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

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by G35POPPEDMYCHERRY

Interesting. There's a bunch of moving parts in that video, and while I don't purport to know how every agency in every state handles certain crimes, that situation could've been handled a bit better (..in terms of crime scene management, etc.). The body camera does not show everything the human eye observes on scene, and a person with a rifle is [or can be] both a mental health crisis AND a potentially deadly situation for the officers (..and it could result in deadly force). I do think the father agitated officers, but I do think the officer(s) shouldn't have fed into it; the father roped them in with his behavior.

People do things and ask for "attention" from officers, then get upset when they get it (..and then want to play the victim). I've had it happen to me and I gave that person the attention they wanted. In one case, in particular, that same person nearly threatened the judge in court because he didn't get his way. Yeah! #truecolors

[G35POPPEDMYCHERRY]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Interesting. There's a bunch of moving parts in that video, and while I don't purport to know how every agency in every state handles certain crimes, that situation could've been handled a bit better (..in terms of crime scene management, etc.). The body camera does not show everything the human eye observes on scene, and a person with a rifle is [or can be] both a mental health crisis AND a potentially deadly situation for the officers (..and it could result in deadly force). I do think the father agitated officers, but I do think the officer(s) shouldn't have fed into it; the father roped them in with his behavior.

People do things and ask for "attention" from officers, then get upset when they get it (..and then want to play the victim). I've had it happen to me and I gave that person the attention they wanted. In one case, in particular, that same person nearly threatened the judge in court because he didn't get his way. Yeah! #truecolors

Agreed. look if I role up in front of cops who are already at my house with a gun, I am likely to get shot.

the whole exchange with the other cop, should have been handled more professionally.

[ezaircon4jc]

Today's rain begs a question...

Do you guys write fewer tickets on rainy days like today?

[G35POPPEDMYCHERRY]

I live in a township outside princeton, back in the day cops always used to pull people over for minor traffic infaractions. Now I rarely see anyone pulled over, or any type of speed enforcement. Ideas why?

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by G35POPPEDMYCHERRY

I live in a township outside princeton, back in the day cops always used to pull people over for minor traffic infaractions. Now I rarely see anyone pulled over, or any type of speed enforcement. Ideas why?

Lack of department morale. It's the infractions everybody deems as "minor" that lead to the big busts or us catching a wanted felon. In many cases the irony is the most rewarding. People who are the most outspoken about pre-text traffic stops are the first to want us to "do something" when they become a victim. Example: "Stupid cops! Always writing stop sign and red light tickets. Why don't you go catch real criminals!!??"

....and then they get their car smashed up by somebody running a stop sign or red light and all of a sudden they want us to write reports and take licenses.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

Today's rain begs a question...

Do you guys write fewer tickets on rainy days like today?

I write more. My tolerance for wacky driving is lower on rainy days.

[G35POPPEDMYCHERRY]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Lack of department morale. It's the infractions everybody deems as "minor" that lead to the big busts or us catching a wanted felon. In many cases the irony is the most rewarding. People who are the most outspoken about pre-text traffic stops are the first to want us to "do something" when they become a victim. Example: "Stupid cops! Always writing stop sign and red light tickets. Why don't you go catch real criminals!!??"

....and then they get their car smashed up by somebody running a stop sign or red light and all of a sudden they want us to write reports and take licenses.

my local cops let me drive with my tints and no front plate so thats about the only slack i want. Other than that I pretty much obey every single traffic law.

the people who complain consequently only do it when its benefits them. I am on a 25mph being tailgated by a string of soccer moms because I am literally going 25, why? because my car is a cop magnet.


these same people will write 5 paragraph essays that someone was flying down the road while they were dropping off their kids during school.

rinse and repeat

same people who drive with their high beams on at night
and left lane camp

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by G35POPPEDMYCHERRY

my local cops let me drive with my tints and no front plate so thats about the only slack i want. Other than that I pretty much obey every single traffic law.

the people who complain consequently only do it when its benefits them. I am on a 25mph being tailgated by a string of soccer moms because I am literally going 25, why? because my car is a cop magnet.


these same people will write 5 paragraph essays that someone was flying down the road while they were dropping off their kids during school.

rinse and repeat

same people who drive with their high beams on at night
and left lane camp

It's an interesting phenomenon, isn't it?!?! I still haven't quite figured out the human psyche as it pertains to this behavior.

