Guest Post by Mercy Otis Warren
I am a regular guy with a regular job trying to slog out a decent life for myself and my family here in NJ. Not too long ago I was traveling through a commercial section of the county seat close to my home. It was midday; the traffic was light and the weather was fair. As I approached my exit, I slowed down; moved over into the exit lane; and passed the entrance/exit to a fast food joint, where incidentally a police officer was sitting in his crown vic.
As far as I knew I did nothing wrong, but my immediate reaction was: “s*** I hope he stays put.” I think most people would have the same reaction and that speaks volumes about the sad climate that exists between the authorities and the citizens they exert control over. My hope was in vain; he pulled out behind me. After trailing me for about 2 or 3 minutes, I saw the dreaded cherry lights flashing in my rear view.
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I made an immediate right into a parking lot and stopped. The officer approached my vehicle from the passenger side. After a quick and almost muted greeting, the officer immediately demanded my license, registration and insurance. He was not rude but he was firm.
Not knowing why I was being detained, I politely said: “Officer I am happy to give you my papers, but can you tell me why you pulled me over?” He said that he would tell me that after he ran my papers. Knowing that this is the USA and not the USSR, I then informed him that you can not pull someone over in order to check their papers; you have to have probable cause to believe they committed a crime. (ding-ding-ding: I just sealed my own fate) He said he had a reason and finally relented when I reminded him that he had not yet apprised me of that reason.
Can anyone guess what the big threat to myself; my fellow drivers and perhaps the national security of the US was? Apparently I prematurely crossed a solid white line prior to it becoming a dotted one and hence a valid exit lane. I had no recollection of doing this and expressed that to the officer.
No matter: he took my papers; ran them and returned with a ticket. He mumbled (as if tacitly acknowledging that the ticket was complete bull s***) something about safety. I was now very pissed so I looked up and said I would see him in court and expressed my belief that he was just out raising revenue. He dejectedly dropped his head; said have a nice day and freed me from my temporary captivity.
There is a lesson in this. For all you boys and girls out there who want to be cops, this is what policing has become in suburban USA. 75% of the time, you drive around shaking down hard working schmucks who are just trying to eke out a living or make it a little better for their kids. Another 20% is running around chasing junkies and the last 5% is real police work. But that is not what they tell you in 3rd grade and I bet that is not what this officer signed up for (indeed his body language acknowledged that I was right but his pride would not let me get away with telling him that). Nonetheless this is what over criminalization and an overweening bureaucratic web of extortion has wrought.
Back to the story: when I got home I actually identified the cited statute in the ticket. Up until then I assumed it was for crossing a solid line in the road way. Low and behold: nope! It was a 4 – f****** point moving violation for improper passing. If I just paid the ticket, my insurance premium would go through the roof for the next 3 years. There is no indication on the ticket that this was a 4 pointer. What looked like $85 bucks and a bruised ego just turned into a multiyear insurance premium hike of thousands.
Now I am fuming because I have no choice but to go to court and try to defend this. I have no idea how you can pass someone when you are decelerating to enter an exit ramp so I was initially kind of pumped that I would have a good defense. Then I remembered my past experience in the legal field and I calculated the time and money it would cost me to defend myself. And now I am the one dropping my head in dejection.
What happened next is just another (the insurance thing being the first) pathetically absurd examples of the parasitic circle jerk that our public and private institutions have become. I received no less than 9 direct mail solicitations from local vultures feasting at the pot of over criminalization and revenue raising (2 sent the same letter 3 times). I considered hiring one of the vultures for about—well — not a single second.
So now I have three decisions. 1. Pay the fine and pay the 4 point insurance premium hike over the next few years. Cost: probably thousands, but no court time. 2. Plead not guilty; go to court twice; pay court costs; maybe win; maybe lose. Cost: more than the previous option whether I win or lose the case but slightly more if I lose. 3. Go to court once; negotiate with some smarmy prosecutor; pay $400.00; get no points and go home.
I had the dash cam video so I knew there was no improper passing involved in this situation. I was very tempted to select option 2, but in the end declined as the outcome was uncertain and the time commitment would cost me more than the win would save me in the end. As a good little sheep, I picked 3. The police officers, the defense attorneys, the prosecutors, the judges and all the court personnel know your options suck and that is precisely how they set up their little extortion ring. They play it off as if it is all official and the like, but when it comes down to it, racketeering and armed robbery come to mind.
