Kleberg County SO stop without probable cause!

[iflyabeech]

Kleberg County Sheriff followed me right on my bumper from the Kleberg County line near Bishop almost to Ricardo...Then he pulled me over...He asked for my license and insurance. I handed him my license and CHL, and my rental car paperwork. He still asked for insurance and I told him it came with the rental car..He asked if I always drove a rental car to work and I told him this week I was...Asked where I worked....Asked why I work 2 hours from where I live.....Asked if I had my gun with me..(I didn't...I am taking a SWA flight from in a few days and didn't want to check bags)Then I asked what he pulled me over for, he said "When you changed lanes after passing the DPS trooper back there you touched a line and swerved back and forth and I wanted to check and make sure you were not sick or something...for your safety." I chuckled. He asked, "Is there something funny about that?" I said, "No sir. But I did not swerve or touch any line and you have been following me over 10 miles and when you couldn't find me doing anything wrong, you came up with that." He said, "Its for your safety." Then asked if I had any warrants he should know about. I told him no and he ran my id and then he let me go...I then see him speed by me when I was a mile down the road with full lights ans siren, then I see him turned around another 5 miles down 77 with no lights...

I will be contacting his supervisor tomorrow. I do not appreciate being pulled over without probable cause or with false probable cause. This guy pulled out of the median and followed me right on my bumper for for over 10 miles....I was not speeding nor did he accuse me of such.

Sad thing is, if I was a minority with a chip on my shoulder, I would be on national TV right now whining about being racially profiled! I am a huge supporter of our police and this sort of incident makes me sick!

[G.A. Heath]

It is possible that someone passed an off duty State Trooper, and did exactly what was said. That state trooper then called in to the local dispatch and had them put out a call to look out for a vehicle matching your description. He saw you and put 2+2 together and got 7 so he pulled you over. I'm not saying this happened but its something to consider. I too have been pulled over under false pretenses in the past, then spent 12 hours tracing wiring looking for a possible short only to conclude I was lied to. Stops made under a false pretense are a sore spot for me as a result, but I do still try to see if there is any remote explanation before making my mind up. Just for the record, I am not a LEO but I know 90% of the ones in my county on a first name basis.

[USA1]

i think he was doin a little fishin .
he saw you were OK , then let you go on your way .

i am in no way condoning his actions .

[iflyabeech]

It is possible that someone passed an off duty State Trooper, and did exactly what was said. That state trooper then called in to the local dispatch and had them put out a call to look out for a vehicle matching your description. He saw you and put 2+2 together and got 7 so he pulled you over. I'm not saying this happened but its something to consider. I too have been pulled over under false pretenses in the past, then spent 12 hours tracing wiring looking for a possible short only to conclude I was lied to. Stops made under a false pretense are a sore spot for me as a result, but I do still try to see if there is any remote explanation before making my mind up. Just for the record, I am not a LEO but I know 90% of the ones in my county on a first name basis.

No...he had already followed me right on my bumper for 10 miles or so when we passed the 2 DPS troopers out on traffic stops...I switched lanes properly to the lane away from the officers who were pulled over and then returned to the right lane when I had passed them...

[CompVest]

Sometimes there are just bad stops, I have been the recipient of one myself. As an ex-LEO I know there are less then quality LEOs out there. I sincerely hope this LEO is basically a good one that was just bored or in a bad mood and allowed his mood to cloud his judgment. Either way I am pleased he didn't mess with you more then he did.

[TxRVer]

I don't understand why they have to tailgate when following you. One night I was driving home in the left lane of a city street right at the speed limit. I was the only one out there until a car came up fast behind me and then sat on my bumper. I moved to the right lane and he stayed on my bumper. I could only see his headlights so didn't know he was a cop until he quit following me and did a U-turn in the middle of the block speeding off in the other direction. Typical LEO maneuver. Do they tailgate to make you nervous so you'll make a stupid mistake?

[Oldgringo]

I don't understand why they have to tailgate when following you. One night I was driving home in the left lane of a city street right at the speed limit. I was the only one out there until a car came up fast behind me and then sat on my bumper. I moved to the right lane and he stayed on my bumper. I could only see his headlights so didn't know he was a cop until he quit following me and did a U-turn in the middle of the block speeding off in the other direction. Typical LEO maneuver. Do they tailgate to make you nervous so you'll make a stupid mistake?

...little people with little brains and big guns...

[Lindy]

Highway 77 between Robstown and the Valley is probably the most heavily patrolled highway in the country, as it's a major drug transportation route as well as used by illegal alien smugglers.

I work from time to time about 4 miles southwest of Ricardo, which is why I know that.

They stop a lot of cars based simply on profiles of probable drug carriers. Your complaint to the Kleberg county SO will likely fall of deaf ears - which doesn't mean it's not worth doing.

[BobCat]

TxRVer,

There is probably no single reason they do that, but in some cases it may be to induce you to speed up to create space, so they they can pull you over for speeding and check you out. Over time I've come to understand that a tailgater at night, when there is adequate room and opportunity to pass, is probably an officer trying to rattle me into doing something "wrong" so he can check me out.

Not "bashing" police officers, just expressing an opinion about possible motivations for the described behavior. Sometimes they "smell" something "wrong" and just want to check it out. If everything is ok, no real harm (except to the 4th amendment); but sometimes they catch true bad-guys that way.

Regards,
Andrew

[TxRVer]

BobCat,

I'm all for catching the bad guys, but as a motorcyclist, I hate tailgaters. I find that feeling carries over to the car as well. I've also found that slowing down is a good way to get rid of tailgaters. Nobody likes to follow you if you're going 5 MPH below the speed limit. It's also safer to have somebody tailgate at a slower speed. I hope this is still on topic.

[DoubleJ]

you can always move over and slow down a little to get him out of your back pocket.
...and I don't mean slam on the brakes, more like let off the accelerator and ease off the speed. be sure you signal.

[frazzled]

TxRVer,

Over time I've come to understand that a tailgater at night, when there is adequate room and opportunity to pass, is probably an officer trying to rattle me into doing something "wrong" so he can check me out.

Or its a drunk about to rear end you in a big way. Neither option sounds especially appetizing.
I wonder what would happen if you kicked open the old cellphone and took pictures, (or even better a video camera) then sped up for space and had him pull you over. That would be an interesting court case.

[Bart]

A tailgater at night, when there is adequate room and opportunity to pass, sounds like a good reason to call 911 and report the aggressive driver.

[frazzled]

A tailgater at night, when there is adequate room and opportunity to pass, sounds like a good reason to call 911 and report the aggressive driver.

Would the LEO have to pull over himself?

[iflyabeech]

Highway 77 between Robstown and the Valley is probably the most heavily patrolled highway in the country, as it's a major drug transportation route as well as used by illegal alien smugglers.

I work from time to time about 4 miles southwest of Ricardo, which is why I know that.

They stop a lot of cars based simply on profiles of probable drug carriers. Your complaint to the Kleberg county SO will likely fall of deaf ears - which doesn't mean it's not worth doing.

Thanks Lindy. I have a very good friend who is a trooper, and he works down here very often, also 281. But he doesn't do this sort of stuff!

They have been kicking up Border Star again, and I was driving extra special nice yesterday. I drive this at least once a week, and last week I counted over 10 LEO's in Kleberg County.

It still doesn't mean an LEO has the right to make something up in order to pull me over!!! I am a blond haired, blue eyed 30 something normal looking guy. I just don't get it...