Stopped By DPS Today

[dihappy]

Pulled over on I-10 near Seguin today.
Officer Castillo wasnt overly nice, but he was professional and cordial.

He spotted my little VW Golf without a front plate and pulled me over.
I've also procrastinated in getting my current inspection sticker, so no argument there. What surprised me were all the questions, granted i havnt been pulled over by DPS since around 1990. He asked me to step out of the vehicle and asked where i was coming from, where i was going, if i had any illegal weapons or drugs in the car; im surprised he didnt ask to search my vehicle.

He also inspected my DL and CHL for quite some time, are folks making forgeries of these things too now?

I wasnt held up for too long, and he gave me a warning for no front plate.
He also asked what my personalized plate meant :)

Ill probably call DPS and give him a good report.

[WildBill]

He also asked what my personalized plate meant :)

Did he ask you about your forum username?

[dihappy]

No, was that you? LOL

[JP171]

all the non relavant questions makes me give him a thumbs down! he did NOT need to go on his fishing expidition so therefore it was NOT a good encounter

[A-R]

all the non relavant questions makes me give him a thumbs down! he did NOT need to go on his fishing expidition so therefore it was NOT a good encounter

Which questions were not relevant?

[anygunanywhere]

all the non relavant questions makes me give him a thumbs down! he did NOT need to go on his fishing expidition so therefore it was NOT a good encounter

Which questions were not relevant?

Any not directly related to the infraction.

None of his business where you are coming from or going and you don't have to answer.

Anygunanywhere

[mgood]

all the non relavant questions makes me give him a thumbs down! he did NOT need to go on his fishing expidition so therefore it was NOT a good encounter

Which questions were not relevant?

Any not directly related to the infraction.

None of his business where you are coming from or going and you don't have to answer.

Anygunanywhere

True, but those seem to be common questions whether there's a gun involved or not.
You are within your rights to not answer such questions.
To me, it's not exactly classified information where I'm coming from and where I'm going so I try to be friendly and polite as can be in the hopes of getting a warning rather than a ticket. I answer such seemingly harmless questions.

[bci21984]

I don't understand the blatant uncooperativeness some people display or would display to a few simple questions. Attitude plays a very large part in roadside encounters with police. They are people just like you. You dont enjoy dealing with disgruntled/irritated/uncooperative people anymore than law enforcement does. He stated the officer wasnt overly nice but was professional. Signing a ticket on the roadside is a privelage. Getting a warning is an even bigger one. There are only a few "traffic" violations that you can't be arrested for. No front plate, and expired reg/insp are arrestable offenses. Why take the chance of your attitude getting you arrested.

Whats to say the officer didnt get a printout in briefing of a VW thats suspected of "insert heinous crime", and his vehicle matched the description. Dps stops the vehicle for "no front plate.". Trooper has the man driving exit the vehicle to get him in view of the dashcam for later review. Trooper asesses that this individual doesnt match the suspect but the vehicle matches. Where are you coming from, where are you going are valid investigative questions to ask. A defiant, even though polite, attitude from you sends red flags up to the officer. So the officer decides to instanter you on the traffic violations and impound the car. You get taken to jail, they dont let guns go to jail. Youve now gotta get out of jail, get your car out of car jail, and jump through the hoops of getting your gun(s) back.

Which is more of an inconvience?

[WildBill]

I don't understand the blatant uncooperativeness some people display or would display to a few simple questions. Attitude plays a very large part in roadside encounters with police. They are people just like you. You dont enjoy dealing with disgruntled/irritated/uncooperative people anymore than law enforcement does. He stated the officer wasnt overly nice but was professional. Signing a ticket on the roadside is a privelage. Getting a warning is an even bigger one. There are only a few "traffic" violations that you can't be arrested for. No front plate, and expired reg/insp are arrestable offenses. Why take the chance of your attitude getting you arrested. Which is more of an inconvience?

My objection is using the traffic stop as a pretense to investigate a "crime" that may or may not exist. If I am stopped for an expired registration, I would expect the officer to say "I stopped you for an expired registration, please get it fixed. Here is your citation."

If I have an expired registration why does the officer need/want to know where I am going or where I came from ... or whether or not I have a gun or drugs in my car?

Signing a ticket on the roadside is a privelage.

I have never felt "privleged" when signing a ticket on the roadside. Are you saying that every traffic stop which results in a citation should result in an arrest and a trip to jail? Please explain your statement.

Which is more of an inconvience?

IMO, a violation of constitutional rights is not a mere inconvience.

[bci21984]

A citation is a summons to appear before a judge to answer for the crime you are charged with. The officer doesn't have to let you sign the citation. If you are stopped for expired registration you CAN be arrested to be taken before a magistrate. You dont have to have committed any other crimes or be guilty of anything else. Depending on the officer's mood and the way you convey your opinion of the inconvenience he is causing you could result in a greater inconvenience if he chooses to arrest you.

[WildBill]

A citation is a summons to appear before a judge to answer for the crime you are charged with. The officer doesn't have to let you sign the citation. If you are stopped for expired registration you CAN be arrested to be taken before a magistrate. You dont have to have committed any other crimes or be guilty of anything else. Depending on the officer's mood and the way you convey your opinion of the inconvenience he is causing you could result in a greater inconvenience if he chooses to arrest you.

You are correct, but I don't like the idea of my freedom to be based upon my mood or someone else's mood.

[bci21984]

My objection is using the traffic stop as a pretense to investigate a "crime" that may or may not exist. If I am stopped for an expired registration, I would expect the officer to say "I stopped you for an expired registration, please get it fixed. Here is your citation."

If I have an expired registration why does the officer need/want to know where I am going or where I came from ... or whether or not I have a gun or drugs in my car

Do you object to Timothy Mcveigh being stopped for a traffic violation and the officer asking him questions and when he stumbled through his answers the officer pushed further with more questioning. Timothy McVeigh was arrested 90 minutes after the OKC bombing as a result of a "no license plate" traffic stop.

When we catch the bad guys we are heroes, when we "inconvenience" you and you dont feel "privileged" your constitutional rights have been violated.

Also, you havent been mirandized so your answers are inadmissable against you anyway.

[bci21984]

The situation would be the culmination of your mood and his. 97.3% of the time youre going to get the attitude you give.

[WildBill]

My objection is using the traffic stop as a pretense to investigate a "crime" that may or may not exist. If I am stopped for an expired registration, I would expect the officer to say "I stopped you for an expired registration, please get it fixed. Here is your citation."

If I have an expired registration why does the officer need/want to know where I am going or where I came from ... or whether or not I have a gun or drugs in my car

Do you object to Timothy Mcveigh being stopped for a traffic violation and the officer asking him questions and when he stumbled through his answers the officer pushed further with more questioning. Timothy McVeigh was arrested 90 minutes after the OKC bombing as a result of a "no license plate" traffic stop.

When we catch the bad guys we are heroes, when we "inconvenience" you and you dont feel "privileged" your constitutional rights have been violated.

Also, you havent been mirandized so your answers are inadmissable against you anyway.

The system is what it is. It doesn't give me great comfort that arresting a criminal like Timothy McVeigh happened by because of a traffic stop rather than by actual investigation and detective work and that if he had a proper license plate he would still be free to go out and kill again.

[bci21984]

I take great comfort in the fact that there are quality officers like OK Trooper Charlie Hanger and THOUSANDS of other outstanding officers that stand between my family and the evil's of this world. I guarantee you this country wouldnt last a week if all officers didnt show up for work.