Stop and Identify

[Songbird]

A peace office might state it anywhere from "May I please see your driver's license, sir?" to "Got some ID, buddy!", or worse!

LEO: You got some ID?
Redneck: 'Bout what?

[JALLEN]

The Police Chief article is interesting, but can be more confusing than the situation is.

I wonder if some of the confusion and vagueness about the laws date back to the time when many people didn't have cars or drive. I know that both my grandmothers never got a drivers license. I don't know if they had state IDs.

That reminds me of an incident many years ago. I was at my folks' home, on a visit. I pulled out of the driveway in my dad's car, and proceeded right into a police road block, less than a block from the house. Of course, I had a CA driver's license which set off all sorts of curiosity about why I was there, why was I driving this car with Texas plates etc. Pretty nosy, I thought. My dad's car, same name, etc. Pretty soon, one of the officers recognized me, he having been a classmate of one of my sisters. It's a small town, or was. Anyway he told me they did these things periodically as as many as a third of Texans in rural areas refused to get drivers' licenses. "Refused" sounds awfully deliberate... they just never did bother to get a license, and drove anyway.

The Texas drivers license I turned in 40 years ago was a pathetic little piece of paper not much more impressive than a supermarket receipt, not much to it. I'm looking forward to having a Texas driver's license again soon, though.

[jordanmills]

I have nothing but respect for LEOs. They are out there doing a dangerous demanding job and I have no problem with identifying myself. Nothing to hide and though I have never been stopped in the years since aquiring my CHL would look forward to showing it.

From stats I've seen, being a cop is a pretty safe job all said and done.

[A-R]

I have nothing but respect for LEOs. They are out there doing a dangerous demanding job and I have no problem with identifying myself. Nothing to hide and though I have never been stopped in the years since aquiring my CHL would look forward to showing it.

From stats I've seen, being a cop is a pretty safe job all said and done.

Compared to what? Certainly safer than combat patrol in the sand, and probably safer than some of the more extreme "Dirty Jobs" shown on Mike Rowe's old show, but "safe" is a relative term and I'm just wondering to what you're relating your statement.

[longtooth]

The Police Chief article is interesting, but can be more confusing than the situation is.

I wonder if some of the confusion and vagueness about the laws date back to the time when many people didn't have cars or drive. I know that both my grandmothers never got a drivers license. I don't know if they had state IDs.

The Texas drivers license I turned in 40 years ago was a pathetic little piece of paper not much more impressive than a supermarket receipt, not much to it. I'm looking forward to having a Texas driver's license again soon, though.

Many of us remember the old paper DLs. How many of yall remember when the DL was just that & not considered ID. It was in the little plastic window holder w/ registration papers held around the sterring collum w/ the little stretchie springs.

[Jumping Frog]

Compared to what? Certainly safer than combat patrol in the sand, and probably safer than some of the more extreme "Dirty Jobs" shown on Mike Rowe's old show, but "safe" is a relative term and I'm just wondering to what you're relating your statement.

It ranks way down the list of dangerous jobs.

There are jobs that are far more dangerous. For example, commercial fisherman

LEO's have a fatality rate of 19.8 per 100,000 workers.

More dangerous profession include:
Farmers and ranchers 36.0
Fishers and related fishing workers 109.5
Logging workers 89.1
Construction laborers 20.8
Roofers 33.4
Structural iron and steel workers 33.4
Electrical power-line installers and repairers 27.6
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers 70.6
Refuse and recyclable material collectors 24.0
Coal mining 24.8
Support activities for mining 24.6
Taxi and limousine service 20.7

http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfoi_rates_2007h.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[A-R]

Compared to what? Certainly safer than combat patrol in the sand, and probably safer than some of the more extreme "Dirty Jobs" shown on Mike Rowe's old show, but "safe" is a relative term and I'm just wondering to what you're relating your statement.

It ranks about 10th in terms of dangerous jobs.

There are jobs that are far more dangerous. For example, commercial fisherman. Google it; you would be surprised

My point exactly - there are a few other more dangerous jobs, but being 10th most dangerous is by no means "pretty safe"

[Jumping Frog]

My point exactly - there are a few other more dangerous jobs, but being 10th most dangerous is by no means "pretty safe"

I edited my post to reflect some numbers.

LEO's are nowhere close to the top of the list in terms or mortality rate or the total number of fatalities.

