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

[F30lolz]

Today I had someone riding up my ass while doing 70 in a 55 on the left lane. As I was able to move over to the center lane so he/she could pass, the person floored it probably doing 90. At the entrance ramp a squad car merged and the character slowed down to 45 lol.

Have you ever pulled over anyone after merging on a highway w/o clocking them?

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by F30lolz

Today I had someone riding up my ass while doing 70 in a 55 on the left lane. As I was able to move over to the center lane so he/she could pass, the person floored it probably doing 90. At the entrance ramp a squad car merged and the character slowed down to 45 lol.

Have you ever pulled over anyone after merging on a highway w/o clocking them?

Yep. Pacing, visual estimation, etc. is common practice and it holds up in court.

[Joekerr]

Originally Posted by Sara

Pretty sure you’d cuff me for assault

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Cuffs yes. Assault no.

I honestly was leaving this, because I thought you'd say "frisk" or "cavity search", but no....

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by Joekerr

I honestly was leaving this, because I thought you'd say "frisk" or "cavity search", but no....

Lol! I thought the wink might've implied my true motives.

[Littlebear]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

What do you all think of the Chauvin trial thus far? I haven't been able to keep up on it the last few days.

It looks like Chauvin is going down, all the way.
What stands out to me the most is the way the Blue Wall of Silence has broken, unlike in cases of Eric Garner, etc. Good.

Murf

[jamesinaz]

Curious about tailgaters. Other day I was on a 2 lane country road headed to town. Speed limit is 45 and I usually set cruise control to 52 and so far it has worked no tickets here even when I do pass a radar trap. Mind you it is the kind of road you really would like to rev it up on. No houses or cross streets for miles and nice bends. But, I like my license so....

Other day I am happily set on 52 when a Jeep Wrangler or some such thing comes up and glues himself to my bumper. I leave the CC on and just keep going. He has a few opportunities to pass (at least if he was driving my car) and is still there. Finally, about 1 mile from town, get gets a big enough gap and passes me pulling a trailer with a sofa on it. That was why he couldn't pass before. No power and needed a bigger gap.

So I'm curious if you ever stop anyone for tail gating? Is it illegal?

Lastly I am proud I didn't give in to the urge to run the a$$hole off the road. That little demon of anger is still there.

[rwheels]

Originally Posted by Littlebear

It looks like Chauvin is going down, all the way.
What stands out to me the most is the way the Blue Wall of Silence has broken, unlike in cases of Eric Garner, etc. Good.

Murf

Not to say I agree, or not, but don't forget he hasn't had his say yet. His defense hasn't had it's turn yet.

[Murf993]

Originally Posted by rwheels

Not to say I agree, or not, but don't forget he hasn't had his say yet. His defense hasn't had it's turn yet.

Yup, all the defence needs to do is convince one juror.

[Littlebear]

Originally Posted by rwheels

Not to say I agree, or not, but don't forget he hasn't had his say yet. His defense hasn't had it's turn yet.

I know I'm early, but the big brass is coming in against him.

[Murf993]

Originally Posted by Littlebear

I know I'm early, but the big brass is coming in against him.

The political pressure would be huge, that city is such a hot bed right now is clear by the fact they called the Chief of Police as a witness. Normally you'd call someone from the Training section on to testify on Use of Force policy.

[rwheels]

Originally Posted by Murf993

The political pressure would be huge, that city is such a hot bed right now is clear by the fact they called the Chief of Police as a witness. Normally you'd call someone from the Training section on to testify on Use of Force policy.

Agree completely. It is very much like the Wash. DC situation, that bus is going to run over someone before this is all over.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by jamesinaz

Curious about tailgaters. Other day I was on a 2 lane country road headed to town. Speed limit is 45 and I usually set cruise control to 52 and so far it has worked no tickets here even when I do pass a radar trap. Mind you it is the kind of road you really would like to rev it up on. No houses or cross streets for miles and nice bends. But, I like my license so....

Other day I am happily set on 52 when a Jeep Wrangler or some such thing comes up and glues himself to my bumper. I leave the CC on and just keep going. He has a few opportunities to pass (at least if he was driving my car) and is still there. Finally, about 1 mile from town, get gets a big enough gap and passes me pulling a trailer with a sofa on it. That was why he couldn't pass before. No power and needed a bigger gap.

So I'm curious if you ever stop anyone for tail gating? Is it illegal?

Lastly I am proud I didn't give in to the urge to run the a$$hole off the road. That little demon of anger is still there.

Tailgating is cited as an infraction under CVC 21703 (...among others). Tailgating is often an additional factor in collisions and I have cited people for that many times.

Originally Posted by rwheels

Not to say I agree, or not, but don't forget he hasn't had his say yet. His defense hasn't had it's turn yet.

Originally Posted by Murf993

Yup, all the defence needs to do is convince one juror.

Agreed!!....and I think that may happen.

