Questions for LEO about my traffic stop tonight

[jondwright]

First off, I'm sorry that this post has little to do with guns. I admire the LEO that frequent this board, and I left tonight's traffic stop with a couple of questions.

*There is a residential neighborhood commonly used as a cut-through. I was speeding through it tonight, and I ran a stop sign. The officer, although stern, was very gracious in not giving me a ticket. It might have helped that I followed all of your advice about what do do/say/how to act, but he would have been justified in ticketing me...

1.) After running my license, he came back and told me what a horrible driving record I had. I said, "Really?" (I was afraid they had misonformation). I am quite proud of the fact that I have only had 1 ticket since I was 20. (5 years). I told him that, and he said STERNLY, "We don't look at just 5 years, we look at the totality of the whole thing." You see, I got 4 ticket in my 1st 12 months as a licensed driver!!

Was he just giving me a hard time, which I deserved? Or will I never live down that first 12 months of tickets right by the high school?

2.) He told me that the homeowners association there had hired him to patrol part time. He was in uniform, in his car. Can he write tickets? He didn't even write out a warning. I'm just wondering. I guess I'm just trying to pinpoint why it was I had the good fortune of not being cited...

Thanks and God Bless you guys...

 

[Dbl0Kevin]

As for your first question I can't really answer that because around here we can't look up driving records on the street to see how many tickets you have. Some dispatchers will give out points over the radio enough though it's illegal to do so because it's private information, but I usually don't even bother to ask.

As for why you got a break that could be any number of reasons. A lot of times I won't give someone a ticket if I feel they're a good person and just made a mistake. I've never heard of an officer being hired by a homeowner's association to patrol a neighborhood part time, but stranger things have happened. If he was a fully sworn police officer he can write you a ticket any time so yes he could have given you a ticket.

 

[jondwright]

Thanks Kevin. My 2nd question seems like a rather obvious one. Of course a sworn officer can write tickets anytime.

It just occured to me that a homeowners association hiring him to ticket people in the neighborhood wouldn't quite be kosher...

 

[Dbl0Kevin]

It just occured to me that a homeowners association hiring him to ticket people in the neighborhood wouldn't quite be kosher...

Well they couldn't hire him solely to ticket people, they would have to hire him just as a way to have increased police presence in the neighborhood. They could voice their concerns over what problems they have been having, people speeding in a certain area, etc. but it would be up to the officer as to what action to take.

 

[Jeff White]

We only get convictions in the last 12 months when we run a driver here. Any farther back and we have to inquire thru the Secretary of States office. I don't have any idea how far back they keep records, I've never inquired.

As for getting a break, more people talk themselves into tickets with me then I would ever write on my own. It's all in the attitude.

If he was a sworn officer in the jurisdiction he stopped you in, he could have written a ticket even if he were in the employ of the homeowners association here in Illinois. There may be a problem with him wearing his uniform and using agency equipment. It all depends on what kind of agreement the homeowners association had with his agency. It could be that they paid his department the cost of his time and a stipend for use of the equipment. If that's the case it's all above board. It's not unusual for businesses and organizations who are hosting events to work out arrangements like that with local agencies for extra patrol or to have officers on site.

Right after 9-11 a local business that was/is a potential target hired off duty sheriffs deputies to provide extra security. As soon as the county board found out that cars and radios were being used, the price went up. Besides paying the deputies, they ended up paying the county for the use of the equipment. About a year later they had their own private security in place.

Jeff

 

[orangeninja]

"Was he just giving me a hard time, which I deserved? Or will I never live down that first 12 months of tickets right by the high school?

2.) He told me that the homeowners association there had hired him to patrol part time. He was in uniform, in his car. Can he write tickets? He didn't even write out a warning. I'm just wondering. I guess I'm just trying to pinpoint why it was I had the good fortune of not being cited..."

Sounds like just giving you a hard time, sometimes people come off as stern when they actually think they are being sarcastic (guilty). But how much time has passed since your 4 tickets?

As to if he can write tickets off duty? Depends on Dept. procedures and the laws in your state, I am assuming since he was using Dept. car, Dept. gear, he could write tickets.

 

[jondwright]

My last ticket was 3.5 years ago. The one before that was 1.5 years prior. I guess there are a lot of factors as to whether or not he writes tickets during these patrols. I was interested to learn that the HOA probably had an agreement with the agency. Before that I was thinking...can I just hire an LEO to go patrol my mother-in-law's street? What about the street that the kid that bullied me in high school lives on? .... you get what I'm saying. Thanks again guys.

 

[dinosaur]

can I just hire an LEO to go patrol my mother-in-law's street?

Maybe. Some dep'ts have what might be called "Paid Details" where someone, usually a company but it could be a HOA contracts with the local PD. We call them off duty gigs. Ever see road construction and there will be a couple of police cars or just cops directing traffic? They could be off duty working a "gig" and yes they can arrest/summons someone.

 

[swampsniper]

Will You hurt someone before You learn?

When I hear someone so laid back about speeding in residential areas and running stop signs, I expect to see them in the evening news before long, with broken bodies all over the road.

 

[Soap]

I think you deserved the hard time he was giving you. I drive a performance car and it is extremely easy to speed because it feels so stable and controllable. Resist the temptation to drive aggressively in traffic or in residential areas. I'm sure you don't want to mown down some little girl riding her big wheel because you didn't feel like stopping at the sign. Just relax, and drive with your head.

 

[jondwright]

I sure did deserve it Daniel, and am thankful he put a scare into me. He might have kept me from an awful situation like you described. I know where you are coming from with the car, because after driving a Civic for 3 years, I now have a more performance oriented car.

 

[jondwright]

Swamp Sniper, back in your hole!

