Got Pulled over By 4 cops today while carting (CA)

[thexrayboy]

Common decency is something everyone could use a little more of,

Unfortunately common decency has the same origin as common sense. Both commodities are in extremely short supply these days.

For many of the years I lived and worked in LA LA land I drove a convertible type vehicle. With the vehicle open whenever the weather permitted. You get pulled over with the top down the "man" doesn't just want to take a look around in your vehicle. He wants to know "what's in the briefcase, what's in that box marked Mallinckrodt". If it was late at night, the questions always included "where are you going", "why are you out at *** am and not home".

I never once had an officer pull me over and talk only about why I was pulled over and not go fishing for other info.

 

[Geno]

This is positive?!

This is positive?! I'd hate to see confrontational or rude. IMHO, you were treated poorly. I agree...the small talk is to lower your resistence. Maybe the Constitution doesn't apply to you in California. Here, they can get a warrant to search my car.

Doc2005

 

[Molon Labe]

ALWAYS respond with "Yes Sir", "No Sir" I've always found the greater respect I provide the officer the better I'm treated no matter what the circumstances.

I NEVER respond with "Yes Sir / No Sir" to a cop, as it only serves to inflate their already sky-high ego.

Never forget that a cop is a public servant. If anything, the cop should be addressing the person they've pulled over with "Yes Sir / No Sir."

 

[g5reality]

Quote:
ALWAYS respond with "Yes Sir", "No Sir" I've always found the greater respect I provide the officer the better I'm treated no matter what the circumstances.  

I NEVER respond with "Yes Sir / No Sir" to a cop, as it only serves to inflate their already sky-high ego.

Never forget that a cop is a public servant. If anything, the cop should be addressing the person they've pulled over with "Yes Sir / No Sir."

Whenever I've been pulled over and addressed the officer in this manner I was ALWAYS greeted with, politeness and responded to as Mr.____. "May I see your license & registration Mr____", "Do you know why I pulled you over Mr. ___", "Yes sir I did not come to a complete stop at the stop sign", "Yes Mr.___, Please wait here". He comes back with the completed ticket for signature and says, "Please sign here Mr.___ this is not an admission of guilt just a promise to appear", "Yes I understand officer, Thank you and have a good night day etc..."

The guy/gal is only doing their job and BTW not getting paid a whole lot to put their life on the line. I've fought and won those instances where I've believed I was right. Also Cops aren't the brightest of the group. I have won the cases I've fought because I was smarter and made their testamony out to be less than the judge would believe. It's all about salesmanship. with a cop, a judge or getting a girl to go out with you.

If I pulled you over and you were a jerk, I'd do whatever I could to screw up your day. And if I were in any position to help you in any situation and you were rude or disrespectful I would not help you. You get more bees with honey than vinigar

 

[Byron Quick]

Never forget that a cop is a public servant. If anything, the cop should be addressing the person they've pulled over with "Yes Sir / No Sir."

I suffer from lead foot syndrome. As a result, I get pulled over more than most. And get tickets. But always in Southern states.

I've been pulled over in Southern states by officers who behaved in a manner which I perceived as both unprofessional as well as rude.

Don't think I've ever had an officer pull me over who didn't address me as 'Mr. Quick,' and 'sir.'

Got an invitation to hunt deer in Ohio next year. If you think that officers should address citizens as 'sir' during a stop maybe I'll pass. ALL officers I've seen in EVERY traffic stop over a period of thirty six years have addressed the person stopped as 'sir' or 'ma'am.'

 

[Freedspeak]

John C

Everytime someone gets pulled over on this forum, people automatically assume his rights were violated. In most routine traffic stops, the cops are just trying to write a ticket to make their supervisor happy.


And why should making the Super happy be a valid reason for a stop?

If I remember correctly they work for us as peace keepers, not us for them as revenue!

Delta608

So a person may be treated as a suspect without evidence of illegal activity, and not be accorded a civil response. This smacks too much of guilty until proven innocent, which does not fit with the juriprudence of the country!

 

[Frog48]

With the high cost of living, ridiculous gun laws, and militant law enforcement, I dont know why anyone chooses to live in California. I honestly dont understand.

 

[Delta608]

Delta608

So a person may be treated as a suspect without evidence of illegal activity, and not be accorded a civil response. This smacks too much of guilty until proven innocent, which does not fit with the juriprudence of the country!

If you are stopped by the police YOU ARE A SUSPECT, I didnt say treat someone dis-respectfully. Start a different thread to start your cop bashing, again. Let me know if you feel the same when your gun collection is stolen and you have a description of the suspect.....

