The official "Ask a cop/deputy anything!" thread

[bayarea328xit]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

...

Thank you for your thoughts - always very helpful.

It seems like we are giving LEOs very little space to practice - we are teaching people that non-compliance is a viable option, and (at the same time) punishing LEOs when there is a bad outcome from dealing with an individual who does not comply.

[ezaircon4jc]

Sedan_Clan, if you ever find yourself in north San Diego County, PM me. I'd like to buy you lunch (somewhere kinda cheap; I am a lowly federal retiree after all )

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by bayarea328xit

Thank you for your thoughts - always very helpful.

It seems like we are giving LEOs very little space to practice - we are teaching people that non-compliance is a viable option, and (at the same time) punishing LEOs when there is a bad outcome from dealing with an individual who does not comply.

You are exactly right. If we continue this penalization practice of, "Throw the book at the Officer/Deputy and let him/her fight it out in court (...all while vilification occurs in the kneejerk media due to inconsistent information or a lack of facts)," the failure to act.....the hesitation to act......will continue and get Officers/Deputies injured or killed. We've already seen it occur numerous times over the last couple of years. Law enforcers in precarious positions will sit there, struck by the paralysis of analysis, thinking about their livelihood instead of dealing with the threat in front of them. The brave men and women dealing with these criminals will do just about anything to help the public, but the threat of losing everything is a source of fear. I'm not suggesting that we ignore obvious and egregious examples of misconduct, but we need to understand and acknowledge that our law enforcers are dealing with the problems the public can't or won't deal with themselves. We accept all of the liability for everybody else's problems, so the support should mirror that.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

Sedan_Clan, if you ever find yourself in north San Diego County, PM me. I'd like to buy you lunch (somewhere kinda cheap; I am a lowly federal retiree after all )

That's a very generous offer, Sir! I'm always in north San Diego County. My lady lives in Oceanside and I'm there Saturday night/Sunday morning through Wednesday morning most weeks. P/M me your number!

[jamesinaz]

Originally Posted by bayarea328xit

Thank you for your thoughts - always very helpful.

It seems like we are giving LEOs very little space to practice - we are teaching people that non-compliance is a viable option, and (at the same time) punishing LEOs when there is a bad outcome from dealing with an individual who does not comply.

It amazes me that the good cops want to stay on as cops. In the description of the event above it does sound like the officer screwed up but the difference between his screw-up and one I might have made in my career was no one would have died when I screwed up. Yet the true fault for creating the situation remains with the dead guy.

There needs to be an understanding if you physically resist arrest you are creating a potentially lethal situation and it might be you getting killed. And social climate be damned. Officer had reason to be in fear of his life and if I were on that jury there is no chance he would have faced jail time. Which would probably have been determined in Voir dire and I would have been excused by the DA.

[paquet]

"Something's gotta give" is something I've been repeating far too often these days...

Saw another site where people were blaming cops for not diving in to save a man in the water even after posts from lifeguards saying the cops did the right thing to call in for help.
It seems society is chasing off cops - why would anyone want to stay and be judged 24-7 despite putting life and limb and mental health on the line day in day out?
You have to wonder what's the end game? Are these just misguided people or is there something more in the offing? ("follow the money" is the other thing I often think of nowadays)

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by packet

Saw another site where people were blaming cops for not diving in to save a man in the water even after posts from lifeguards saying the cops did the right thing to call in for help.

IIRC, the first lesson at lifeguard school is to NOT jump in to save a panicking swimmer, lest he/she drown both of you in a wrestling match. This is why lifeguards carry these rescue floats with lots of handles, so that they can push it to the panicking rescuee without getting within arm's reach of them:



I need to add a disclaimer that I have never worked as a lifeguard, nor have I ever been to lifeguard school.....



.

[unluky]

OK - I got a real cop question. Say you see a car parked in a lot of a business that has been out of business for a long time. I'm interested in it, but it's been sitting there for over a year. I grabbed the VIN and ran a car fax - came back good, but to a private owner. Tags are a month or some from expiring and it has plates on it. I was hoping it belonged to one of the failed businesses and I could track it down.

Is there any legal way of tracking down the owner of a car like that? Hate seeing it just sitting there when I might be willing to trade some cash for it and have it be my next project.

Any avenue? Besides busting out the window, calling the cops to report it and see who shows up? =)

[jamesinaz]

Originally Posted by unluky

OK - I got a real cop question. Say you see a car parked in a lot of a business that has been out of business for a long time. I'm interested in it, but it's been sitting there for over a year. I grabbed the VIN and ran a car fax - came back good, but to a private owner. Tags are a month or some from expiring and it has plates on it. I was hoping it belonged to one of the failed businesses and I could track it down.

Is there any legal way of tracking down the owner of a car like that? Hate seeing it just sitting there when I might be willing to trade some cash for it and have it be my next project.

Any avenue? Besides busting out the window, calling the cops to report it and see who shows up? =)

I mean what could go wrong?

