# is there any way to stop police harassment? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 15, 2005, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-stop-police-harassment/284838 "2005-01-15T06:20:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-stop-police-harassment/284838/41 "2005-01-16T08:30:51Z")
> [@Bill H.](#): > > If you take the attitude that the police are there to protect you, and go outside and greet them, I think you can get shot for doing this in several major cities. ---
**Author:** ![daydreamer23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@daydreamer23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daydreamer23)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-stop-police-harassment/284838/42 "2005-01-16T09:26:52Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > As **Badge** has already given good solid advice, my first advice (tongue-in-cheek) would be to cover your windows with tin foil as a two-fold solution: It would act as a partial mirror and help reflect that light back into the offending officer’s face, and it would also help block those telepathetic thoughts the goverment may be sending your way. > > Given that I’m not sure we’re hearing the whole story, I have to respectfully ask one question. Are you _sure_ it’s a “black and white” that’s shining a light into your house? I mean, after a year, it would seem to get old after awhile. Are you positive it’s the police and not someone else? Is there someone your boyfriend knows that is just trying to harass him, and may go to such lengths? It’s been a year, and you were (pardon the pun) lit up for pretty damned minor offenses. Small town or not, this doesn’t smell like a totally logical situation. > > But, **Badge** does have a point. > > Tripler > Just trying to shine an alternate light on the problem. yes i’m sure it was a cop car each time. my computer is right next to the window and it’s where i usually spend my time at night so i almost always see them. i can see that its a cop car clearly but when i look for the plate # or car # they take off. it is the whole story and i’ve anwsered all questions asked. the only other thing which may be worth saying is the night i was pc’d i told one cop off pretty bad. maybe he’s holding a grudge i don’t know? ---
**Author:** ![daydreamer23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@daydreamer23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daydreamer23)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-stop-police-harassment/284838/43 "2005-01-16T09:28:34Z")
> [@essvee](#): > > What town? Ware? mattapoisett, massachusetts ---
**Author:** ![daydreamer23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@daydreamer23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daydreamer23)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-stop-police-harassment/284838/44 "2005-01-16T09:39:52Z")
ok… to be making jokes at my expense because of my typing skills it’s right. i got my point across that’s all that’s important(you know who you are). and while i did get some wonderful and very useful advice which i will use, i’m getting a little down reading some responses because i think a few of you are getting the wrong idea about me. i’m not paranoid, i don’t think it’s a goverment conspiracy, and i’m not bringing this on myself. my point is i’ll take the advice i got and which i am thankful for but i won’t be checking this post anymore. unfortunately i take things to heart and it gets to me. so unless you guys want to talk amongst yourselves here there’s no point in leaving anymore advice because i will not see it. thank you anyways. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-stop-police-harassment/284838/45 "2005-01-16T18:51:11Z")
> [@daydreamer23](#): > > mattapoisett, massachusetts Do I ever feel bad for you. Must take forever when you’re filling out all of those forms. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-stop-police-harassment/284838/46 "2005-01-16T20:00:56Z")
Don’t call. Go in to the police station during the daytime. Explain the situation in an understanding manner, ie. not “I’m being harassed!” but rather “I’m concerned about these late-night visits and they’re interfering with my day to day life.” Be patient and not quick to judge. Make sure to ask to speak to a shift sergeant (politely) and be willing to wait a little bit for him/her to arrive if he/she is currently on patrol. Give specific examples. Most shift sergeants have gotten to that position because they have a fairly level head. Come across not as a threat but as a concerned citizen. Lots of police officers, particularly those new to the force, can become over-zealous. Even though you don’t have the plate numbers, get a specific time and place and (especially in smaller towns) they can usually whittle it down to a few officers who might have been there. When I worked for the police department, police officers were logged for every trip or stop they went on (lunch, etc.) and those records could be reviewed. Heck, some places even have GPS positioning in the cars. The key is not to come across as looking to sue or to cause a problem before you give them a chance to address the situation. Come in shouting “you po-po’s are harassing me!” and they’ll draw ranks faster than you can believe. Police officers put up with a lot of guff and grief. Be reasonable and 90% of them are reasonable back. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-stop-police-harassment/284838/47 "2005-01-16T20:06:19Z")
**fluiddruid** , those are some good points. Maybe that approach will work. It’s still needful to document when the events happen in order to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-stop-police-harassment/284838/48 "2005-01-16T21:48:06Z")
> [@daydreamer23](#): > > ok… to be making jokes at my expense because of my typing skills it’s right. i got my point across that’s all that’s important(you know who you are). Actually, that’s not all that’s important. Seriously, it’s nothing personal, but this board has VERY high standards when it comes to basic grammar, punctuation, and we’re absolutely anal on the subject of “chat speak.” I think what people are trying to say is that people here will respond more positively if you make an effort to type properly. (And if you’re a poor speller, like me, at least admit it, and don’t get upset when people point this out). Just some friendly advice. ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-stop-police-harassment/284838/49 "2005-01-17T02:02:49Z")
> [@](#): > > **BillH.** said: > For one thing, people with the wrong attitude tend to have a history of oh, I dunno getting picked up for drinking and driving, or maybe bar fights. Or maybe other things that don’t pop to the surface immediately. I generally have the attitude that they’re paying attention to me to harass me, and I’ve never been arrested for anything in my life. I have, however, been harassed by cops for doing things like walking home to my apartment from a friend’s apartment at an hour they found to be too late in the night. I was completely sober at the time, too. I was harassed in my younger days in my home town because I was the noted atheist and I dressed ‘weird’ for a kid from rural Pennsylvania. Small town cops sometimes use their badge to exercise their bigotry. > [@](#): > > If you take the attitude that the police are there to protect you, and go outside and greet them, ask them if there’s anything they’re concerned about, and thank them for their attention to your safety, I believe you’ll find they’re good people who are just doing their job. It’s hard to do that if they take off as soon as they realize they’ve been noticed. I doubt we can take the fact that they are ‘good people’ for granted. > [@](#): > > **Guinastasia** said: > I think what people are trying to say is that people here will respond more positively if you make an effort to type properly. Even the use of capital letters and a period at the end of a sentence does a lot for our standards. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-stop-police-harassment/284838.md?page=2)