Police and SS#'s and being a nice guy

The BBQ Pit
1

Tonight I found a set of car keys laying on the sidewalk at a local celebration. The lost keys were announced over the public-address system but remained unclaimed.

So after the celebration, I went and had a couple of beers (four, this plays in later). On my way home (walking), I decided to drop the keys off at the police station.

I got to the police station and used the phone to call the front desk. “I have some found keys, I’d like to drop them off.” No problem, we’ll send an officer out past the locked doors to get them.

Cop comes out, I explain that I found these keys at a specific location. I will call the local newspaper to put an ad in saying, “Found Ford keys, pick up at the police station.”

Then we get this shite:

COP: And what is your name?
ME: Whistlepig
COP: Can I see some ID?

(OK, I know that if a cop asks me for my ID, I have to show it. But not under these circumstances. BUT, I moved a couple of years ago and my driver’s license (DL) doesn’t shot my current address. I figured this would be a chance to see if the records have been updated, so that I don’t get a hassle down the road, “Mr. Whistlepig, your license shows that you live on Avenue B, but you say you now live on Avenue G. That’s a $25 ticket.”)

So I give the cop my DL and tell him that my address has changed, and, since we’re hanging here, could he please make sure that my address change has gone through?

COP: What’s your social security number?
ME: My DL# is on my license. (And it’s not my SSN)
COP: No, I need your SSN#
ME: (pause) Why?
COP: To update our records.
ME: (pause) No, I don’t think you need that.

And then he gets on the phone and gives my info to dispatch to see if my address has changed (that’s a good thing, it has).

I thank him for checking and wish him a good night and leave.

And it’s a serious WTF? for asking for my SSN. Biatch, I got my drivers license. It has a number on it THAT YOUR PEOPLE GAVE ME! You need my SSN for what?

Montana had a HUGE uproar a couple of years ago when the feds required an SSN to get a fishing license. Such a big uproar that that was the only year we had to give our SSN.

What the fuck does turning a set of keys in and being a good guy have to do with my SSN? I only showed you my ID to check my address change. WTF is your reason for asking for my SSN?

Whistlepig

2

Make that, “show my current address”, not “shoT my current address”.

And the beers played in a little bit in attitude. (Yeah, I’m talking to an officer and I have beer on my breath.) He asked me how my walk was and I said OK. So he’s checking me out to make sure I’m not driving - no problem.

3

Sounds like the folks in Montana still have some cajones anyway.

4

The fuckin’ form to get a penny refunded due to the malfunctioning gumball machine asks for your SSN these days!

5

Actually, this isn’t true. From Enright v. Groves: we find no statute or caselaw in this jurisdiction which requires a citizen to show her driver’s license upon demand, unless , for example, she is a driver of an automobile and such a demand is made in that connection.
***We conclude that Groves’ demand for Mrs. Enright’s driver’s license was not a lawful order and that refusal to comply therewith was not therefore an offense in and of itself.

6

Still, most states allow for an officer on the street to readily identify a person, not randomly, mind you, but since Whistlepig made the first move…The SSN was a poor question, again however, it can be considered an identifier, especially if a subject (that’s you) has never before been arrested and nothing more than what’s on your DL shows up.

That having been said, the SSN, by my very own SWAG, will be the national ID number in a few years. It’s the Govt’s number, they can (eventually) do what they want with it.

7

Call it your Social Serial Number. ***HIJACK *** I adopted a puppy recently and when I queried them on the high adoption fee, I was told that an identification microchip was implanted in the animal’s neck with a serial number so that it could be identified should it run away from home. When will the MAN implant a microchip in my neck with my Social Serial Number so that I can be identified when I run away from home?