Maybe we will get to the point where we’ll choose another path. How sweet would it be to throw a nonviolent monkey wrench in their little well-oiled extortion mill? What if every person who got a ticket demanded a jury trial and a public defender? The Constitution is clear on these protections, though the local tyrants will try their best to deny it to you on the municipal level. If they had to conduct a trial (even a bench trial), for every ticket issued their costs would quickly sky rocket and their revenue would come to a grinding halt. In short, there would be no incentive to shake down honest citizens for petty traffic violations. It won’t happen though and I blame myself first because I did exactly what they wanted me to do: I acquiesced to being queued like a cow; agreed to be milked but god willing won’t stand to be slaughtered.
It would seem, that in some cases, the “Black Lives Matter” movement DOES have a point, although some of the examples of police brutality that they promote as “unjustified” actually were “justifiable”.
Blacks and Whites have totally different attitudes toward police…Blacks look at police as “occupiers” and “oppressors” while Whites look at police as “protectors”, despite the fact that MORE Whites are unjustifiably murdered by police than Blacks. Add to the fact, that innocent Blacks ARE rousted by police with much greater frequency, utilizing “stop and frisk” procedures, which are allowed in many jurisdictions; one can easily see that their resentment is justified.
The problem arises when a “critical mass” of citizens starts to act against what they see as police brutality. It will not help the situation when “good” police officers are attacked, as those who are aggrieved will see only the uniform, and not the police officer wearing it.
“Blowback” is something that ALL police departments should be concerned about as it will affect ALL of their police officers, as well as all of us citizens, not just the “bad apples”.
TRUST of the community toward police officers must be EARNED, not demanded, as some police departments expect. Demanding instant and immediate “compliance” based on fear NEVER works, is counterproductive, and is responsible for the unnecessary, unjustified murders of citizens by police officers. Blaming police shootings on an “adrenaline rush” is never an excuse. “Poor training” is also never an excuse.
What is needed is a “Bill of Rights” that police officers will adhere to, when interacting with citizens, as police power is extensive, and is easily abused:
1. We will treat all citizens with respect; we expect to receive the same respect in return
2. We will not enforce blatantly unconstitutional laws and statutes
3. We will not abide by department and political citation “quotas” when enforcing traffic laws
4. We will not execute warrants at night or with SWAT teams unless immediate loss of life is evident
5. We will not enforce CPS and building code violations as they are administrative in nature
6. We will treat mentally challenged citizens with care utilizing specially trained officers
7. We will adhere to and abide by ALL laws that are expected of ordinary citizens–no police “carve outs”
8. We will not use “professional courtesy” to avoid sanctions for unlawful behavior by police officers
9. We will utilize the use of body and dash cams 100% of the time
10. We consider ourselves to be a part of the community; there is no place for an “us vs. them” attitude
11. You are our employer; we will take all complaints seriously and act on them with deliberate speed
Of course, there are police departments and officers that will object to some of the suggestions in the “Bill of Rights”, but that is to be expected.
I realize that implementation of a police “bill of rights” is a long shot, and will be vigorously opposed by police unions and their administrators, but…one can hope…
Forget the Bill of Rights BS…just another document like the Constitution to be “interpreted” by corrupt judges who are ex-scumbag lawyers. Solution: get rid of the police, “justice” department and the entire system of parasitic government and govern/police/educate ourselves.
The “thin blue line” protects the bad cops. My relatives who are cops cannot understand my dislike for many “practices” that they consider “normal”. Attempts to engage them in Constitutional principles are met with deaf ears. THE LAW IS WHATEVER THEY SAY THE LAW IS.
Their unwavering allegiance to those (bad) cops who exhibit “abnormal” life-threatening behavior (to us mundanes) and their “making excuses” for such aberrant behavior is sickening.
You see, every police officers’ ultimate goal is to make it to retirement with as little friction as possible. In many departments, it is possible to retire after 30 years AND to start collecting Social Security at age 55–NOT 66 like the rest of us. In addition, disability claims (too many career lifetime donuts) quite often enable them to live a much more comfortable life than most of us taxpayers who provide these “centurions” with their comfortable lifestyle.
Police work is not inherently dangerous IF they follow Constitutional principles.
The militarization of police forces is another big problem. Police departments routinely recruit former military and do very little to change the “us vs. them” mindset that is a staple of military (combat) service. The use of trainers versed in Israeli military tactics is a BIG problem as Israel is a very different place. We are all Palestinians now…
In fact, most department actually admire their “special” status and encourage such behavior with “no-knock” midnight SWAT raids and other unconstitutional behavior.
A small point (but valid, nevertheless) is that EVEN THE NAZIS KNOCKED ON THE DOOR BEFORE GAINING ENTRY.
Dude, you sound unbalanced.
Go back to sleep, little one.
