Great traffic stop a few weeks ago

[TxRVer]

Great story. That stop could have gone a lot differently if he'd had a hard drive crash the night before.

[CHL/LEO]

...this stop sign is honestly in the weirdest place I've ever seen one.

Officer happens to be sitting there

I doubt if it was happenstance - every officer knows where those "weird" stop signs are. I can take you to plenty of them I know about and we could sit there for 10 minutes and watch dozens of cars run them. I don't usually write tickets for them - I primarily use them for PC to contact the driver and access the vehicle.

[flintknapper]

...this stop sign is honestly in the weirdest place I've ever seen one.

Officer happens to be sitting there

I doubt if it was happenstance - every officer knows where those "weird" stop signs are. I can take you to plenty of them I know about and we could sit there for 10 minutes and watch dozens of cars run them. I don't usually write tickets for them - I primarily use them for PC to contact the driver and access the vehicle.

This can only result in bad relations between the public and LEO.

When every stop turns into "a fishing expedition" (in the name of doing your duty), bad feelings are inevitable.

I guess I just don't understand this.

[BrassMonkey]

If a driver runs a stop sign and gets pulled over for it, how would that be a fishing expedition?

[bauerdj]

If a driver runs a stop sign and gets pulled over for it, how would that be a fishing expedition?

"I primarily use them for PC to contact the driver and access the vehicle"

What else would you call this?

Dave B.

[BrassMonkey]

A driver getting busted for a moving violation. Any traffic violation is "PC".

If a driver runs a stop sign and gets pulled over for it, how would that be a fishing expedition?

"I primarily use them for PC to contact the driver and access the vehicle"

What else would you call this?

Dave B.

[flintknapper]

A driver getting busted for a moving violation. Any traffic violation is "PC".

If a driver runs a stop sign and gets pulled over for it, how would that be a fishing expedition?

"I primarily use them for PC to contact the driver and access the vehicle"

What else would you call this?

Dave B.

No problem with the driver being pulled over and cited for the traffic violation. The officer witnessed this and has every reason/duty to stop the person.

"Accessing the vehicle" is a completely different matter. If there is no other reason/indicator that another infraction has occured....then why does the officer need to search/access the vehicle?

Given the circumstances first described.....the officer would have to convince the court that he was looking for more "stop sign running", or "more speeding" right?

I don't buy it.

"Fishing" goes on everyday....and any honest cop will tell you so. It can be a major inconvenience to law abiding citizens to have an LEO make it his habit/policy to try to find something else on everyone he stops (it happens).

Now, I'm about as "pro" LEO as they come.....but I greatly dislike the few that become "badge heavy".

Just my .0002 on it.

[CHL/LEO]

then why does the officer need to search/access the vehicle?

I never said anything about searching the vehicle. I want to get a look at what's in plain view and get the window down. I also check their registration, insurance and DL. If everything is in order then I usually cut them loose in less than a minute. We don't "toss" the vehicle during a stop. There's no need to do that.

[flintknapper]

then why does the officer need to search/access the vehicle?

I never said anything about searching the vehicle. I want to get a look at what's in plain view and get the window down. I also check their registration, insurance and DL. If everything is in order then I usually cut them loose in less than a minute. We don't "toss" the vehicle during a stop. There's no need to do that.

I don't usually write tickets for them - I primarily use them for PC to contact the driver and access the vehicle.

I think you meant "Assess" not "Access", two very different things.

I thought this sounded out of character for you.

O.K., I'm unwadding my panties now.

[BrassMonkey]

Hey CHL/LEO, do you smell that?

then why does the officer need to search/access the vehicle?

I never said anything about searching the vehicle. I want to get a look at what's in plain view and get the window down. I also check their registration, insurance and DL. If everything is in order then I usually cut them loose in less than a minute. We don't "toss" the vehicle during a stop. There's no need to do that.

[flintknapper]

Hey CHL/LEO, do you smell that?

then why does the officer need to search/access the vehicle?

I never said anything about searching the vehicle. I want to get a look at what's in plain view and get the window down. I also check their registration, insurance and DL. If everything is in order then I usually cut them loose in less than a minute. We don't "toss" the vehicle during a stop. There's no need to do that.

Huh?

[cxm]

Truth is PC is not usually needed anyway... most people are so stupid they consent to search...

Go figure...

V/r

Chuck

then why does the officer need to search/access the vehicle?

I never said anything about searching the vehicle. I want to get a look at what's in plain view and get the window down. I also check their registration, insurance and DL. If everything is in order then I usually cut them loose in less than a minute. We don't "toss" the vehicle during a stop. There's no need to do that.

[TxFire]

Truth is PC is not usually needed anyway... most people are so stupid they consent to search...

Go figure...

V/r

Chuck

I'd replace "stupid" with uninformed. Otherwise, agreed.