[rwheels]

Question for any of you in law enforcement; undoubtedly there are more Derek Chauvins, et. al. out there. So what is the incentive to keep them under wraps? Why wait until they become news? I'm certain loyalty has something to do with it, but why allow your profession to get tarnished by people like this? Not saying that you, as individuals are complacent, but your leaders have to be when they see complaints, and take little to no action (my opinion).

[Littlebear]

...

[F30lolz]

Just saw this on YouTube and wanted to share. Never, EVER stop/question.

Have my fellow officers on here ever seen anything like this before and if so, did the creeps try to play it off that they broke down?

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by rwheels

Question for any of you in law enforcement; undoubtedly there are more Derek Chauvins, et. al. out there. So what is the incentive to keep them under wraps? Why wait until they become news? I'm certain loyalty has something to do with it, but why allow your profession to get tarnished by people like this? Not saying that you, as individuals are complacent, but your leaders have to be when they see complaints, and take little to no action (my opinion).

You're oversimplifying an issue that can't be simplified.

Did you read my post a few pages back about being in Chauvin's shoes at one point when I worked custody?! Had that ended badly, would I suddenly have become a POS despite having never gotten into any trouble nor being written up (...and despite having low use-of-force numbers)?!?

Some of the bad seeds are great partners and good cops.....until they're not.

[rebekahb]

Originally Posted by rwheels

Question for any of you in law enforcement; undoubtedly there are more Derek Chauvins, et. al. out there. So what is the incentive to keep them under wraps? Why wait until they become news? I'm certain loyalty has something to do with it, but why allow your profession to get tarnished by people like this? Not saying that you, as individuals are complacent, but your leaders have to be when they see complaints, and take little to no action (my opinion).

You see this in quite a few professions. For some, when you read the stories it's like how did it get past this many people and get this far? No one noticed or said anything? Assumption here, but it seems like people don't want to get involved for various reasons. Things always seem a little more black and white when you look from the outside. I've truly learned you never know what you're going to do until you are in a situation. I don't envy those who work in life/death high pressure situations.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by rebekahb

You see this in quite a few professions. For some, when you read the stories it's like how did it get past this many people and get this far? No one noticed or said anything? Assumption here, but it seems like people don't want to get involved for various reasons. Things always seem a little more black and white when you look from the outside. I've truly learned you never know what you're going to do until you are in a situation. I don't envy those who work in life/death high pressure situations.

There's also the assumption that problematic officers don't get fired or called to the carpet by their partners. It's the most significant misconception I come across. We know who the problems are, but the problems don't always rise to the level of criminality.

[rwheels]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

You're oversimplifying an issue that can't be simplified.

Did you read my post a few pages back about being in Chauvin's shoes at one point when I worked custody?! Had that ended badly, would I suddenly have become a POS despite having never gotten into any trouble nor being written up (...and despite having low use-of-force numbers)?!?

Some of the bad seeds are great partners and good cops.....until they're not.

How can they be both, good and bad? I am not trying to simplify, but your partner may be good to you, but bad for the community, as a whole. Do not not gangs (not labeling your profession) hold the same mentality?

[Murf993]

Originally Posted by rebekahb

You see this in quite a few professions. For some, when you read the stories it's like how did it get past this many people and get this far? No one noticed or said anything? Assumption here, but it seems like people don't want to get involved for various reasons. Things always seem a little more black and white when you look from the outside. I've truly learned you never know what you're going to do until you are in a situation. I don't envy those who work in life/death high pressure situations.

I'm not sure what the specifics are that folks on the outside think a copper should be singled out. I read somewhere that there were reports that the officer had a number of complaints against him. As I've said before, when I got my first complaint I was shocked, my Supt. told me if you're not getting complaints you're not doing your job. In my 30+ year career I can't tell you how many complaints I had against me, I was also named in likely a dozen different law suits. I was never found to have done anything wrong, and unfortunately police depts everywhere pay out lawsuits even when they are nuisance suits. The complaints against me ran the gamut from being rude, racist, theft and excessive force. Just typing it out here likely sounds bad to folks on the outside, but trust me it is par for the course especially if you work in a busy division.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by rwheels

How can they be both, good and bad? I am not trying to simplify, but your partner may be good to you, but bad for the community, as a whole. Do not not gangs (not labeling your profession) hold the same mentality?

....because sometimes they aren't problems. They are good partners and good cops (...meaning fair in their enforcement, no egregious force issues, etc.), and then one day they screw the pooch and they end up in trouble.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by Murf993

I'm not sure what the specifics are that folks on the outside think a copper should be singled out. I read somewhere that there were reports that the officer had a number of complaints against him. As I've said before, when I got my first complaint I was shocked, my Supt. told me if you're not getting complaints you're not doing your job. In my 30+ year career I can't tell you how many complaints I had against me, I was also named in likely a dozen different law suits. I was never found to have done anything wrong, and unfortunately police depts everywhere pay out lawsuits even when they are nuisance suits. The complaints against me ran the gamut from being rude, racist, theft and excessive force. Just typing it out here likely sounds bad to folks on the outside, but trust me it is par for the course especially if you work in a busy division.

Exactly!!!!!