a different foster home in mount lake terrace....almost an hour north of Seattle.

This wasn't as bad...but the police didn't care either. They took me there..the lady signed some papers and now I have some creepy fake family pretending that everything is all good. Ill save those details...but after being in foster care...eventually I will have to help in that light just so kids don't go through what i had to. Can you imagine the type of people that get PAID by states to be foster parents? I know there are some good.....but I'd say more the 50% are some f*ed up people.

Scenario three....... 8th grade shoot out.

Moms moved us to Tukwila....away from white center...and at the time mid 90s wasn't too bad of an area. It was an apartment complex...all the neighbors knew me. Things were brighter...my brother wasn't dealing with cops anymore...just teachers and slacking on high school credits to graduate.

Myself....well I was straight A student..honor roll from 6th grade on to graduation of high school...but 8th grade shoot out...I thought I was going to be killed.

I was just sk8 boarding in the apartments...when it seemed odd that a car was in the middle of the lot door open but nobody in it. I continued skating and a guy runs out a hallway...right in front of me....and everything turns slow motion. I look to the left...I see a woman holding a gat aimed at me as I'm in the middle of the line of fire. I hit the ground she starts unloading the clip. She hops over me and shoots the man in the car point blank in the chest.

I'm on the ground...I remember the flash of life again...its surreal....I'm thinking I'm a witness she is going to kill me....I'm yelling please don't kill me with my eyes shut closed...please don't kill me.

That slow motion drags on....I hear the car skirt off burning rubber.... Pistol smoke all around me as I peek to see nobody. I slowly get up.....nobody is around....I'm alive...I spin around and still see nobody. I look at the balconies of the fourth floor...I see people grilling on their BBQ.....I'm still in shock and can't believe what happened....I'm beginning to think it was a movie scene....where are the directors and cameramen? A car pulls up and parks......ahhh yes some one I know.....Mr. Tommy..Mr. Tommy...did you see the man get shot? He looks at me like I'm on some drugs or speaking crazy...what? I recap what went down like I was in some boys in the hood shoot out straight gangsta ishhhhh...he creeps down low on his knees and starts counting. OMG you aren't kidding there are over a dozen shell casings here. He calls 911.

In my head...I'm thinking FUDGE...I hate the police...the shooter knows who I am. I don't want to die...they will come kill me. I run home leaving Mr. Tommy. Mind you this was broad daylight in the summer...about 6:30 pm moms is just getting off work.

I'm home alone now....and I hear knocking. I hide under my bed. Mr Tommy had told detectives I was the witness not him. By this point the neighbor hood is roped off and police everywhere as I peek out the door hole. I run back under my bed.

The knocking stopped...15 mins passes....and I hear the door open. Moms is home but I stay hiding. I stay silent thinking the gun woman is after me. I hear moms call her sister. She says she doesn't know what's happening but there is a ton of police and I don't know where my son is.

Then I hear knocking again....mom answers..detectives ask for me...and she replies he's not here ...where is my son...what happened to my son in the panic cry of being lost and thinking the worst. They explain that I witnessed a shooting and need to find out what exactly happened and its urgent they speak with me.

She tells them she doesn't know where I am and starts calling the neighbors and my friends asking if I'm there. I listen frightfully..trying to distinguish if the detectives left or not. I peek around every corner of the apartment...all I see is mom....and reveal myself...tearing up like a little BEACH......I say I didn't see anything....they will kill me. The shooter saw my face. Mom I didn't see anything...im not talking to the detectives.

She calmly explains she was worried I was shot. We bond for a moment. I tell her I can't live there anymore we have to move or I will get shot. She gets that I know everything but knows that snitches get stiches or end up in ditches. She tells me if the detectives come back just tell them like you told me. You didn't see anything but you need to talk to them so they go away and find the shooter.

She walks me out side..I say NO..everybody will see me. She invites the detectives in. They try and act like I'm in trouble if I don't tell them what i saw. They place a tape recorder on the table.

I sniffle a fee times and I say I saw a car in the road nobody in it. Then I saw a gun and hit the ground and covered my head. Heard shots and the car speed off. That's it.

Did you see any features...was it a man...woman ...what were they wearing. I reply no...I didn't see them.