However, being an LEO certainly is not "pretty safe", as you note. The overall average rate for all workers is about 3.9, so LEO is roughly five times more dangerous than the average worker.

[A-R]

My point exactly - there are a few other more dangerous jobs, but being 10th most dangerous is by no means "pretty safe"

I edited my post to reflect some numbers.

LEO's are nowhere close to the top of the list in terms or mortality rate or the total number of fatalities.

However, being an LEO certainly is not "pretty safe", as you note. The overall average rate for all workers is about 3.9, so LEO is roughly five times more dangerous than the average worker.

Good numbers and good overall point.

Another thing to examine as well is the type and frequency of danger. A beat cop in a high crime area like parts of Detroit or Chicago is likely much more dangerous than a sheriff deputy in a relatively slow-paced rural area.

Also ANY LEO can run across unexpected danger in the blink of an eye - for example, small-town deputy can pull over a vehicle full of deadly felons or drug runners who will kill to avoid capture. Thus the danger level may not be up to the LEO nor even his "typical" surroundings. Whereas a deep sea fisherman, farmers/ranchers, and other laborers know the danger is ever present and take steps to mitigate. LEOs do the same (such as demanding ID) but the "other human" factor forms a great unknown/uncontrollable factor.

[Jumping Frog]

Another thing to examine as well is the type and frequency of danger. A beat cop in a high crime area like parts of Detroit or Chicago is likely much more dangerous than a sheriff deputy in a relatively slow-paced rural area.

Maybe.

The biggest killer for LEO's are traffic fatalities -- just like truck drivers and taxi drivers. That can happen anytime, anywhere.

[tbrown]

Anyway he told me they did these things periodically as as many as a third of Texans in rural areas refused to get drivers' licenses. "Refused" sounds awfully deliberate... they just never did bother to get a license, and drove anyway.

Right. And flash mobs don't steal anything. They just never did bother to pay, and took what they want anyway.

[Katygunnut]

Compared to what? Certainly safer than combat patrol in the sand, and probably safer than some of the more extreme "Dirty Jobs" shown on Mike Rowe's old show, but "safe" is a relative term and I'm just wondering to what you're relating your statement.

It ranks way down the list of dangerous jobs.

There are jobs that are far more dangerous. For example, commercial fisherman

LEO's have a fatality rate of 19.8 per 100,000 workers.

More dangerous profession include:
Farmers and ranchers 36.0
Fishers and related fishing workers 109.5
Logging workers 89.1
Construction laborers 20.8
Roofers 33.4
Structural iron and steel workers 33.4
Electrical power-line installers and repairers 27.6
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers 70.6
Refuse and recyclable material collectors 24.0
Coal mining 24.8
Support activities for mining 24.6
Taxi and limousine service 20.7

http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfoi_rates_2007h.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You forgot "U.S. President". 43 people have held that job, and 4 of them have been killed in office, making for a fatality rate of 9,302.3 per 100,000 workers.

[tbrown]

http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfoi_rates_2007h.pdf

You forgot "U.S. President". 43 people have held that job, and 4 of them have been killed in office, making for a fatality rate of 9,302.3 per 100,000 workers.

His statistics were from the 21st Century. There have been zero on-duty POTUS fatalities in the 21st Century.

The last one was almost 50 years ago. All in all, that sounds a lot safer than being a college professor or student in a state that prohibits CHL at colleges.

[JALLEN]

The Texas drivers license I turned in 40 years ago was a pathetic little piece of paper not much more impressive than a supermarket receipt, not much to it. I'm looking forward to having a Texas driver's license again soon, though.

Many of us remember the old paper DLs. How many of yall remember when the DL was just that & not considered ID. It was in the little plastic window holder w/ registration papers held around the sterring collum w/ the little stretchie springs.

Mine wasn't kept there. It was a pink square, maybe slightly rectangular, that was kept in my wallet so I could buy beer. It looked as though it had been typed in one of the ancient Remington manual typewriters. Of course, just about anyone could buy beer with that ID, as long as it said you were more than 21.

This thread drift about dangerous occupations is fascinating but you must know that 66.7% of statistics are misleading, and the rest are flat wrong.

[srothstein]

This thread drift about dangerous occupations is fascinating but you must know that 66.7% of statistics are misleading, and the rest are flat wrong.

Is that for the real statistics or does it exclude the 78% that are made up on the spot?