Badge, this thread has been so enlightening and informative. I’ve just spent the last several hours reading the whole thing from start to finish, so I must join the others in offering a hearty “thanks” for explaining so many things to us patiently and compassionately and for doing the difficult job that you do. You’re a credit to your profession. Hope there’s more like you out there.
Now to my questions…
1.) Is there really any law against driving without your shoes on? I know I’ve heard that for years, but wonder if it’s really true.
2.) What do you do with people that “park”? You know, those who have no other place to go for a little extra-curricular activity. Say, if as adults, one of the two people involved had a record from when they were teenagers (lo those many, many years ago), would that matter or make you sway in your opinion of what to do? Like tote them to jail or issue a ticket. Would it matter if both were married (but obviously, not to each other)? What about on private, or abandoned, property?
Wha? Of course, this would be for a friend of a friend. Why would you ask?
3.) Say you’ve had someone who’s never been around illegal drug substances in their life, but all of a sudden, were involved in a bust at some friend’s house. Would it matter if it could be proven that they had NOT taken anything? Or would they equally be guilty for having been around something against the law without reporting it?
And finally, thank you in advance for taking the time to answer all these. You truly are serving as a great resource for us all.
It is partly a habit to run everyone through the system, but in your case it was more. Since you are reporting something that could lead to further charges or a need to obtain a search warrant, they have to have all that information to establish who you are, your credibility and reliability.
Wow, I’m impressed. Reading this whole thing is becoming quite a feat.
There is no such law in Washington, but I have heard that some states do have one. I can’t imagine why, though.
I actually see a great deal of this. My jurisdiction includes several miles of driveable beach, so people park out there all the time. I just drive right by and make a point of not shining my light inside.
Some people do make it too difficult to ignore. Several years ago one of our officers found a guy getting a blowjob in his car in the parking lot of the Police Department! That’s going a bit too far. Even so, the officer just directed them to go down to the beach where they could have a little privacy to finish.
You could be charged with possession for just being in the house. Of course, this depends on a lot of variables. However, most prosecutors aren’t going to charge someone unless they have some concrete tie to the house or the stuff in it.
1- Do they teach you in cop school how to diagnose death? In the cop shows they put their finger on someone’s neck for about 0.6 seconds and declare someone dead. Have you ever made the death pronouncement and what method do you use?
2- How do you feel about Joe Q. Public having assault weapons?
I’ll only make that determination if the death is absolutely, 100% certain (with such signs as rigor, lividity, decomposition, decapitation, etc.). If there is any doubt at all, I call in the paramedics to check.
I don’t have a problem with that. I believe in people being able to protect themselves, and since bad guys can get weapons like that so should the good guys. However, I think we need very much stronger punishments for illegal use of weapons like that.
Badge,
This is quite an undertaking. Thanks for your generosity. I have learned a great deal just in reading your replies. My questions are simple considering the scope of this thread:
You’ve replied earlier that longer than usual red light intervals should be treated with common sense and best judgement. I wonder if your call in this situation would differ if the vehicle in question were a motorbike instead of an automobile. Is the motorbike operator more justified in making a quick move against a long red than the automobile operator is? Is the motorbike operator less likely to be pulled over for what is technically a moving violation?
Badge
Kudos for your patience and dedication to this thread. It’s not only entertaining, it’s a real public service. Most people are intimidated by the police and would never have the opportunity to interact with one so informally. It’s both educational and re-assuring.
I do have one question though. A friend of mine is a police officer. Before he became a cop, he often went to his car. Now he proceeds to his vehicle. Why is that?
BTW, I take your point DtC, but I don’t think this thread is the place for it.
I drive through a school zone by my house on the way to work. I leave right around the time school actually starts, so some days the lights are flashing, some days they aren’t. I always go slow through school zones when the lights are on - I have 2 kids myself and I only hope there is a special level of hell for those who blast through school zones at 50 mph. As I left the school zone, I was pulled over by a cop, who told me I was speeding in a school zone. I was going about 34, and the speed limit when the lights aren’t flashing is 30. I honestly couldn’t say for certain that the lights weren’t flashing when I entered the school zone, but I thought they weren’t. Given the choice of arguing that with what appeared to be an annoyed cop and just playing dumb and hoping for the best (“I’m sorry officer, I won’t do it again”), I picked the second and got away with a warning.
Today, when driving to work, I confirmed that either the 2 lights marking the school zone are unsynchronized, or one is just broken. The lights where I entered the school zone were off, but the lights where I exit it were flashing. I called the school to let them know that their lights were messed up, but my question is if I had gotten a ticket, would I have been able to fight it based on the fact that the lights are out of order? What sort of proof would I have needed to bring to show that the lights are not in fact on at the time they are supposed to be?
