PS - forgive the nature of my questions as far as bringing up the negative aspects of law enforcement goes - the things I’m curious about just happen to fall into the category of what a guy should do when “good people go bad” 
:eek:
I thought it might be something like that, but I wasn’t sure. I don’t believe they are sold here (at least I’ve never seen one). If it is legal to purchase, then of course I wouldn’t bother someone who bought one. If it were a juvenile buying a tobacco product, I would be more likely to cite the clerk that sold it rather than the kid who made the purchase.
**
I’m glad everyone is enjoying this as much as I am.
I’m not familiar with the term “wet sheet”, but I’m assuming that means restraining someone? I’ve had that many, many times. One of the toughest fights I’ve ever been in was a suicidal woman who had taken an overdose, and she was not going to be taken to the hospital willingly.
**
We always send two officers to domestic calls if at all possible, but I’ve handled them alone. I’m very good at talking people down no matter how upset they are, and that usually works. If not, we have a variety of options, including a “less lethal” gun that fires batons to disable the person.
**
I’ve been known to just sit on someone until they calm down. We have hobble restrains to secure their legs, and I’ve ridden to the jail (nearly an hour drive from my city) in the back seat with them, holding their hair and keeping their face pressed into a corner of the screen (to keep them from beating their head on the screen, window, me, etc.).
You sound like a fun guy, jwhee! Just out for a nude drive for the fun of it?
In Washington, you can definitely be arrested for driving while nude (but only if someone can see your genitals in the case of a male). The law here is Indecent Exposure. This was changed from Public Indecency many years ago because someone discovered the loophole that as long as they weren’t in public, they could be nude and not get busted.
**
In Washington, you can’t make an “open and obscene exposure of his or her person . . . knowing that such conduct is likely to cause reasonable affront or alarm”. http://www.leg.wa.gov/RCW/index.cfm?fuseaction=section§ion=9A.88.010
That would make it illegal for a woman to be topless, since many people would be upset by this (though I can’t imagine why!).
I have always considered it unfair that men can be topless, but women cannot. But until someone challenges this through the courts and wins, it will not be allowed (do you know how difficult it is for me to tell a woman that she has to cover her breasts? 
).
This is a very tough question to answer. The courts have ruled that a person cannot resist even an unlawful arrest, so long as the only thing they are facing is a loss of freedom. This indicates to me that if you are being illegally assaulted by an officer, you could legally defend yourself and have a defense to any charge of assault or resisting arrest.
Practically, however, this would be tough to win in court. You would have to prove that the assault was illegal. If you assault the officer to stop it, he will be able to use that to show that you were assaultive and had to be physically subdued in the first place.
Also, remember that officer will probably have back-up coming. Even if he was illegally assaulting you to begin with, when his back-up arrives and you’re holding his baton, it’s just going to get worse. They won’t know what he did to start it, only that you’ve assaulted one of us.
Unfortunately, in the real world the better route may be to sue after the fact.
I certainly hope that you and everyone else reading this knows that I don’t condone such things, and I don’t believe anyone should have to take a single blow that isn’t justified and legal. But it isn’t so simple as to just say you should fight back and all will be well.
You have nothing to apologize for, mmmiiikkkeee. These are good, valid questions that need to be asked.
Hi. I have some questions.
- What is the difference between mutual combat and self-defense?
- Do you have to try to run away for it to be self-defense?
- How do you figure out whom to take in for assault when there are two people fighting, no reliable witnesses and one or both claiming self-defense?
- How often do you think officers plant evidence and how easy would it be for them to get away with it?
- Why do so many police officers have mustaches? Is there a secret club or something? (:
Badge, I’ve got one on the last page that seems to have gotten passed over, and it’s not one of the ‘is this a crime?’ ones:
How do you make an arrest that’s not right at the scene of the crime? That is, you’re investigating, you find enough evidence to arrest me, so you have to go and bring me in. Do you do that as immediately as possible, or wait until a time when you’re pretty sure you know where I am? Do you just walk into my workplace and arrest me there, or would you ask me to come outside first, etc.? I know this is obviously going to vary a lot, but I’ve seen a lot of those on L&O and wondered how realistic that is.
Intent, usually. Did the two subjects agree to go outside and fight, or did one start the fight unexpectedly.
**
I know this varies widely from state to state. I don’t believe Washington case law requires a “duty to retreat”, but I know that some states do.
**
I would usually cite them both for mutual combat. Let the court figure it out.
**
I think that it’s pretty rare (I know I’ve never seen or heard of it actually being done anywhere around here). Depending on the circumstances, it is probably pretty easy. Plant a small baggie of pot in someone’s car, easy. Plant bloody gloves behind a guest house, not very likely.
**
I really don’t know. It’s just the human drive to fit in, I guess (and I’m guilty of that as well).
No, I got you, Riboflavin. Here’s my reply from the last page:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=2681498#post2681498
I believe this refers to section 165 of the New York State Penal Code, which deals with “Other Offenses Relating to Theft”. Specifically, 165.15 deals with “Theft of Services”:
Lenny Kravitz’s song is about not being picked up by a cab, and I think he’s saying that he’s not going to rip off the cab driver just because of his (Lenny’s) skin:
Great thread, by the way.
Thanks, Jeff! I was really wondering what that meant.
for the record, i’m a girl 
aw, phooey. guess i’m not the first to think of that one…
i haven’t had any complaints so far 
Allow me to be the first, jwhee.
How you doin’?
See what a sexist I am! Someone says they like to drive around nude, and I assume they are a guy.
And why can’t I get any car stops like that? I’ve stopped a few guys getting BJs while driving, but I’ve never stopped a car with a nude woman behind the wheel.
I’d just like to second the request to hear any funny stories you might have. With that many years on the force, you must have seen some pretty weird stuff.
Excellent thread!
Just out of curiousity, what is the law against this (in your state)? I don’t think it would be indecent exposure since the genitals would be, ahem… “covered”.