+1 Police Interaction :)

[JG55]

Karma, I suppose for posting a couple of negative videos about Police Brutality. Yesterday I got pulled by the Police. Basically, I was coming home from repairing a house and wasn't paying attention as I came up the hill and when I say them and they saw me, I knew I was caught speeding. I turned right and immediately started to pull over as their blue lights came on.( they barely had them on before I pulled over and stopped) Got my license out, keep my hands around the steering wheel, handed my license to the officer before he could ask for it or tell me why he stopped me. He asked if I knew why he had stopped me , I took a wild guess () speeding. yep.. I apologized, said I wasn't paying attention since I live right around the corner and was coming home from doing a repair. I did not answer my cell phone while he was talking to me. ( that would be rude!)

Interactions were efficient, respectful and easy on both sides.

A little while later he came back up said Mr. ______ we are going to give you a warning this time. I was very surprised as I had already mentally accepted the ticket and was thinking how much 2 nights of traffic school fun was to be had by me. I thanked him and voluntarily promised to be more careful and watchful of my speed. I hope to live up to that but I admit I have a lead foot and belief that the purpose of a car is to get me from pt a to pt be as quickly and safely as possible which usually means I am traveling above the speed limit..

All in all interactions with the Officer were good, respectful and professional ( the way they should be ). I would of felt the same way if had issued the ticket.

I thank the young officer for doing a good job and wish him many more good and safe years in LE.

[Timestepper]

Yeah, Karma's kind of a neat old broad sometimes, ain't she?

[Reservoir Dog]

Glad you experienced what the vast majority of police interactions are like.

[TrickyNicky]

Sounds good. All my interactions to date with LE have been similar. I've gotten tickets before, but hey I earned them. Can't fault a man for doing his job.

My best encounter was while traveling from Ca to Tn, got stopped by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics for "tailgating".

I knew what was happening right off the bat, as a long hair like me traveling with Ca plates is exactly why they are there.

We chatted a bit, he asked if I wouldn't mind stepping out and sitting in his car, I suspect so his dog could get a good whiff of me with out getting out of the canine area. All went smoothly he asked where I was headed, ran my license, and had me back on the road after maybe ten minutes.

While I don't agree with profiling, the officer was very professional and friendly to boot.

[Defender]

Question for the LEOs on here: How much lattitude does your department give you in regards whether to cite or not, once the traffic stop is effected? My exp was all military police, and in some commands, we had much latitude , in a few others, if the stop was called in then a citation had to be issued. I even had one commander that insisted on a citation for every single traffic accident, lol, and didnt care about mitigating conditions or circumstances. Nashville PD seem to be able to use their own judgement. Ive lived in Goodlettsville for over 10 years and my own experiences with them, as well as those of everyone I know thats been stopped by them, is that they ALWAYS cite. Then you get to pay $130 for traffic school. I'm jumping to the conclusion that the pressure is on them to generate revenue.

Edited May 20, 2012 by barewoolf

[Reservoir Dog]

Question for the LEOs on here: How much latitude does your department give you in regards whether to cite or not, once the traffic stop is effected?

That varies by department. When I was working patrol type duties, I had a very wide latitude. My boss liked to see "paper," so I would either issue a citation or a written warning. I gave out a lot more written warnings than citations, and still gave out plenty of verbal warnings. Personally, I was looking for drunks/drugs/warrants, and if none were present, they were usually on their way with a warning.

I have a friend who is a patrol Lt. with Metro Nashville PD, and this very conversation came up. He said he doesn't care about tickets, but he does care about traffic stops. Meaning he wants his officers out there contacting the public looking for the serious stuff or just making PR contacts, and not worrying about the minor traffic violations. Another friend of mine works for a state police agency (not TN), and his bosses liked to see citations. He said that they did not have quota, but if you weren't writing tickets, you got a talking to by your supervisor.

Edited May 20, 2012 by Reservoir Dog

[DaveTN]

Personally, I was looking for drunks/drugs/warrants, and if none were present, they were usually on their way with a warning.

This.

