Run in with Lawrence Police Officer this AM

[Mike_Indy]

Good morning to all. This AM while heading to drop my child off for school and then to the office I was pulled over by a Lawrence police officer. I failed to use a turn signal and was supposedly doing 70 in a 45. I showed 63 on my dash, but that isn't my issue.

For clarification, I respect police officers that respect citizens. Prior to today I have had ZERO issues or confrontations with a policeman. I've had one ticket/violation in the past 20+ years.

Ok, lights go on, I'm on a 4 lane road. I put on my turn signal and decide to go another 200-300' to a safe area to pull off the highway to avoid stopping in the road on a dark morning.

Officer comes to the car, windows go down as he approaches. Before I can say a word I am being berated for not stopping immediately, very loud and aggressively being told about my horrible driving. "That is a $450 violation. Do you have that kind of money? The LEO then goes on to say "do you live in the XYZ subdivision"? I've seen you. I'm going to start writing you up for every violation I see. Do I make myself clear?


I end up with no warning, just a verbal lashing. I'm glad that I did not get a ticket, but I'm really ticked about the way the officer handled himself. I had to explain to my daughter that I was at fault and by every right deserved a ticket. But, not the lashing.

I do not have is name or badge number. I do have the license plate number so I could likely get it from dispatch. I also am 90% sure he lives within a block of me.

So here is my question?
Do I take the lashing and be glad I was not sighted for a violation?
Do I file a complaint for an officer acting like a dumb A$$ during the encounter?

Thoughts?

 

[trnsplntfrmohio]

do you live in lawrence? feel free to file the complain, i hope you had your voice recorder going, however prepare for your life to become a living hell if you do file a complaint. cops are dirty and tend to have each others backs.

i know this from experience

 

[Rookie]

And so it begins...

Leave it alone...

 

[23mar03]

I would make a complaint to his chief. Everytime the officer steps out of his car there should be a recording(audio/visual), so if it was as you say, then he can't make an excuse. Officers are there to protect and serve, not lord over the common taxpayer.

P.S. If you find out where he lives, run your dog by his lawn at 4 in the morning.

 

[trnsplntfrmohio]

Officers are there to protect
.

stop spreading mis information, officers have no legal obligation to protect anyone but themselves.

 

[Mike_Indy]

As I'm sitting there with my phone in my shirt pocket I'm thinking wow, I should have had it recording. No, I did not have it on. Basically, I anticipated a civil encounter and a slim chance of not being ticketed. I had no reason (based on limited past experience) to expect what I got.

Yes, I live in Lawrence. So, yes the thought of being targeted by an individual idiot LEO has crossed my mind. I do not want to start a bashing of all LEOs here. As I said, I've only had 1 bad experience. I'd like to continue believing that most LEOs are straight up and deserve respect.

 

[trnsplntfrmohio]

trust me you report him, he'll remember you and all his buddies will be pulling you over every chance they get. I'd say report it if it wasn't in your hometown or a place you drive through a lot.

but yeah, you report it, that cop will make your life hell.

i really wish people would wake up and see that cops are not there to protect us and the majority do not give 2 ****s about anyone but themselves. this isn't the 1950's anymore.

 

[Love the 1911]

I hate apologizing for officers that I've never met before...

I'm sorry you had a bad experience with one of my "brothers." We are all taught (though some quickly forget) that we are to treat everyone with the respect that we expect to receive back. Whether you get a ticket or not does not give an officer the right to berate you, especially in front of your daughter and cause her to have less trust in the uniform than she should.

I would make a call to the shift supervisor asap and explain the situation. Whether or not you wish to file a formal complaint is up to you. Whether you do either of these or not, I would be VERY careful driving for the next few weeks as this guy made it sound like he would be looking for you.

If you really want to go the extra mile (and I'm gonna catch all sorts of crap for this), offer to eat lunch with the officer. Don't pay for his, just eat together. It's always good for everyone involved to see that there's a person with similar problems/concerns/beliefs that was driving that car in whatever manner he would describe and also for the citizens to see that there is a person behind the uniform. We aren't robots and you may have caught him on a bad morning, just like he may have seen you on a late morning. I am not offerring an excuse for his inexcusable behavior, just a perspective.

 

[Mike_Indy]

Curious, anyone ever been given grief for not stopping in the road when there is a safe area to pull over within 100 yards?

