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

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

As I've posted several times recently, I'm glad that I was involuntarily retired from the IT field a few weeks ago and don't have to deal with this crap any more.....

After 10 days away, and sleeping like a babe all night long, retirement is getting more and more appealing.


I've had several "offers" to "help me" with my CS issues. CISA is saying that there are far more hackers on its shirttails than actual negative effects.

[vreihen16]

<--- Has a collection of clear plastic CISA business cards, and uses it as an example of government waste.....

[UncleWede]

Is it a violation to not pull to right when a car comes up behind full lights and sirens?

Not that you have time if you are full code like that, but how often does an ID10t get a citation?

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

Is it a violation to not pull to right when a car comes up behind full lights and sirens?

Not that you have time if you are full code like that, but how often does an ID10t get a citation?

Yes, 21806 CVC (…and the relevant subsections) cover that. We don’t often cite for it because we are rolling to a priority or emergent call.

[Tyga11]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Yes, 21806 CVC (…and the relevant subsections) cover that. We don’t often cite for it because we are rolling to a priority or emergent call.

I was in a dangerous situation last week.

There was a cop who pulled someone over on the shoulder on the 51 in Phoenix. This moron literally almost hit me to get out of the #1 lane...but I was literally in the #2 lane and he would have side swiped me if I didn't move. So should I have anticipated and let him in or should he have just kept going in the #1 lane?

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by Tyga11

I was in a dangerous situation last week.

There was a cop who pulled someone over on the shoulder on the 51 in Phoenix. This moron literally almost hit me to get out of the #1 lane...but I was literally in the #2 lane and he would have side swiped me if I didn't move. So should I have anticipated and let him in or should he have just kept going in the #1 lane?

The innermost lane is the #1. The cop had a vehicle pulled over in the center median?

[Tyga11]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

The innermost lane is the #1. The cop had a vehicle pulled over in the center median?

I have it mixed up...I thought #1 was all the way right lane...

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by Tyga11

I have it mixed up...I thought #1 was all the way right lane...

Yeah, you had it backwards.

Given that clarification, what you’ll often observe from other motorists, especially tractor-trailer drivers, is that they tend to slightly merge into the #2 lane to provide the officer on the shoulder more space. This works well when there’s nobody on the road, but when other vehicles are in the #2 lane, driving behavior like that can potentially cause traffic collisions. I don’t really like conducting traffic stops on the freeway, so I used to order people off of the freeway.

[jamesinaz]

Got a question. Recently noticed police in my area are patrolling the main road in with an unmarked Mustang. It does not have a light bar on the roof only in the grill etc.

How is a driver to know if this is a legit unmarked versus some car jacker?

What should one do if the driver gets out of an unmarked and isn't in uniform?

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by jamesinaz

Got a question. Recently noticed police in my area are patrolling the main road in with an unmarked Mustang. It does not have a light bar on the roof only in the grill etc.

How is a driver to know if this is a legit unmarked versus some car jacker?

What should one do if the driver gets out of an unmarked and isn't in uniform?

Great question! Unfortunately there isn’t an easy way to know, but what I would do is pull into a public space with CCTV surveillance (…e.g. a gas station) or call the station and tell them you’re being pulled over and the car is unmarked. The station phone lines are all recorded. Provide a description of the vehicle and express that you are unsure if the vehicle is legitimate or not. If the individual is wearing civilian clothing, but is lacking a tactical vest, sufficient identification, etc., I would be suspicious. You can always crack the window and request a Field Sergeant.

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Given that clarification, what you’ll often observe from other motorists, especially tractor-trailer drivers, is that they tend to slightly merge into the #2 lane to provide the officer on the shoulder more space. This works well when there’s nobody on the road, but when other vehicles are in the #2 lane, driving behavior like that can potentially cause traffic collisions.

You don't have move-over laws in California yet?

Most states in these parts require motorists to move left out of the travel lane on a multi-lane highway for emergency vehicles.

New York recently added non-emergency vehicles on the shoulder, such as breakdowns and tow trucks. If a driver cannot vacate the travel lane safely due to traffic, they are expected to slow down as safe as possible while passing the vehicle on the shoulder.

I'm still amazed at how many nuckleheads on that live TV show pull over into the suicide or left turn lane, and cringe watching the trucks blow past the Hazen, Arkansas Police whenever they are on the shoulder for a traffic stop.....

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by jamesinaz

Got a question. Recently noticed police in my area are patrolling the main road in with an unmarked Mustang. It does not have a light bar on the roof only in the grill etc.

How is a driver to know if this is a legit unmarked versus some car jacker?

It has been illegal for police in NY State to initiate traffic stops using unmarked vehicles for years now, because of imposter police robbing motorists. They must radio for a marked vehicle to initiate the stop.

I just saw an article this morning in our regional news about the State Police now using "CITE" (Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement) vehicles.

"The CITE vehicles allow Troopers to more easily identify motorists who are using handheld devices while driving. These vehicles blend in with everyday traffic but are unmistakable as emergency vehicles once the emergency lighting is activated," New York State Police stated.

Other than chameleon paint that makes the logos visible on command and light bars that pop up through the roof, I'd love to know how these "CITE" vehicles suddenly become "unmistakable" when compared to the normal unmarked car that are prohibited from initiating a traffic stop?????

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

You don't have move-over laws in California yet?

