Why I will always be wary of the police...

[cynatnite]

We have two retired police officers in our family. I don't have any reason to hate cops.

Several years ago my husband was driving us home. We had been out to eat that night. We passed through a light and it was yellow. It did not turn red until we were nearly through the intersection. We know this because we had passed a police car and both of us glanced back through the rearview mirrors.

It's gotten to be a habit of passing by a police car that we automatically look to see where the car is going. Not sure why, we just do. My husband is a truck driver so I could understand it being a habit with him since he and other truck drivers make announcements over the CB about seeing law enforcement to one another. I probably just picked up on that habit over the years.

Anyway, the police officer pulled us over. We were dismayed because we knew we had not broken any laws. My husband gave him license and insurance. The officer said he ran a red light. My husband said no, he didn't. It was yellow. The officer insisted that it had been red.

My husband and I both knew better. The cop was on the side of the road and had direct sight of the traffic light. We figure he was mistaken and he refused to admit that.

One thing was clear. Arguing with the officer would have done nothing for us. My husband just said okay and let the officer have his say. The officer gave him a warning and we went on our way.

I don't mind that police have a certain amount of power, but only insofar as when it pertains to situations that call for it. I know this highly debatable and I don't want to get into that.

Here is my problem:

You are not allowed to argue with a police officer. You are not allowed to give police officer the bird. You are not putting a finger on the police officer at all, but if you give them an obscene gesture or argue with them, they will tell you to sit down or you'll be arrested. I know that reality show COPS isn't probably the best example, but there were still plenty of examples where arguing with police got them arrested. I don't understand this at all.

You are required to acquiesce to the police. I'm bothered a lot by this because I think it easily leads to more abuse by police officers.

Not all, mind you. I know several cops and they're fine except for one. I think he's a complete jackass and enjoys flaunting his power over people.

Anyway, because of this I will always be wary of the police and if I don't know the officers well, they won't get much of my trust.

[villager]

1. wariness is warranted. Because their judgment is considered infallible -- when it obviously isn't

.... the inevitable arrogance conflates with the fear, and eventual PTSD, and if they're not time bombs, they tend to wind up as martinets.

[defacto7]

2. Back about 1980

I was driving through a town in central Florida about 2AM. I stopped at a red light and then proceeded. A state police car came up behind and turned on it's light and I pulled over. An officer approached and told me that I didn't come to a complete stop at the light. I didn't complain. Then he asked me to get out and I complied as his partner approached. He asked a series of other questions and wanted to search the car. I know I didn't have to let him do it but it was late and I didn't want to deal with it and other possibilities that could arise from standing alone in the street in the middle of the night arguing with the police, so I let him look in the trunk. It was totally empty and so was the rest of the car except for my clothes.

Here's where it gets weird... He said he was gong to write me a ticket for not stopping at the light properly. So he did. Then he said, "DO NOT send the money to the address on the ticket. Send a money order to this name and address..." and he wrote it on a piece of paper. The name was his, and the address was a PO box. Then he said if I send the money to the address on the ticket, they will not receive the fine and I will be in big trouble, and at that point he was getting a little threatening. It was for $106. Then they let me go.

How stupid do they think I am? I was from out of state. When I got back to my own state, I called the court house listed on the ticket and asked about it by number. They said it was on record but a different vehicle and name. I said thanks and hung up. It was never on my record and the whole affair disappeared.

The police were genuine with all the regalia, radio, weapons, uniform, ID... the works.

Weird.

[Nay]

3. Oh, my....this wasn't, by chance, Brooksville, FL? Back then, it was one of the most corrupt

and disgusting towns in existence. And not just the cops. In the late 70's, my college roommate and her boyfriend were heading from Tallahassee to her parents' home in S FL; they were going through a green light at an intersection and were broadsided. She and their puppy were thrown from the car and were lying on the pavement. Passersby stopped, not to help, but TO LOOT HER CAR of items (TV, etc.) that she was taking home for the summer. They kicked her pup when it got up and barked at them, too.

[defacto7]

4. I honestly can't remember the town.

But your story sounds horrible. I can't imagine how people can be so crude. I wonder if anything has changed since then. Hard to know...

[SwissTony]

5. Do you actually have to stop at a red light?

Many a time, I've approached a red light (particularly at night) where I could see the lights on the road crossing mine. If those lights were obviously going red, I'd slow down but not stop and then cross when my lights turned green. But there was no obligation to stop.

This was in Australia, so obviously different rules may apply.

[defacto7]

6. In every state that I know of

stopping on red is obligatory. If it's flashing you have to come to a complete stop then proceed if clear like a stop sign. If it's not flashing you have to stop and wait till it changes. No exceptions. But if someone wants to take a chance and they are being watched by the police, they can give you a ticket.

[el_bryanto]

7. People become cops for a number of reasons

One reason is that they feel a sense of civic duty and want to help out their community. Another is that they are bullies who like pushing people and a career in law enforcement allows just that.

Bryant

[Egalitarian Thug]

8. It can't be repeated too often. Don't talk to cops! You are required to provide basic

information and documents, beyond that, shut the hell up!

My attorney in SoCal has business cards that he gives all his clients that has everything spelled out for the officer on the scene along with contact info should they want any more information. Whenever I was pulled over, fairly often since I rode a motorcycle often late at night, I'd just hand them my papers and the card. The looks on many of their faces was so satisfying.

[RebelOne]

9. The same thing happened to me a few years ago.

I went through a yellow light, but a cop pulled me over and he insisted that the light was red. I knew it was yellow, but I did not argue with him. Fortunately, he did not give me a ticket for that, but I got one for not having proof of insurance. I did have it, but I was so flustered at the time I could not find it, but found it later behind another card in my wallet. Anyway, I had to go to court and pay a $40 fine.

[Nye Bevan]

10. Your husband *did* "argue with a police officer", and there were no consequences.

No fine, no points, nothing. Your story is an example of the system working the way it should.

[cynatnite]

12. No, he gave in because he knew arguing with a cop would get him arrested...

How can it work adequately if you can't even tell a cop that he was wrong without the fear of getting arrested?

[Nye Bevan]

13. He did tell him he was wrong. And he didn't get arrested (nt)

[cynatnite]

14. He most certainly did not tell the cop he was wrong...

He just said, no he didn't run a red light. It was yellow.

The officer said it was red. It ended there because my husband was avoiding an argument. There was NO argument, just an initial disagreement at the outset. My husband knew that continuing on would either get him a hefty ticket or even arrested. He acquiesced to avoid any problem whatsoever which meant letting the officer say it was red despite the facts to the contrary.

I think my witnessing the event takes precedent over your lack of being there. Your interpretation of what I wrote about this is just plain wrong.

[Zorra]

11. Yep. nt