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by unluky

OK - I got a real cop question. Say you see a car parked in a lot of a business that has been out of business for a long time. I'm interested in it, but it's been sitting there for over a year. I grabbed the VIN and ran a car fax - came back good, but to a private owner. Tags are a month or some from expiring and it has plates on it. I was hoping it belonged to one of the failed businesses and I could track it down.

Is there any legal way of tracking down the owner of a car like that? Hate seeing it just sitting there when I might be willing to trade some cash for it and have it be my next project.

Any avenue? Besides busting out the window, calling the cops to report it and see who shows up? =)

Is the vehicle code enforced on the property? If so, contact local law enforcement and let them know about the car. Maybe they will assist you in contacting the owner. The caveat is the registered owner may be different than the actual owner, but it's a 50/50 shot.

[unluky]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Is the vehicle code enforced on the property? If so, contact local law enforcement and let them know about the car. Maybe they will assist you in contacting the owner. The caveat is the registered owner may be different than the actual owner, but it's a 50/50 shot.

I'm not sure what Code Enforced means? It's in a parking spot in a lot on a business that is out of business. Been there about a year I think? Plate were registered, so I assume title and everything is up and up, tags are running out soon. It's never moved though. Prob been there a year?

I was going to find a cop sitting in a lot and pull in and ask him - thought he might bored and want to run it, but I know some of my bigger city copy buddies have said that is a no-no anymore.....

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by unluky

I'm not sure what Code Enforced means? It's in a parking spot in a lot on a business that is out of business. Been there about a year I think? Plate were registered, so I assume title and everything is up and up, tags are running out soon. It's never moved though. Prob been there a year?

I was going to find a cop sitting in a lot and pull in and ask him - thought he might bored and want to run it, but I know some of my bigger city copy buddies have said that is a no-no anymore.....

We need a lawful reason to run it, but a vehicle parked in the same spot for a year on business property could be lawful if we received a call for service or we are doing patrol checks and find the vehicle suspicious (..I would run a vehicle that has been parked for an extended period of time in the lot of a business that is no longer operating; think....."broken windows policing"). There's always a way. Call it in.

[vreihen16]

In NY State, our government will sell DMV data to anyone willing to pay for it. For example, many online car sales sites let you punch in your plate number and their site pulls the make/model/year/VIN to make a trade-in offer.

Search the web, because I'd bet that there's a web site out there somewhere that will look up plates for a few bucks. Ditto for criminal/background checks.....

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

In NY State, our government will sell DMV data to anyone willing to pay for it. For example, many online car sales sites let you punch in your plate number and their site pulls the make/model/year/VIN to make a trade-in offer.

Search the web, because I'd bet that there's a web site out there somewhere that will look up plates for a few bucks. Ditto for criminal/background checks.....

They put the kibosh on that in the PRK a long time ago.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

They put the kibosh on that in the PRK a long time ago.

There's case law regarding releasing registered owner information. There was a murder associated with the release of information which led to the case law.

[Sedan_Clan]

It's official, LAPD policy now restricts pretext traffic stops. It looks like the city truly wants lawlessness on every level. Word(s) of advice: avoid Los Angeles like your life depends on it…….because it does.

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

It's official, LAPD policy now restricts pretext traffic stops. It looks like the city truly wants lawlessness on every level. Word(s) of advice: avoid Los Angeles like your life depends on it…….because it does.

So... Does speeding count?

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

So... Does speeding count?

They can/may still effect traffic stops for speeding. Many of the guys/gals are ignoring Chief Moore's (…*cough* …Mayor Garcetti's …*cough*) directive. The men and women on patrol know better. It's the small things that lead to the big busts. If enforcement becomes lax we won't catch the criminals.

[paquet]

"something's gotta give"

So serious question, when such policies are enacted, is there a requirement for them to be backed up by data? in case of an audit. (is policy audited?)

[jamesinaz]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

It's official, LAPD policy now restricts pretext traffic stops. It looks like the city truly wants lawlessness on every level. Word(s) of advice: avoid Los Angeles like your life depends on it…….because it does.

Avoiding LA has been my position for years. The crime rate is high and unless I wish to be a scofflaw I am supposed to be there unarmed. As an aging man of means driving an expensive car I don't choose to be where violent criminals roam and the means to defend myself is banned.

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by jamesinaz

Avoiding LA has been my position for years. The crime rate is high and unless I wish to be a scofflaw I am supposed to be there unarmed. As an aging man of means driving an expensive car I don't choose to be where violent criminals roam and the means to defend myself is banned.

We haven't been anywhere near LA since my M-I-L died in early 2017. Then it was up to La Habra and back. I have had absolutely NO desire to go north on the 5 again! I grew up in Whittier (south side of the tracks, er, Lambert) and have no desire to return there, either!

[Esteban]

I'm from L.A. as well. Was fun when I was a kid, but not anymore.

Last time I was there was visiting my daughter once a week when she went to UCLA many years ago. I would go out there on Wednesdays and we'd go to a movie and have dinner.