Keith B wrote:She can just contact the agency that the officer worked for and ask if they have an outstanding traffic ticket that she needs to pay. They should advise if there is anything pending.
This.
As far as the fishing for my personal information, the odds of having an already written ticket torn up are astronomically low, so I'm going to be circumspect about what I provide or don't provide. I am required to show both my TDL and CHL if stopped. I will comply with that requirement. If asked for an address, "Officer, you've got my both my driver's license and my CHL in your hand. That's my address." That's all I am
required to provide. If I am being slapped with a ticket, then I'm not likely to feel particularly disposed to provide more information than the legally required minimum. If asked for a cell phone number, "Officer, I'm sorry, I don't give my cell phone number out to
anyone." If asked for a SSN, "Officer, I'm sorry, but I've been a victim of identity theft multiple times, and I simply don't provide that information to anyone anymore. I'm sure you understand, and if you
really need it, you'll have resources at your disposal back at your station to find it out."
If pressed, I'm likely to ask
why he/she needs the information, and I'm likely to politely refuse to give it out unless there is a truly specific and important reason for them to have it. 99.9% of their reasons for asking are not going to be
truly necessary from a law enforcement perspective. Unless I match the description of someone wanted on an APB, all I am
required to give them appears on the face of my state issues licenses. Generally speaking, I want to be courteous cooperative with LEOs with whom I come into contact, but a fishing expedition is exactly that, fishing, and I am a citizen of the United States of America. I am not required to submit to fishing expeditions, and such questions could easily be answered, "I'll give you mine if you give me yours."
All of that said, I've never actually been subjected to a fishing expedition. It must be my angelic face. On the other hand, my last moving violation was a speeding ticket issued on Christmas Eve of 1999 by the California Highway Patrol on a long straight downhill section near the end of Kanan Dume Road in the Malibu mountains. I was going 60 in a 55 zone. I don't tend to drive in a manner that attracts police attention.
Now, if I am a witness to a crime or accident, or something along those lines, and I am interviewed by an LEO who asks for a cell phone number, I'll gladly give it to him/her, because there could very easily be a legitimate reason for that officer to need to follow up with me for additional information, etc. In such a case, I would gladly hand the officer my business card, which has my cell phone number, email address, and home address on it. As a general rule, because of the aforementioned identity theft cases, I really don't give my SSN to anybody anymore, I don't care
who they are, and I always include that explanation in my refusal. Like I said, my general desire is to be cooperative with LEOs with whom I come into contact. I understand that they do an often difficult job, and that they are sometimes not paid enough for what they do, and I appreciate that very much. But, I am citizen of the US of A, my taxes pay their salaries, and I won't submit to non-specific fishing expeditions. I am pretty sure that the Constitution is still in effect, and I won't be
intimidated into handing out my sensitive information to a complete stranger, even if he or she is wearing a badge. If I do give it out, it has to be because I have been convinced through a logically defensible explanation of the legitimate necessity of doing so.
