Question for LEO's

[Bull]

I got stopped the other night for a license plate light out and when the officer came up she informed me of why she stopped me and then ask where I had been, where was I going, what I was doing etc. IN the past when stopped the officer didn't do that so my question is are they teaching this in the academy now and if so why?

 

[jeremy]

tag

 

[Joe Williams]

She's being nosy. And she's trying to get you to chat with her so she can decide if she has PC to investigate further for driving under the influence, if you are overly nervous which would cause her to take a closer look at you and/or your car to see if you are hauling around bad things like maybe drugs or stolen goods, etc.

IOW, she's doin her job with a little more enthusiasm than some cops do, either because she bored, or because she loves catching bad guys. A surprising number of cops aren't very aggressive about catching bad guys. Or perhaps not surprising, cops are people, and lots of people aren't full time gung ho about their jobs.

It's up to you to know your rights, and decide if you want to answer her questions or not.

 

[Annie Oakley]

Joe got it right.

 

[INGunGuy]

She's being nosy. And she's trying to get you to chat with her so she can decide if she has PC to investigate further for driving under the influence, if you are overly nervous which would cause her to take a closer look at you and/or your car to see if you are hauling around bad things like maybe drugs or stolen goods, etc.

IOW, she's doin her job with a little more enthusiasm than some cops do, either because she bored, or because she loves catching bad guys. A surprising number of cops aren't very aggressive about catching bad guys. Or perhaps not surprising, cops are people, and lots of people aren't full time gung ho about their jobs.

It's up to you to know your rights, and decide if you want to answer her questions or not.

Ok, so in that particular situation you respond, in a respectful manner, that it is not any of their business where you are going, or where you have been, etc. What should Joe Civilian expect at that point? Any LEO's care to respond as to how they would handle the situation?

Thanks,

INGunGuy

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Yep. She was just fishin'.

If you take a step back from your individual situation, it's amazing to me how many arrests for warrants are initiated by mere traffic stops; and arrests for other things deemed more serious than just a license plate light out.

Criminals are usually idiots. Idiots are usually irresponsible. An irresponsible people tend to disregard traffic laws and proper/safe/legal conditioning of their vehicle. She was just playing the numbers, so to speak.

Kind of stinks that she pinched you, but for better or worse, that's life.

-J-

 

[Dss21]

I always wondered about those same questions. I can understand them asking " Where have you been" in case there had been a crime committed,but where you are going is none of there business IMO. I normal try to be polite and tell them with all due respect where I am going is none of there business.

 

[mikea46996]

While most will disagree with me I find it easier to be polite and play along with the questions, I have been popped for well over 80 in a 55 and received just a warning and I am sure it was because I wasn't a Male Appendage...

I was stopped once on RT.30 for 78 in a 55 by a county cop he was a young guy but very polite and nice, he tells me that this route is a high drug trafficking route and asks if i would mind if he searched my vehicle.

It had to be about 120 degrees in the sun and it was my work car, NO AC, the back seat was full of garbage and tools, the passenger side wasn't any better so I figured sure have fun.

He had me sit in the front of his squad(very cold AC) while he started his search. About 40 mins later after the hood and the hatchback hit him in the head he came back opened the door and told me that he forgot how fast I was going and to wear my seatbelt, I was good to go.

I was feeling like a smartbutt at this point so I explained to him several areas of the car I felt he neglected to search and how to access those areas and that if I was running drugs those are where I would hide them, asked him if he had a bump on his head.

He then notices that I have a handgun not very well concealed on my right hip, he looks at me and says"Thanks I learned alot from this stop, oh and I assume you have a permit for that right?"

Come to find out he was on a dart league that I played against like 2 weeks later, he bought me several beers and said don't tell anybody about that traffic stop.

I guess the whole other dart league team was LEO..

It just seems easier to let them do their job and lots of times it works to your advantage plus the entertainment value alone is worth it sometimes..

 

[Joe Williams]

A simple, polite, "I'm not willing to answer your questions" is sufficient. Then, don't. They'll probably keep asking, just sit there. You have to ID yourself when detained, that's about it. Now, some cops aren't terribly respectful of our right to not chat with them, and may try to drag out the traffic stop. Not much you can do about it right then and there. Tape the stop, and if the officer detains you longer than is reasonable file your complaints later. They don't get to punish you for asserting your rights. Others will just think to themselves "what a butt," Take as good a look at your car as they can, Hope like all get out you turn up with a warrant, and send you on your way.

Or, you can appreciate the fact that he/she is trying to do the job we pay them for, chat with 'em, and get on your way. Just beware that behind the smile, he/she is looking for a reason to put you in jail. I honestly don't have a problem chatting with the cops, bearing in mind they are trying to bust me, but I'd NEVER consent to a search. I don't have a problem with them asking, but the answer is always NO.

 

[hornadylnl]

We had a similar thread to this in the past where a guy was pulled over for a cracked windshield in Illinois and was asked if he had any guns in his car. The INGO consensus was that it was perfectly okay for "bored" cops to "fish" for crimes with no "probable cause". I have the utmost respect for LEO's but if any ever asks me for a search, where I'm going, what I'm doing or whatever, that particular LEO will never have my respect again and if I ever have the chance to legally put one in his arse, I will do so.