2 different problems…
hope you can help me out here cop guy
i have a sports car which came with a sports muffler which does make a bit of a noise… … but ive heard worse from other cars and they say theirs is legal… as i said… it came with the car… … bout 2 or 3 days ago, i get stoppped for my muffler… the cop takes a picture and measures my muffler and hands me a ticket…(which stated that i DONT have a muffler) i was very outraged… so i contact the previous owner and he said that where he bought the muffler … they say its perfectly legal… so i go over there and ask them for a paper which states my muffler is legal… but they say i need a receit witch the previous owner had lost… naturally i have contested the ticket, cuz theres no way in hell im paying it… but i need some sort of documentation… in canada… the exhaust noise cannot exceed 80 to 83 decibels… where can i find a way to see if my car exceeds this limit ? cop station ?.. i called the SAAQ (the canadian DMV) and they cant help me
my 2nd prob is… i bought some car parts at a store (2 balljoints, 2 tie-rods and 2 driveshafts)… everything was given to me except for the driveshafts … they said they would deliver it to the garage i was gonna install these things in… anyways… they do that… when they arrive at the garage, they can clearly see that the garage was working on my car. and they knew since they were giving the driveshafts there… that the other parts (the 2 tierods and 2 balljoints) were being installed there as well… anyways… last month, i decide to inspect a noise in my car thats been haunting me since i bought it… and they tell me that both balljoints are both old and broken… i replaced 1 table (which is attached to the balljoint) i have the part with me… and i have proof that they did not install the balljoint… how can i pursue this ? especially since theyve denyed it over the phone ??
thanks sorry about how long this is
Actually, I don’t draw the line. I leave such decisions to the lawmakers and I enforce the laws that they write. And assault weapons are currently legal to possess in the United States.
The examples you give are illustrative: Bazookas, grenade launchers and nukes are illegal to possess (there are some exceptions). I’m not sure about tanks, but I assume that the cannon would have to be disabled.
Actually, assault weapons like AK-47s and M16s are only legal if you have a special permit from the Federal Govt. Which costs a lot of money, and I believe you have to renew it every year. If the weapon is not capable of firing as a full automatic, it is not an assault weapon.
I’m sorry I haven’t been replying for a bit. I was out of town at a training class, but now I’m back to work.
I don’t think that it would make much of a difference. In fact, I might be a little more likely to stop a motorcycle, just because they are far more likely to be involved in an accident if they do something like that (people just don’t seem to see them very well).
[QUOTE=Truth Seeker] Badge
I do have one question though. A friend of mine is a police officer. Before he became a cop, he often went to his car. Now he proceeds to his vehicle. Why is that?
[QUOTE]
LOL! I do love that, too. It cracks me up that cops can’t get away from “cop speak”. I try to train my guys to use plain, simple English.
I would say the best proof would be eyewitnesses, preferably someone who the court wouldn’t assume would lie for you. Maybe a statement from someone from the school district, if they would do that for you.
Even better, if you have good cops, after you get the ticket contact another officer to check the lights and hopefully back you up.
About 4,200 full-time residents, but during the busy summer months we may have as many as 75,000 in town. The city has calculated our “average daily population” as about 10,000.
No, we don’t carry armor piercing rounds. We all carry .223 calibre assault rifles in our cars, though.
No, but I have enjoyed popcorn flavored with pepperspray a few times.
It’s just the culture, I guess. I shaved mine last year and I’m seriously thinking of growing it back.
I actually haven’t noticed this. I’ve known only a few female officers, and none of them were lesbians.
No, but I have gotten my patrol car stuck in the sand a couple of times (back before they started buying four-wheel drive rigs). I can tell you that a lot of people are willing to watch and take pictures, but most of them won’t help push!
I’m not too sure. Why does anyone?
Well, we don’t carry Tasers. But I once confiscated a stun gun from a suspect (he was also carrying three knives and homemade club) and I tried that on myself. I dared all the guys on my shift to try it too, but only two would.
No, thank goodness. Of course, I’m getting old and I’m a sergeant, so I sic the young pups on anyone who runs.
Usually K-9 officers get a little extra pay and an allowance to take care of the dog. So they both get a cut.
Say, if as adults, one of the two people involved had a record from when they were teenagers (lo those many, many years ago), would that matter or make you sway in your opinion of what to do? Like tote them to jail or issue a ticket. Would it matter if both were married (but obviously, not to each other)? What about on private, or abandoned, property?