 

[bassplayrguy]

You have the right to find a suitable stopping place when being pulled over. Well lit, and out of traffic so noone is in harms way. Cops are dirty and I agree that filing a complaint with his superior will not only get no serious attention from his "brothers" but will place you in the crosshairs with every cop in lawrence if you even go a mile over the posted speed limit. Let it ride I say.

 

[MinuteMan47]

...I would be VERY careful driving for the next few weeks as this guy made it sound like he would be looking for you.

That's called harassment.

 

[Denny347]

do you live in lawrence? feel free to file the complain, i hope you had your voice recorder going, however prepare for your life to become a living hell if you do file a complaint. cops are dirty and tend to have each others backs.

i know this from experience

Good God this BS again? Really? It is sad that you go through life this misinformed.

 

[PatriotPride]

Curious, anyone ever been given grief for not stopping in the road when there is a safe area to pull over within 100 yards?

Yes. Then the next time I was pulled over, I was given grief for not driving to a safe area. However, it WAS the State Police, and we all know about them

Honestly, I'm a bit surprised at some of the responses. File a complaint. No disrespect, but not filing a complaint because he probably will abuse his authority further is just empowering him to act however he pleases. There is NO excuse for his behavior as described. As an officer, he is to exhibit a professional demeanor in ALL interactions with the public. No exceptions.

This type of disrespect by a public servant should not be tolerated. File the appropriate complaints. I'd also ensure that you have the appropriate monitoring capabilities with you at all times in the event that the officer decides to follow through on his intent to harass you.

 

[Mike_Indy]

Cop bashers, stay off the thread. This is a thread asking for serious and thought out replies. No group is all good or all bad, cops or ingo members alike. Stay off the soap boxes and be civil.

 

[PatriotPride]

That's called harassment.

Lawsuit/settlement, thy name is "harassment" Sounds like a fantastic way to have your house paid off.

 

[Bunnykid68]

I agree with 1911. See if you can talk to the officer at a later time and have a reasonable conversation with him. If that does not work, file a complaint and have a tape recorder with you just in case is a real ass and does bother you.

Odds are someone pissed in his Wheaties and you had the misfortune of being the first one he saw.
Look guys I have no love for law enforcement but I have never once bashed all of them on this forum, bashing is done when talking to my closest friends in person.

 

[bassplayrguy]

Good God this BS again? Really? It is sad that you go through life this misinformed.

Misinformed? We see it in eveyday actions. If cops want the respect they think they deserve they have to EARN it.

 

[PatriotPride]

Misinformed? We see it in eveyday actions. If cops want the respect they think they deserve they have to EARN it.

We also see good deeds by officers in everyday actions. Noone reasonable will dispute that respect is to be EARNED and not automatically given by persons of ALL walks of life. Let's keep this thread on track please.

 

[sepe]

trust me you report him, he'll remember you and all his buddies will be pulling you over every chance they get. I'd say report it if it wasn't in your hometown or a place you drive through a lot.

but yeah, you report it, that cop will make your life hell.

i really wish people would wake up and see that cops are not there to protect us and the majority do not give 2 ****s about anyone but themselves. this isn't the 1950's anymore.

That is pretty pathetic because saying even the majority isn't close to true. Sure, there are horrible cops that are doing the job for whatever power trip they get but those would also make horrible fry cooks, teachers, garbage men, or whatever else. Maybe it is because I'm from a small town or every cop that I personally know would actually do whatever it takes to protect law abiding citizens...but I think your comment is just plain pathetic. I will fully agree that there are cops that shouldn't be in law enforcement but those shouldn't take away from the job that the good cops do on a daily basis.

As for the OP, slow down and don't give the guy a reason to stop you. Yes, your speedometer could have said 63 and you be actually going 70. I know that mine is off around 5mph because of the tires on my truck. If you make a habit of being late enough that even 63 in a 45 is normal, leave the house a few minutes earlier. Speeding trying to make up for leaving late doesn't help when you get stopped. If I forgot to mention it, SLOW DOWN.

 

[MinuteMan47]

Misinformed? We see it in eveyday actions. If cops want the respect they think they deserve they have to EARN it.

Actually, I read a good comment from Que a few days ago (I forget where)...

I was taught that you GIVE respect to EVERYONE. However, if someone were to act like a jerk, then you LOSE my respect (LEO or not).