What in the world gave you the impression that I took this lightly? And by "someone like me" are you referring to the type of people who despite driving over 100,000 miles in 5 years only have one ticket? I've only been driving 9 years, so spare me the "I've only got one ticket in 24 years..."

 

[TheFederalistWeasel]

When I worked in Atlanta we were often hired out thru the Chiefs Office to do extra duty such as work for Home Owners Associations.

I did it for about three months in a large neighborhood which had an equally as large section 8 housing subdivision located next to it, infact you had to go through the HMA hood to get to the section 8 hood.

We would burn your but for speeding and disregarding stop signs in both areas due to the large number of young kids which liked to play close to the street.

In GA you are a Peace Officer 24/7, I’ve issued loud music tickets in front of the apartment where I lived in South ATL. In jogging pants and a tee shirt.

The courtesy officer who was a local SO Deputy asked me to respond to the complaint with him, the complex was located in the city and we had higher fines for loud music.

 

[Blue Line]

Hey why you given' swamp sniper a dis about, If your speeding thru a residential neighborhood and ran a stop sign?

If you were up on the interstate I wouldn't have replied to this but when your in a Residential Area - whats the hurry?

People live in Residential Areas and have kids playing there. If you want to drive fast take it up on the interstate. I like to go fast too but there are places for it and places where you shouldn't. Relax

 

[TechBrute]

When I hear someone so laid back about speeding in residential areas and running stop signs, I expect to see them in the evening news before long, with broken bodies all over the road.

Give me a freaking break. Doing 23 in a 20, and coasting a stop sign in which there is hardly any traffic and you have a clear field of view for hundreds of yards each way is not an issue. As a matter of fact, I'll go so far as to say that the LEOs in my town have less regard for the traffic laws than that! I've yet to see a GP officer actually stop at a stop sign. Quit your overblown chicken little act, or go join the antis in chanting "the sky is falling!!"

 

[jondwright]

Boy am I glad to see you Tech Brute.

Blue Line, if you can't see why I took issue with swampsniper's post, I guess I shouldn't ever post about making a mistake.

Seriously...the guy accused me of not taking it seriously, and implied that my negligence would soon lead to broken bodies all over the road...

 

[Old NFO]

Well they couldn't hire him solely to ticket people, they would have to hire him just as a way to have increased police presence in the neighborhood. They could voice their concerns over what problems they have been having, people speeding in a certain area, etc. but it would be up to the officer as to what action to take.

Dbl0K- We hired a deputy for our HMA (gated community on a lake) in South Carolina to increase the police presence because of kids/speeder issues. We did it through the Sheriff and the request was for the patrol officer to be in uniform and in his duty vehicle. It worked very well- We still pay for weekend/holiday support and I'm happy to say it has helped both our community and gave the officers extra $$ for their needs.

OBTW, yes they were considered on duty and could and did write tickets and arrest people when needed.

 

[Bear Gulch]

I guess I feel uncomfortable with the hire a cop model. Those vehiclesand equipment are paid for by the taxpayers. I guess I see how someone could get into an ethical conflict by trying to serve 2 masters. just my .02

 

[RDY357]

Additional income

Bear,
The city makes money when their cars are used and the Officer makes additional income from the job. This helps the city pay for upgrades to their fleet when there is need. In Fort Worth and Dallas this is how the system works. You have two bills. One is paid directly to the city for the use of the car.....they are leasing it for a certain amount of time. Second, the officer is paid directly by the home owners association.
RDY357

 

[Sean Hofhine]

I guess I feel uncomfortable with the hire a cop model. Those vehiclesand equipment are paid for by the taxpayers. I guess I see how someone could get into an ethical conflict by trying to serve 2 masters. just my .02

My company hires the highway patrol, TPD, and or Sheriff to help with traffic control all the time, we pay exactly as described above, a check to the jurisdictions for the time and materials use of the car, and a check to the officer for the use of his time, at time and a half normal rate. I can't see anyone having a problem, as almost all the officers I've worked with enjoy the extra money, and working with me is usually just a paid sightseeing trip. The DPS, and sheriff guys have told me they are allowed to write tickets while on off-duty work, but usually don't because they are paid to be with me at the time, although I'm sure a grievous offense commited in their presence would warrant some sort of response.
And yes, the vehicles and eq. are paid for by the taxpayers, so are the roads, street signs, schools,parks etc. Kind of like charging the kids fifty cents to swim at the city pool I guess, that was funded by the taxpayers, but can be used by private citizens for a fee. We are also allowed to rent areas of the city park for a fee, or portions of the city owned community center, again for a fee. All taxpayer owned, but available for private use.
Just my .02

 

[MikeIsaj]

First of all, give the guy a break. He admitted he was wrong and didn't try to justify his error, why continue to hammer him? You already won the game now, get off the field.

I see nothing wrong with privately paid LEO. They are paid by us, the taxpayers. The equipment is owned by us, the taxpayers, not the city. If a community or business wants to pay for additional presence, everyone benefits. I live in a small bedroom municiplity with a high service load and a low commercial tax base. What that means is it is a constant struggle to put Officers on the street within budget. That officer is taking the burden of that site off the regular shift, and in the event of a major incident, we have one more officer on the street to respond. He is patrolling a sector at no cost to the municipality.

 

[igor]

Where I live one can't buy police presence. LEO are also prohibited from working in private security when off duty.

 

[coylh]

Wealthy neighborhoods around here rent police.

 

[Island Beretta]

You were speeding through a residential neighbourhood and disobeyed a stop sign.. and you didn't get a ticket...how was the officer giving you a hard time???

Bear Gulch: I don't see how it pans out to 2 masters: you are there to enforce the law!

 

[jondwright]

Island Beretta, that's a REALLY good contribution to this thread, in the spirit that I started it in. Thanks very much!