The detective asks about the car. What color was it? I reply I don't know (I'm color blind...true story) and I just saw the door open nobody in it.

The other detective slams down his hand on the table....son...it is crucial you describe the vehicle and the shooter they are still out there and more people may get hurt. I frantically repeat I don't know I don't know....it was all so fast.

They keep trying to go back to the beginning...to me skate boarding...and then you see what...... A car? With the door open and nobody in it? Yea. .that's all I saw. Well what about the gun?

By this time they are getting nowhere....and their radios and cell phones are going off the hook. They step away.

I look at mom and she just rubs my back...we are almost done. The detectives come back....they say a vehicle crashed about a mile away...and the driver has bullet wounds. Son....do you think you would be able to remember any faces if we show you pictures of the people you might of saw...perhaps if a husband and wife were in an argument?

I say I don't remember anybody's faces my head was burried under my arms. Ok well they give moms a card and say contact them if anything jogs my memory. They bounce like their coffee and doughnuts are ready.

Scenario Four.... Have you been in any trouble lately???

OK...sorry again for the long life stories....if you read earlier I'm HEINZ 57 ethnicity. This senario is pretty BLACK & WHITE. And as you can see my history with police started SUPER young ... having them pull a shot gun on me. I'm at this point a sophomore in high school.....straight A student....driving mom's newish 95 subaru legacy.

In my first month of driving legally 1999 age 16.....i was pulled over 6 times by the Tukwila Police department.... Not ONE single ticket..no speeding...just being a young Person of Color driving. I respectfully showed my papers...and most common question by police is where did I get this car???? They always assumed I stole my mom's legacy as they said there is a stolen car that fits the description..... (Fudge I wish I learned about ACLU in high school instead of college) but remember this was late 90s...no real cellphone cameras or barely cell phones at all. Still tail end of wireless pagers.

Well my best friend Tony got an 89 iroc Z28 T-Top camaro! His dad was a bad Azz Italian Mario brother and gave it to him for his bday. We definitely tested that beast...and it was loud as FUGgggggg! We both worked same job at the local golf course....we both had money...wheels..and access to booze (not with us, we kept em locked in a treasure chest). I'm rollin with him to work sitting passenger seat on a sunny day T-Tops closed...cuz the dark tint helped with high noon sun.

I see Tukwila PD pull behind us...we are 40 seconds to work...we seen him a minute ago.....nothing illegal done or any show off.... Just loud ass tail pipes. WHOOP WHOOP dats da sound of the police, he chirps the siren as we are pulling into the Foster Golf links parking lot. All the staff know it's us cuz our shift starts in 5 mins and you can hear this car coming a mile away....... And we are pulled over in the parking lot of work.

Officer comes to drivers side window, " you know why I pulled you over?" Tony responds, no officer.....well you did a "California Stop" just before the last intersection. He leans down...sees me as passenger......., ................, ............then asks me " have you been in any trouble lately?" I say no sir....he asks me, do you have any ID or Drivers license...... At this point he is just focused on me...i pull my wallet hand him my ID. He walks back to patrol car.

What's missing here ATS???? I'm not the one driving...my best friend Tony is. Yet his wallet and ID are in his pocket....his registration still in his glove box. I knew about white privilege then but this was so messed up as we were now late for work and told the officer we both work here.

Another 5 mins pass...he brings back my ID and says all clear, and tells my friend be sure to make complete stops when there is a stop sign.

Ever since that day I BLINK 3 full slow blinks before I proceed through any stop sign.

I could share probably 50 more stories...and it is revealing how I've witnessed the police state progress from early 90s to present day...nearly two decades. Every scenario written in my memory....every scenario adds weight to my psychological relationship with the police.

The only good police story I have is......a WA state trooper pulled me over in my Jeep and said I have a rear tail light out and I needed to know...no papers or id...just a quick safety hollar...30 second exchange and both on our way. To this day ZERO tickets at age 33 but have been pulled over probably 3 times as much as your whole immediate family has been.

Yet I don't have a grudge against police..l have family that serve and protect.....l just have ZERO trust.

Thank you OP for asking the questions, you have allowed me to share a small scale of my life story and get some of these burried memories out from me.