The best tool a cop has for finding bad guys is the vehicle code.

[gregintenn]

Meaning he wants his officers out there contacting the public looking for the serious stuff or just making PR contacts, and not worrying about the minor traffic violations.

Sir, would you be so kind as to explain a "PR contact"? I assume that is "public relations", but what would be involved in a PR contact?

[Reservoir Dog]

Sir, would you be so kind as to explain a "PR contact"? I assume that is "public relations", but what would be involved in a PR contact?

Yes, PR is public relations. It could mean a lot of things. In my prior experience they included the following;

- Business checks (getting out and talking to business owners; especially some that have had problems with crime on their property)

- Apartment checks (stopping and talking to residents; maybe a little foot patrol through the complex)

- Assisting stranded motorists

- Getting out and attending local community group meetings

There is a lot more, but I am sure you get the idea. Basically, non-enforcement type stuff. Call it "community policing" if you want.

[TMF]

I was very surprised as I had already mentally accepted the ticket and was thinking how much 2 nights of traffic school fun was to be had by me.

When I was in my teens I got pulled over a lot (surprise). I always accepted that I was getting a ticket (or as I called it a "speeding tax"). When you accept that you're getting a ticket and that you deserve it then it makes for a better exchange with the officer, which actually may end up getting you a warning instead.

I never understood my buddies who'd try to argue with the cop. That's an expensive argument to have. One guy I knew would ask what the "calibration date" was on the officer's radar because he thought that would scare the officer into not writing the ticket. It didn't work.

[DaveTN]

When I was in my teens I got pulled over a lot (surprise). I always accepted that I was getting a ticket (or as I called it a "speeding tax"). When you accept that you're getting a ticket and that you deserve it then it makes for a better exchange with the officer, which actually may end up getting you a warning instead.

I never understood my buddies who'd try to argue with the cop. That's an expensive argument to have. One guy I knew would ask what the "calibration date" was on the officer's radar because he thought that would scare the officer into not writing the ticket. It didn't work.

If they ask if you know why they stopped you reply with “Because you smelled this box of donuts I have in here?†Most cops like a little humor also and may laugh and let you go.

DISCLAIMER: If this turns into a Rodney King type incident; don’t blame me.

[TMF]

If they ask if you know why they stopped you reply with “Because you smelled this box of donuts I have in here?†Most cops like a little humor also and may laugh and let you go.

DISCLAIMER: If this turns into a Rodney King type incident; don’t blame me.

I was pulled over in Georgia when I was young and the deputy asked me if I had any drugs in the vehicle to which i responded "no". After The stop I realized my response should have been "nope, dun smoked 'em all!" Been waiting a long time to use that one!

[gregintenn]

Yes, PR is public relations. It could mean a lot of things. In my prior experience they included the following;

- Business checks (getting out and talking to business owners; especially some that have had problems with crime on their property)

- Apartment checks (stopping and talking to residents; maybe a little foot patrol through the complex)

- Assisting stranded motorists

- Getting out and attending local community group meetings

There is a lot more, but I am sure you get the idea. Basically, non-enforcement type stuff. Call it "community policing" if you want.

Those things would be very good in promoting the image of a department. I would like to see that sort of thing take place here. Thanks for the explanation.

[Pain103]

Question for the LEOs on here: How much lattitude does your department give you in regards whether to cite or not, once the traffic stop is effected? My exp was all military police, and in some commands, we had much latitude , in a few others, if the stop was called in then a citation had to be issued. I even had one commander that insisted on a citation for every single traffic accident, lol, and didnt care about mitigating conditions or circumstances. Nashville PD seem to be able to use their own judgement. Ive lived in Goodlettsville for over 10 years and my own experiences with them, as well as those of everyone I know thats been stopped by them, is that they ALWAYS cite. Then you get to pay $130 for traffic school. I'm jumping to the conclusion that the pressure is on them to generate revenue.