[cmyx6go]

Originally Posted by G35POPPEDMYCHERRY

I live in a township outside princeton, back in the day cops always used to pull people over for minor traffic infaractions. Now I rarely see anyone pulled over, or any type of speed enforcement. Ideas why?

I work a little north of you in Central NJ. There used to be the regular spots where the Troopers would hide. They have been mostly non existent since lockdown and I haven't seen them come back.

[Fly320s]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

It's an interesting phenomenon, isn't it?!?! I still haven't quite figured out the human psyche as it pertains to this behavior.

George Carlin had that figured out years ago. "Everyone going slower than me is an idiot and everyone passing me is a maniac."

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by G35POPPEDMYCHERRY

I live in a township outside princeton, back in the day cops always used to pull people over for minor traffic infaractions. Now I rarely see anyone pulled over, or any type of speed enforcement. Ideas why?

My local little town of 200,000+ every single FB post regarding Felon with a weapon begins with a Vehicle code infraction stop. Then they find parolees, and guns, and drugs, and . . .

If you are going out to do a drive-by, or sell dope, make sure all your lights are working - SMH

[ezaircon4jc]

Will having an "LAPD Air Support Division" ball cap on the rear deck of my car help me get a warning?

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

Will having an "LAPD Air Support Division" ball cap on the rear deck of my car help me get a warning?

It very well could. At a minimum it’s a conversation starter.

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

Will having an "LAPD Air Support Division" ball cap on the rear deck of my car help me get a warning?

WHAT, no thin blue line sticker? B A N

[HerkHealer]

I have a question:
Why do PO's wait to turn on the emergency lights and sirens during a high speed pursuit?
I'm "addicted" to these types of videos on YT, and there are LOTS of them as you know.
In this video, a Mustang GT passes a PO on the highway doing in excess of 100mph.
The PO chases, gets to over 100mph going through traffic before activating the lights/sirens. WHY? This happens quite a lot on these videos. Sometimes they dont have the lights on going 150mph passing other cars on the Highway.

Is there a legit reason why Police do this? Is it to not alert the speeding car you're behind them? To me, it seems unsafe. I would think you should have your lights on before going over 100mph to catch someone, for safety of other drivers.

Here's the video.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by HerkHealer

I have a question:
Why do PO's wait to turn on the emergency lights and sirens during a high speed pursuit?
I'm "addicted" to these types of videos on YT, and there are LOTS of them as you know.
In this video, a Mustang GT passes a PO on the highway doing in excess of 100mph.
The PO chases, gets to over 100mph going through traffic before activating the lights/sirens. WHY? This happens quite a lot on these videos. ]b\Sometimes they dont have the lights on going 150mph passing other cars on the Highway[/b].

Is there a legit reason why Police do this? Is it to not alert the speeding car you're behind them? To me, it seems unsafe. I would think you should have your lights on before going over 100mph to catch someone, for safety of other drivers.

Here's the video.

What is often the case is we will wait to initiate red lights and sirens until we are in a position to apprehend. If we alert the suspect too early, it basically gives them the upper hand in a pursuit situation. In short, it's a tactical consideration. It's the same reason why we'll turn off red lights and sirens once we're getting close to a location in an effort not to alert the suspects that we have arrived.


P.S. I can assure you that no police issue Ford Explorer, Ford Crown Victoria, etc. is getting anywhere near 150mph during a pursuit. We're lucky if these things will comfortably hit 120mph without feeling unstable; the average pursuit speeds on highways is around 80mph, but will spike for short periods of time. Police issue vehicles aren't shod with performance tires, performance brakes, etc. and they are extremely heavy. On surface streets our policy states that we shall not exceed 20 mph above the prima facie speed limit. I'm sure most other departments are similar. It becomes too much of a risk to chase beyond those speeds. Our police bikes start tapping out around 100-110mph (..and they don't accelerate like a modern sport bike), so any yahoo who doesn't want to be caught on a sport bike can easily outrun a cop on a police issue BMW, Kawasaki, Harley, etc. Motor officers have to employ certain tactics to catch a speeding motorcycle rider off guard, too. We call it "buzzing" the rider. "Buzzing" is a tactic where you follow the motorcyclist out of his/her line of sight, ride up alongside the rider quickly/abruptly, move into their path of travel and slow down. It catches them off guard and is just enough to gain the yield...........most of the time.