 

[Birukun]

Traffic stops can go different ways, depending on how you approach them.

Here is a video that explains different ways to avoid the 'pitfalls' of a routine traffic stop:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8520847761350501823

Routine stop, as in accidentally rolling through a stop sign, speeding (within reason), not reckless driving, DUI, etc.

While I am not in agreement with everything in the video, it has changed my view on how to approach a stop. I don't believe a traffic violation should lead to a car search, without really good cause. (something in plain view, for example, like a stack of coffee cans ;-) )

Bill in SD

 

[g5reality]

Traffic stops can go different ways, depending on how you approach them.

Here is a video that explains different ways to avoid the 'pitfalls' of a routine traffic stop:

Nice video. I'll use the Lock the door & roll up window next time. Very good info.

 

[Derby FALs]

The video is from the http://www.flexyourrights.org/index.php website

 

[harrygunner]

That crazy county

silverlance -

Letters like that are a Los Angeles county
"thing", not a California "thing".

I don't live in L.A. county and have never received
a followup letter from anyone at anytime.

 

[CountGlockula]

silverlance-Good job in cooperating with the cops. Sorry for the ticket, but it'll enable you to be a better driver. I can't imagine if another car was heading your way, when you didn't stop.

Everyone else, take this:

 

[jnojr]

I will say that I do not dislike cops, but I do severely distrust them now. Mainly, this is because I don't understand the cop system - do they get kudos for putting away people for offenses? do they get a raise if they put a lot of people away and make lots of arrests? is it by magnitude, or by count? do they have quotas? etc., etc.

Two words...

Court pay

Each arrest can mean time in court. Cops get 4 hours minimum OT for showing up to court. Make a lot of arrests, spend a lot of time hanging out in court, and you cane asily double your salary well into the six figures. Oh, and your retirement calculations get affected, too.

 

[Delta608]

Two words...

Court pay

Each arrest can mean time in court. Cops get 4 hours minimum OT for showing up to court. Make a lot of arrests, spend a lot of time hanging out in court, and you cane asily double your salary well into the six figures. Oh, and your retirement calculations get affected, too.

You do not have a clue.....


Apparantly he does have a clue....I stand corrected....Im transferring to California....

 

[pacodelahoya]

Delta, was what jnojr stated false?

 

[Delta608]

Delta, was what jnojr stated false?

I'd say.....In the Middle District of Florida anyway....

 

[Librarian]

Seems to be a benefit offered by some CA agencies, e.g. Livermore, La Habra, Burlingame, Palo Alto, Santa Cruz County Sheriff. [ some links to PDF files ]

 

[pacodelahoya]

Imagine that!

 

[Delta608]

See edited message # 90 ..

 

[sfc123]

Anything from the ACLU I take with a grain of salt.

 

[g5reality]

Bad information

I was wrong they can

 

[davhina]

If four police came up because I ran a stop sign I would be calling 911 for help. I would be SCARED.

NO Doubt!

 

[Librarian]

I was perplexed in hearing that ANY LEO could determine if a person stopped for a traffic violation could have his/her firearm information available so...I called the Ventura County Sherrif's Department, Los Angeles Sheriff's Department Los angeles Police Department Burbank Police Department and Culver City Poilce Department.

They ALL said: NO an officer CAN NOT deternine if you are a handgun owner from the computer system in the car. They ALL link to the same system. One officer said, "I proceed in every vehicle stop as if teh driver could be armed".

Re: your phone calls, since we have the report of silverlance in his post, #31 in this thread, that contradicts what you were told on the phone, please allow me to be skeptical. His is not the only post on THR reporting similar information; I don't know why the agencies would deny their access to those records.

As to the second, of course - the license plate is tied to the records of the registered owner - how is the officer supposed to know who is actually in the car? If you plan to go home after your shift, you act cautiously.

 

[silverlance]

with all due respect, what the desk officer at your Ventura police station told you is BS.

That cop KNEW I had guns in the car. It was in his eyes, his stance. He asked me if I had firearms in the car before he even bothered to look at my license and registration. I could hear everything about me on the computer speakers - my name, address, vehicle ... and definitely something about firearms. couldn't hear that last too clearly as that was when he started asking me about firearms and it got a little warm in there.

I guess the answer you got is like when folks ask cops, "Do you look for certain types of people to pull over?" And they will say, "No, sir, these are completely random searches, sir."

I have a little experience with "random searches" from the other end and I can tell you without reservation that "random searches" seldom are... it would stand to reason that "confidential information" about our guns, isn't either.

Anyway, I'm going to be going to court to pay this ticket this weekend. Hopefully it won't be too much.

sigh*