Most states in these parts require motorists to move left out of the travel lane on a multi-lane highway for emergency vehicles.

New York recently added non-emergency vehicles on the shoulder, such as breakdowns and tow trucks. If a driver cannot vacate the travel lane safely due to traffic, they are expected to slow down as safe as possible while passing the vehicle on the shoulder.

I'm still amazed at how many nuckleheads on that live TV show pull over into the suicide or left turn lane, and cringe watching the trucks blow past the Hazen, Arkansas Police whenever they are on the shoulder for a traffic stop.....

His question wasn’t really regarding that. We have failure to yield to emergency vehicle laws, one of which I already posted (…21806 CVC and its subsections). Vehicles are instructed to move to the right here and the shoulder isn’t really in play.

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

His question wasn’t really regarding that. We have failure to yield to emergency vehicle laws, one of which I already posted (…21806 CVC and its subsections). Vehicles are instructed to move to the right here and the shoulder isn’t really in play.

I think that we're confusing replies. Tyga11's post is what I was referring to, where a driver was moving left out of the travel lane to yield the space to a police officer on the shoulder for a traffic stop.

Per a web search, I see that California does have a move-over law and it may be under CVC 21809.....

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

I think that we're confusing replies. Tyga11's post is what I was referring to, where a driver was moving left out of the travel lane to yield the space to a police officer on the shoulder for a traffic stop.

Per a web search, I see that California does have a move-over law and it may be under CVC 21809.....

Oh yes, that is true. It’s generally unsafe to do so under most circumstances in Southern California. It’s just too crowded. Some cars will just slow down, others won’t slow down at all. Subsection (1) of that CVC is just a bit unrealistic to implement here, and that’s why an officer/deputy needs to be more cognizant and spatially aware when conducting traffic stops.

[jamesinaz]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Great question! Unfortunately there isn’t an easy way to know, but what I would do is pull into a public space with CCTV surveillance (…e.g. a gas station) or call the station and tell them you’re being pulled over and the car is unmarked. The station phone lines are all recorded. Provide a description of the vehicle and express that you are unsure if the vehicle is legitimate or not. If the individual is wearing civilian clothing, but is lacking a tactical vest, sufficient identification, etc., I would be suspicious. You can always crack the window and request a Field Sergeant.

Thanks. The road in question is 8 miles of - nothing. I might have to drive 7 miles to the nearest place with humans. I guess no perfect solution to this. I worry more for my wife who lacks any spidey senses when something is off.

I think if I get pulled over and the guy isn't in anything like a uniform I'm gonna wave out the window and yell back "I'll meet you at the clubhouse" .

To be honest I have no issue with police patrolling that road. It's 45 MPH and I set cruise control to 53 based on every radar I've ever seen says my car is moving 3 MPH slower than my speedometer. Sometimes I get people up my ass in a hurry and when they do it to my wife she is pretty stressed so good let's keep it to reasonable speed. But not sure I like to unmarked car. There are plenty of spots to park the marked Explorers and catch speeders.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by jamesinaz

Thanks. The road in question is 8 miles of - nothing. I might have to drive 7 miles to the nearest place with humans. I guess no perfect solution to this. I worry more for my wife who lacks any spidey senses when something is off.

I think if I get pulled over and the guy isn't in anything like a uniform I'm gonna wave out the window and yell back "I'll meet you at the clubhouse" .

To be honest I have no issue with police patrolling that road. It's 45 MPH and I set cruise control to 53 based on every radar I've ever seen says my car is moving 3 MPH slower than my speedometer. Sometimes I get people up my ass in a hurry and when they do it to my wife she is pretty stressed so good let's keep it to reasonable speed. But not sure I like to unmarked car. There are plenty of spots to park the marked Explorers and catch speeders.

I totally get it. Definitely tell her to request a Field Sergeant if she’s ever uncomfortable. If the officer/deputy is legitimate, this will not be an issue. Also, if your state is anything like CA, she can always crack the window, provide her state issued driver’s license/vehicle registration/vehicle insurance for the officer/deputy to inspect. If her violation is/was only an infraction, providing those documents and signing the citation through the window opening is sufficient.

[Sedan_Clan]

This is how badly we need officers….

That bonus incentive for lateral officers is nuts.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by abuislam

Great idea! I’m curious—what’s one common misconception people have about your profession? Looking forward to learning more!

Well, that’s a great question in that, the misconceptions fall into two different/distinct categories: “misconceptions held by unreasonable people” and “misconceptions held by reasonable people”.

Overwhelmingly, unreasonable people seem to believe that we can know the race/ethnicity/height/weight/sexual orientation/political affiliation/etc. of everybody we pull over……even before we’ve made contact with them. It’s pretty absurd.

One of the more common misconceptions held by reasonable people is the belief that the “thin blueline” means we would cover for bad cops who disgraced the badge and the profession. Nobody wants to work with someone who is a liability. The concept of the blue line has nothing to do with covering up for bad people and everything to do with being the line between chaos and law & order. It’s a thin line!

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by abuislam

Great idea! I’m curious—what’s one common misconception people have about your profession? Looking forward to learning more!

[ezaircon4jc]

Sedan, seen this guy? He's pretty funny...

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

Sedan, seen this guy? He's pretty funny...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sJE9MVZ1uo&list=PL3K-k9VI6niLGDCXmsdJxD47qpBjVWAIn&index=1

Yes! He cracks me up. I love the content.