[HerkHealer]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

What is often the case is we will wait to initiate red lights and sirens until we are in a position to apprehend. If we alert the suspect too early, it basically gives them the upper hand in a pursuit situation. In short, it's a tactical consideration. It's the same reason why we'll turn off red lights and sirens once we're getting close to a location in an effort not to alert the suspects that we have arrived.


P.S. I can assure you that no police issue Ford Explorer, Ford Crown Victoria, etc. is getting anywhere near 150mph during a pursuit. We're lucky if these things will comfortably hit 120mph without feeling unstable; the average pursuit speeds on highways is around 80mph, but will spike for short periods of time. Police issue vehicles aren't shod with performance tires, performance brakes, etc. and they are extremely heavy. On surface streets our policy states that we shall not exceed 20 mph above the prima facie speed limit. I'm sure most other departments are similar. It becomes too much of a risk to chase beyond those speeds.

Thank you for your reply.
There are several YT videos showing PO's passing every day citizens on the highway going way past 100mph with zero emergency lights and sirens until they "feel" it is necessary IMO. Often times these YT videos are way above 100mph.

For clarification, im PRO Police as my Dad was a Cop for 33 years.
I just feel situations like this can be easily fixed for ALL our safety.
Such as, immediately turn on you lights/sirens during 100+ MPH pursuits.
Seems like the right way to do this to me..instead of "waiting" for the bad guy to know.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by HerkHealer

Thank you for your reply.
There are several YT videos showing PO's passing every day citizens on the highway going way past 100mph with zero emergency lights and sirens until they "feel" it is necessary IMO. Often times these YT videos are way above 100mph.

For clarification, im PRO Police as my Dad was a Cop for 33 years.
I just feel situations like this can be easily fixed for ALL our safety.
Such as, immediately turn on you lights/sirens during 100+ MPH pursuits.
Seems like the right way to do this to me..instead of "waiting" for the bad guy to know.

What the speedometer may read isn't the true speed. Trust me, I drive these vehicles day in and day out. They aren't that fast and they surely aren't that stable at high speeds (...and I've never been in a pursuit that went above 120mph-ish at any given moment). It's just not really a regular occurrence here in So.Cal, and we average 3-5 pursuits a week at my station alone.

I agree that safety is paramount, but it's a balance we have to strike. We are in a business where there is never an optimal time for anything; not a use of force, not deadly force, not a pursuit, not a PIT maneuver, etc. There's never a "good time" to be involved in any of those things as there is always a risk.

Thank your father for me. Respect is always given to those who came before and did the dirty work.

[Sedan_Clan]

Oh this was fun!


I was monitoring traffic at an intersection for 22450(a) CVC violations when I heard screeching tires in the distance. I crept into the mall parking lot and observed a silver '98 Honda Civic HX with milk crates under the two rear tires performing donuts. I lit them up and had every right to tow that car, arrest the driver and make the three passengers walk home. Fortunately I'm in a good mood and I'm tired, so I let them off with a warning for 23109(a) CVC.

[Dino GT]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Oh this was fun!


I was monitoring traffic at an intersection for 22450(a) CVC violations when I heard screeching in the distance. I crept into the mall parking lot and observed a silver '98 Honda Civic HX with milk crates under the two rear tires performing donuts. I lit them up and had every right to tow that car, arrest the driver and make the three passengers walk home. Fortunately I'm in a good mood and I'm tired, so I let them off with a warning for 23109(a) CVC.

They probably saw cmyx6go post in the "You know you're old when" thread .
No RWD car, and couldn't find any snow, so they improvised

[UncleWede]

With the new paper plates requirement, is there still a need for the dealer to fold up my temp registration and TRY to stick it to the window? I was less than 2 weeks into my new truck when the sticker started slopping off. Since they didn't pay me to advertise their dealership, I removed the sticker pouch and put the registration in my glove box with my insurance.

How long is it taking DMV to issue plates these days?

[cmyx6go]

A 22 year old NYPD rookie shot himself in the head last night at his home. His father, a retired Sgt, found him. He’s from a family of NYPD. In addition to his father, His 2 uncles and his grandfather are/were also on the job. Two of which were high up. The grandfather is a neighbor. I know the grandfather, father and uncles. My nieces and nephews know the kid.

I have high regard for LEO but I can’t imagine anyone wanting their kids to join the force right now. My heart goes out to the family. How do you go on? Rest in peace.