I remember a story my dad told me about a friend. Ya, I know it's 3rd party but no reason for anyone to lie about it. A LEO was parking in this guys driveway to bust people for speeding. The guy told the LEO he didn't want him on his property. The cop refused to leave. One time when he did actually go to leave, his car was stuck in the snow. The LEO went to the guys house and asked to use his phone (several years ago so no cell) to call for someone to get him out. The guy told the LEO he had a radio in his car and he can't use his phone. I think the LEO didn't want to call it in by radio because he'd look like an idiot for getting stuck.

The moral of the story is if a LEO shows me respect, he will get nothing but respect in return. If he disrespects me and the founders' intent of the 4th amendment, I will return that disrespect if and whenever possible. If there is nothing wrong with cops pulling people over for burnt out license plate lights and giving them the third degree, then there should be nothing wrong with LEO's going door to door asking for random house searches. Is that what we want?

I'm done with this thread as I'm not starting a LEO bash here and don't use my post to do so.

 

[Annie Oakley]

I will answer some questions but would never consent to a warrant less search. Most of the time if you can be respectful they figure you have nothing to hide. It has always amazed me how many times you can ask for a search, be granted it and then find all kinds of contraband. Criminals are stupid and most cops know that and if you stick to your Rights they figure you are ok.

 

[HandK]

how long before this one goes

 

[INGunGuy]

OK, the intent of my question was to NOT start any LEO bashing, and I myself have been asked before where I was going, etc, and I chatted the officer up with no problems at all.

INGunGuy

 

[HandK]

OK, the intent of my question was to NOT start any LEO bashing, and I myself have been asked before where I was going, etc, and I chatted the officer up with no problems at all.

INGunGuy

Repped! She was just doing her job.

 

[fireman1328]

It depends on the situation, but I don't think it is any of their business where I am going. If I am in Crawfordsville, I know that I would not tell them a thing.

Fire

 

[Rob377]

Definitely a fishing expedition. She was just doing her job.

I find fishing expeditions to be annoying, but if it results in a few more dirtbags getting popped than otherwise would, I'm OK with a mild annoyance.

 

[RachelMarie]

Eh...I usually tell the cops what they want to know, depending on the question. Less problems that way. I wouldn't allow a search of the vehicle, but I have aggreed to having the dogs come search my vehicle once before. It didn't bother me, I had no where to be that day. It took a while for the extra squad cars to get out there, but that was my only issue! The cop said I looked suspicious and I probably did....I was only 17!

 

[tskin]

I got stopped the other night for a license plate light out and when the officer came up she informed me of why she stopped me and then ask where I had been, where was I going, what I was doing etc. IN the past when stopped the officer didn't do that so my question is are they teaching this in the academy now and if so why?

You must've been in Terre Haute this past Saturday night? I swear when I started reading this thread I thought it was my own. I was on my way home from watching the UFC fights Saturday night (1:15am) & as I was approaching a stop sign on the Indiana State campus I saw a cop with all of his lights off about 100 yards from the intersection. I came to a complete stop & proceeded. The city cop pulled out & followed me as I went through some construction areas. I signalled every time I switched lanes & never exceeded the speed limit. He finally lit me up & told me he'd pulled me over because my license plate lights weren't working. He asked where I was going, where I was coming from, and if I'd had anything to drink. I politely answered all his questions. He came back & told me he was "only giving me a warning - that my license plate lights were actually working, but were rather dim." We then went on our seperate ways. My brother's a cop in another city & said this guy was just busting my balls looking for people up to no good. When I didn't fit that description, he told me to have a good night.

 

[INGunGuy]

You must've been in Terre Haute this past Saturday night? I swear when I started reading this thread I thought it was my own. I was on my way home from watching the UFC fights Saturday night (1:15am) & as I was approaching a stop sign on the Indiana State campus I saw a cop with all of his lights off about 100 yards from the intersection. I came to a complete stop & proceeded. The city cop pulled out & followed me as I went through some construction areas. I signalled every time I switched lanes & never exceeded the speed limit. He finally lit me up & told me he'd pulled me over because my license plate lights weren't working. He asked where I was going, where I was coming from, and if I'd had anything to drink. I politely answered all his questions. He came back & told me he was "only giving me a warning - that my license plate lights were actually working, but were rather dim." We then went on our seperate ways. My brother's a cop in another city & said this guy was just busting my balls looking for people up to no good. When I didn't fit that description, he told me to have a good night.

See, now that is what gives EVERY LEO a bad name. I mean come on now, giving someone a Bull$h1t excuse about license plate lights then coming back and giving a warning, well warning for what? The lights were working right, they werent caked with mud were they? Jeez, just another LEO overstepping his authority for no other reason than to be a jerk. [edited -shooter521]

INGunGuy

P.S. I still dont want to do any LEO bashing, but this kinda takes the cake...

 

[hornadylnl]

He finally lit me up & told me he'd pulled me over because my license plate lights weren't working. He asked where I was going, where I was coming from, and if I'd had anything to drink. I politely answered all his questions. He came back & told me he was "only giving me a warning - that my license plate lights were actually working, but were rather dim."

I know I said I was done with this thread but seriously? Pulled over after being followed for awhile for non working plate lights, questioned and then told your plate lights were working but rather dim. Why are we bothering to pretend any more? Why don't we just set up checkpoints on every road to save the hassle?

Should I be on my way go get 100w halogen bulbs for my license plate to eliminate that excuse for being pulled over?