No pressure from the department to write tickets. If you look at the city's budget you see revenue generated from traffic school or tickets doesn't really have a big influence on the budget. Sales tax and property tax on commercial property is the big money. You could write nothing but warning tickets and nobody will say a word. I do alot of traffic enforcement but it's typically dangerous moving violations. I also like to give a fair amount of warnings out too, I look at driving records on DL most times. Our city has a high number of crashes, if i investigate the crash and find one person to have caused the crash due to a violation they typically get a citation.

[gun sane]

This seems like a good time and place to ask. When an LEO asks if you know why you were stopped, shouldn't you play dumb and let him tell you why? I thought confessions only worked out well if you gave them to a priest.

[Pain103]

I don't ask people if they know why I stopped them. I may ask them for any particular reason why they are speeding or blew through a stop sign at 20mph. But asking them "you know the reason I stopped you?" is a way get them to admit some infraction. I mean it would only matter if you plead not guilty and request a trial for the ticket.

[TN-popo]

This seems like a good time and place to ask. When an LEO asks if you know why you were stopped, shouldn't you play dumb and let him tell you why? I thought confessions only worked out well if you gave them to a priest.

Legally speaking, you have a point. Kinda the "anything you say can be used against you" thing.

Personally speaking, I'm much more apt to give a warning if the driver is upfront and honest with the question when I ask it.

I'm not a big traffic stop guy to begin with. So, when I do make them, it's for REALLY blatant stuff that I'm quite certain the driver is well aware of.

Also, in most instances, my Dept gives the officer wide latitude on warnings vs tickets.

Edited May 21, 2012 by TN-popo

[hornett22]

Yes, PR is public relations. It could mean a lot of things. In my prior experience they included the following;

- Business checks (getting out and talking to business owners; especially some that have had problems with crime on their property)

- Apartment checks (stopping and talking to residents; maybe a little foot patrol through the complex)

- Assisting stranded motorists

- Getting out and attending local community group meetings

There is a lot more, but I am sure you get the idea. Basically, non-enforcement type stuff. Call it "community policing" if you want.

This is what I'd like to see more of.

[hornett22]

When I was in my teens I got pulled over a lot (surprise). I always accepted that I was getting a ticket (or as I called it a "speeding tax"). When you accept that you're getting a ticket and that you deserve it then it makes for a better exchange with the officer, which actually may end up getting you a warning instead.

I never understood my buddies who'd try to argue with the cop. That's an expensive argument to have. One guy I knew would ask what the "calibration date" was on the officer's radar because he thought that would scare the officer into not writing the ticket. It didn't work.

I will argue with a cop if I feel it's warranted. I give what I get. If you walk up to me and are nice ,I return the favor.

[daddyo]

When my son was a senior in high school, he rear-ended a guy two miles from our house driving about 50mph. He took his eyes off the road for a second and the guy in front of him locked his brakes for another guy in front of him. I don't know how many times I told him "never take your eyes off the road". Anyway, totaled the car, but he was unhurt (Mitsubishi has excellent safety features in their vehicles!) and the guy he hit had some minor back injury that a trip to his doctor took care of. It could have been so much worse.

Anyway, the TN state trooper who arrived at the scene could NOT have been more understanding and kind, especially when he found out my son is diabetic. He ended up not issuing a citation so that it would not go on his record, and our insurance did not suffer as a result. He did give my son a strong lecture about putting down the phone while driving, which he needed to hear and I was grateful that he did.

I am indebted to this trooper who did us a HUGE favor and I wish I'd had the presence of mind that night to get his name to commend him to his superiors for the professional and compassionate manner in which he treated us that night.

Edited May 21, 2012 by DaddyO

[Steelharp]

"Cruise control." Ticketless for 30 years. It's your friend.

[Oh Shoot]

"Cruise control." Ticketless for 30 years. It's your friend.

You set it for 35 around town, do ya?

Edited May 21, 2012 by OhShoot

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I'm one of those who look at the cop, smile and ask

"What did I do?". No reason to not be polite and it's

been a long time since I had a ticket.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[daddyo]

Being polite is the only option when interacting with LE. Anything else is asking for it.

[Steelharp]

You set it for 35 around town, do ya?

Yes, I have. You got a problem with that?