A thread in GD about the ethics of cops lying has generated lots of general questions about law enforcement, so I thought I’d go ahead and start a thread.
So, ask away!
For information, I’m a cop in Washington state. I have been in law enforcement for 17 years, and I am currently the detective sergeant (technically, I’m the entire investigations division) for my department.
My expertise, obviously, is Washington State law, but I can certainly answer general questions about police procedures, equipment, etc.
Mmmm, we had one of these not too long ago, just so you know why people are not beating down your door yet.
Officer, what is the best thing to say to you when you pull me over, especially after I’m scared to stop on that tiny little shoulder of a road, so I drive further till I can find a safer place?
Officer, I am a self-confessed hippie, how can you and I never meet concerning this, and what should I do if we do? In all other things though, I’m a great citizen…
Officer, the persistant rumours of “quotas” especially in the area if speeding or DUIs continue to bother me. They have been occasionally officially denied, but not in any convincing way. Can you tell us the truth of this?
One question I have had for ages since it happened to me once.
We all know to pull over when a siren flashing vehicle is on the road with you, but what about when you are at a red light? I had an ambulance come up behind me once with lights and sirens blaring when I was stopped at a red light. Since I couldn’t pull forward (into the intersection), I waited for the light to change and then pulled forward and over. The ambulance driver acted like he was pissed at me for not moving out of his way sooner.
Specifically, is “cop” considered a slur by some/many/most cops? (I’d assume not too much of one, since you put it in your thread title, but one never knows.) I know it’s an informal term but I didn’t think it carried any real negative connotations.
I’ve read some recommendations, if pulled over in a traffic stop, to only crack your window slightly, slip out the license and proof of insurance, and roll the window back up, only talking through the window or through the crack if need be. Would this make you suspect something was up, or would you just think the person had been reading too many civil liberties sites?
Another thing I’d heard was to never keep looking at the cop when reaching for your glove compartment to get out your insurance info - that this will make the officer nervous and think you’re reaching for a gun and keeping him/her in sight to aim better. If someone did this to you, would it make you nervous? Are officers taught that people doing this may be up to something?
Do you think at least some cops are more likely to only give warnings - or perhaps choose the lesser of offenses if it’s a gray area - to polite, cooperative people pulled over for a semi-minor traffic stop (like speeding), than to people doing the same thing but who are sarcastic or verbally hostile?
Sometimes, for fun, when the cop asks for my license at a traffic stop, I drop it outside the car as I am handing it to him. When he bends over to pick it up I start rumaging around under the seat noisily. Is this a bad idea?
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*Originally posted by aenea * when you pull me over, especially after I’m scared to stop on that tiny little shoulder of a road, so I drive further till I can find a safer place?
I think that is the best explanation, just say why you didn’t stop immediately. Actually, I would probably be aware of this anyway.
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I’m afraid I don’t understand the question . . .
I’ve never had a quote myself, but they do exist. Police administrations like to cover them up as “performance goals” or some such. Usually, quotas are only applied to traffic units.
I guess I’d like to confirm something I’d like to believe: Do most cops go through their career (or HOPE to go through their career) without ever firing their gun on duty?
I thought that was the norm. But in Detroit, apparently, some police officers think shooting is a weekly thing. We’ve had a spate of off-duty officers shooting and killing people, too.
Ah, TV cops. They do keep things interesting for us. It would amaze you how many people try to challenge me with legal advise they got from watching TV.
I’ve never done an interrogation like you see on NYPD Blue or Homocide, but they can happen. Most of the time we are trying to talk they guy into confessing, not trying to sweat it out of him. I just can’t imagine that method works as well as mine does.
I love my job! I’m lucky to live in a small town that I like, and to work for a department that is more focused on public service than on strict enforcement.
I have known power-abusing cops, and I’ve fired one myself for that. I don’t know any currently, most of them being dinosaurs who have since retired. And I never liked any of them on or off duty.
I don’t know of anyone in law enforcment who considers “cop” to be a slur. People often say “cop” to me then apologize, and I always tell them that it is just fine.**
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If someone did that with me, I would be certain that they were hiding something, and I would make every legal effort to discover what it is.
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I’ve never been taught that one specifically, but it would make me nervous. We watch for many signs that something it up, and that would certainly be one. The safest thing is just to move at a reasonable speed and keep your hands in sight, and that should make most cops happy.
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Absolutely! There is an old saying that you can’t talk your way out of a ticket that an officer has decided to give to you, but you can certainly talk your way into one! We call those “attitude tickets”. I don’t believe in them personally (I think it’s an abuse of power), but I know it is very commonly done.
It isn’t with me or anyone I know in law enforcement. Obviously, however, it is a big deal with some people. I had no idea about that.
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I would say that I’m sorry that things are like that in many places, particularly big cities. In many ways, these guys are fighting a war, and this leads to a lot of this. But it is too often forgotten that we’re supposed to be the good guys, and the place to go when citizens need help. It makes me very sad.
The goal here is to get out of the way safely. Just do the best you can . . . if possible, pull as far to the right as possible so they can slip through, or turn right (even if it takes you out of your way). But if you can’t safely move, there is nothing else you can do.
That is certainly true. I’ve only met one cop (and he scared the hell out of me) who said he hoped he would get to shoot someone someday.
I’ve been at this 17 years and have never fired my gun at someone (I’ve come mighty close a couple of times, though). I know only a couple of cops in my entire county who have done so.
But this is a rural area. Large urban departments face threats that would drive me right out of the job. As I said before, officers in those departments are fighting a war, and naturally they are going to be in a lot more high-risk situations than I will.
Badge, I would like to say that your statements on this board are more than welcome in my book. There is a stereotype among certain people that cops are out to get you rather than to serve and protect. While I don’t buy in to stereotypes, I must say you’ve shattered any subconscious thoughts I might have had along those lines. Thank you.
I wouldn’t let those thoughts be shattered entirely, though. There are cops who are “out to get you”, and you need to be aware of that so you don’t let your rights get trampled.
Do you guys really hang out at donut shops a lot, or is this just a stereotype?
By how much of a margin do you allow for speeders before deciding to pull them over? I realize this may depend on the posted speed limit, where relative variations are more significant at lower speeds (e.g. 30 in a 25 zone vs. 60 in a 55 zone). Do you allow for variances in what speedometers indicate versus the actual speed?
Does the TV show COPS portray an accurate view of the world through the eyes of a police officer? In other words, should we believe that there are as many drug dealers and wife beaters out there as the show illustrates? I realize for this show they are only going to show us the “good stuff” since any mundane police activity would not be worthy of a viewer’s time to watch.
Have you ever been involved in a high-speed car chase? If so, what was it like? We recently had such an incident in my area (Boise, Idaho) that ended with the police shooting the suspect.
