Westfield PD Extreme Traffic Stop- Teens

[Kutnupe14]

As I already stated, the girls mother should go to the prosecutor and file molesting charges. I would certainly not want my daughter to be patted down by a male officer, even if she was burning one with her friends in the car. As evidenced by some of the replies by LEOs in this thread, they CAN do whatever they deem necessary, sometimes that may be justified, sometimes not. The only way to stop it is to (1) be right when you present your case in court, and (2) have enough people making enough racket over this BS to make it more trouble than it's worth for the JBTs.

Smelling weed as the car goes by? Please.

Tell your daughter to stay out of Hamilton county then. If I catch her committing an arrestable crime, there are no female officers available to search her, I have no issue conducting the search myself. I'll put her at the front of my car so the video records the search, and do business as best I can, noting that the suspect is female. Good luck with trying to call it molesting. You'll be laughed out of the pros office with that nonsense.

 

[Bunnykid68]

Uh, Denny is 100% correct, there is no issue, legally, with a road officer searching a female.
And FYI, a lot of people are making assumptions here. OP makes no indication as to the sex of the officer that searched the female. Further we have no idea how old the "young" female is.

A strip search would have to be conducted by an officer of the same sex though correct? I believe that is what one of the other posters was thinking about.

 

[Kutnupe14]

A strip search would have to be conducted by an officer of the same sex though correct? I believe that is what one of the other posters was thinking about.

Well, an officer isn't strip searching anybody. Typically a person accused of a crime can't undergo such a search. A person convicted, different story. But yes, a strip search must be conducted by the same sex (though I am u aware of an IC code advising of such)

 

[Bunnykid68]

Well, an officer isn't strip searching anybody. Typically a person accused of a crime can't undergo such a search. A person convicted, different story. But yes, a strip search must be conducted by the same sex (though I am u aware of an IC code advising of such)

I only knew about the strip search thing because of a traffic stop that happened in the last 1-3 years in Greenwood, Southport, or Southern Indianapolis. Some teenagers were pulled over for the license plate light being out and one of them had half a joint on them. They took them to local firehouse and female officers met them there and searched them. There was a big stink about it obviously. Will see if I can find the actual story.

 

[Dogman]

Hopefully WPD is a good agency and won't put up much of a fight for the dispatch and video stuff.

Well you know how those podunk departments are, just ask any retired LEO command officer.

 

[Bunnykid68]

Was wrong, was not anywhere near Indy.

Crime/Courts | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com

 

[cobber]

As I already stated, the girls mother should go to the prosecutor and file molesting charges.

Just a small point. Complainants cannot file charges, or drop charges. That is the role of the prosecutor.

 

[PappyD]

Just a suggestion PappyD, you might contact WPD and speak with the Captain over the road officers, Dep. Chief, or Chief and request to review any and all in car/officer video/ audio regarding your son's stop. Then decide if you want to take any further action.
You'll find all three are very upstanding men and officers and will go out of their way to get to the truth.

OP here......Thanks Dogman- this is something my wife and I are thinking about doing- just to clear the air. I really don't know the extent of the "pat down" on the girl other than what my son told me. I'm sure to a teen girl ANY touching could be seen as "groping".

For the record I'm not a parent that believes "oh, not my child- he would never smoke-drink-sell drugs, etc. Our house rule is home at midnight, with a few exceptions. Last Friday night was the exception- like in my original post- son and girlfriend run out for burgers and are supposed to come right back. (I remember thinking - 30 minutes tops- how much trouble can they get into?) I also think that "nothing good happens after midnight".

 

[spearheadersarge]

I only knew about the strip search thing because of a traffic stop that happened in the last 1-3 years in Greenwood, Southport, or Southern Indianapolis. Some teenagers were pulled over for the license plate light being out and one of them had half a joint on them. They took them to local firehouse and female officers met them there and searched them. There was a big stink about it obviously. Will see if I can find the actual story.

I believe the incident you are referring to happened in Madison, IN. I believe the city was sued and lost. You can probably check the Madison Courier for stories on the incident.

 

[sepe]

Uh, Denny is 100% correct, there is no issue, legally, with a road officer searching a female.
And FYI, a lot of people are making assumptions here. OP makes no indication as to the sex of the officer that searched the female. Further we have no idea how old the "young" female is.

The "young" female in this situation is 17 as pointed out in the OP.

 

[littletommy]

Tell your daughter to stay out of Hamilton county then. If I catch her committing an arrestable crime, there are no female officers available to search her, I have no issue conducting the search myself. I'll put her at the front of my car so the video records the search, and do business as best I can, noting that the suspect is female. Good luck with trying to call it molesting. You'll be laughed out of the pros office with that nonsense.

Your response doesn't surprise me one bit.

 

[jsharmon7]

Your response doesn't surprise me one bit.

Why?

Do people here think that the police call for a female officer any time a female is to be patted down or searched? Do you realize the logistical nightmare that would be?

 

[VaqueroEM]

Your response doesn't surprise me one bit.

Me either...

 

[45calibre]

your son was stereotyped. how does he dress/look? whats his style of clothes? the same thing happened to me when i was 17 because the cop thought i was selling crack.

 

[Denny347]

Your response doesn't surprise me one bit.

Me neither...it's accurate and logical.

 

[Bunnykid68]

Why?

Do people here think that the police call for a female officer any time a female is to be patted down or searched? Do you realize the logistical nightmare that would be?

Agreed.

 

[mydoghasfleas]

Searching her is one thing, but dont you need probable cause to do so? (17 years old is a minor right?) If it went to court, can the officer simply say "I smelled pot when they drove by" and that when he didnt find any, or they didnt fail a urine test, how would that come out?

If thats all it takes to make the search justifiable, all an officer ever needs to do is simply to say "I smelled pot" as they drove past. If you dont find any, so what, right?

Im not a lawyer, but it seems to me once you have commited to conducting the search based on such a thing as smell, you had better find something.
Maybe Im wrong, but if it was my daughter or son, I would be calling Kirk to find out for sure what my options were if any.

 

[drillsgt]

Tell your daughter to stay out of Hamilton county then. If I catch her committing an arrestable crime, there are no female officers available to search her, I have no issue conducting the search myself. I'll put her at the front of my car so the video records the search, and do business as best I can, noting that the suspect is female. Good luck with trying to call it molesting. You'll be laughed out of the pros office with that nonsense.

I think the issue was that she was not committing an "arrestable crime" but if what the OP is saying is true they were just being harassed by someone on a fishing expedition. At a minimum OP needs Officers side of the story.

 

[littletommy]

Me neither...it's accurate and logical.

Correct. Why would the average Joe think the prosecutor would side with them over a cop?

 

[mydoghasfleas]

Tell your daughter to stay out of Hamilton county then. If I catch her committing an arrestable crime, there are no female officers available to search her, I have no issue conducting the search myself. I'll put her at the front of my car so the video records the search, and do business as best I can, noting that the suspect is female. Good luck with trying to call it molesting. You'll be laughed out of the pros office with that nonsense.

By arresable crime do you mean being in a car that drove past as you thought you smelled pot only to discover after your search of him, her and the vehicle that you were wrong and there was no crime commited?
Because if that was the case you would feel bad about it afterwards right?