Roadside tax-collection is not going away anytime soon. Cities and towns are desperate for revenue. I laugh at the swarms of road-side tax collectors out sitting by the side of the road last week of every month. “We don’t have ticket quotas”…… Suuuuure……
My approach last time was to bite the bullet and take it to court. I refused to waive time, forcing them to scramble to schedule. (speedy trial law in this state. If you waive time, they can take months, if you don’t, the charges evaporate if trial is not started within x days. One small benefit of jury duty, learning these things.)
I knew I wouldn’t win, yet I had prosecutor, judge, bailiff, cop, court reporter and other staff tied-up.
When it was over I asked the prosecutor if it was worth it for the city to spend at least $1200 to collect a $150 fine, paid and left.
It was worth it to me to make sure they did not profit on that shake-down. If more people contested the shakedowns, the courts would collapse.
NEVER waive time. Use the speedy trial laws to your advantage. I was hoping they’d drop it as not worth their time. Then I made sure it was a loser for them. Oddly enough, I’ve been followed a few times, yet not pulled over since then….
“It was worth it to me to make sure they did not profit on that shake-down. If more people contested the shakedowns, the courts would collapse.”
You are right; kicking myself a bit now.
EVEN THE NAZIS KNOCKED ON THE DOOR BEFORE GAINING ENTRY.
Bad example, dude. It’s like saying even the jihadists sharpened their knife before slitting your throat.
They beat on the doors to terrorize the inhabitants before busting in. The victims countered this threatening action by leaving the doors wide open.
I make no excuse for Nazi behavior, but merely state that our “justice system” allows for “no-knock” raids, which actually give the Nazis “credit” for at least knocking…
Gives you time to grab a weapon if coal-scuttle-helmetted, jack-booted, balaclava-wearing, body-armored, German Shepherd-wielding, full-auto-armed, dog-killing thugs knock on the door instead of just breaking windows and flash-banging your ass because they got the wrong address from a crak-head trying to stay out of jail.
Just sayin’…
If they follow constitutional principles? Last word is puff & fluff. Everybody follows constitutional settings. “Principles” have nothing to do with anything…except aforementioned aggrandizement.
Knew a psychologist that worked for the cops. She said pretty much the same as this other one (which I could have said just as well, basis interactions with “both”):
“There is sometimes a fine line between a cop and a criminal. What drives their personality may be the same, and they have simply chosen different roles and professions to call their own.”
Dr. ML Rapier PhD, Clinical Psychologist
I’d accurize a bit: “sometimes” misses – “typically” bullseyes.
As for the other, camouflaging, use of “constitutional”:
Ac ne forte roges, quo me duce, quo lare tuter,
Nullius addictus iurare in verba magistri.
(Lest by chance you ask who leads me, by which household god I am sheltered, I swear by the words of no master.) ~ Horace’s Epistles
Or:
Ac ne forte roges, quo me duce, quo lare tuter,
Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri
Quo me cumque rapit tempestas, deferor hospes.
(Lest you ask who leads me, in what household I lodge,
There is no master in whose words I am bound to take an oath,
Wherever the storm forces me, there I put in as a guest.)
Pretty funny, in constitutional contradiction sense: Royal Society of London’s motto is borrowed from Horace. “Nullius in Verba” (no faith in mere words). Kansas City Roils…just a boring game (if the rules are adhered to) & the murican pastime – but not just the muricans.
To be, or to verba, that is the question. One of them, anyway. Verba•by’s made o’ tar(rif)…& feathers. Wordweather passes thru, has nada to do, with me, or you. No matter what yer constitutional settings are. But when you take for granted – believe in – things you don’t understand, then you suffer, superstition ain’t the way… ♪♫♪ Would it were.
Living in the “Garden State” is your first mistake. The whole state is a shake down with the most ridiculous laws and regulations. I’m very glad to be far away from that state. When you sell your house on the way out, they stick you for 3% don’t let the door hit you in the ass bye-bye tax-F***ing criminal.
In most States crossing a white line is legal if it is done safely. So is crossing a double yellow.
The caveat being that if you have an accident or someone has to take an evasive action to avoid hitting you it wasn’t done safely.
What is the law there?
It never hurts to know the actual laws involved when you are driving.
Surprisingly I think it is legal here too, which is why this officer was forced to make up the circumstances in order to ticket me.
As a side note, there are tens of thousands of laws in NJ and I bet not one person in the state knows all of them — including the lawyers and the police.
I doubt that it is actually possible to know all the laws in any State and that doesn’t even consider Federal laws).
Best to try concentrating on knowing the ones that are most likely to directly affect you to at least some degree, and even that will require some deliberate effort.
Yep, that’s big city police work. Only way to escape it is to move out of the big city. Find a small a community that is too small to have a PD and uses the State police or the county sheriff. Usually no more than a dozen total officers. If you are active in your community you will eventually get to know them all and never be treated as just another piece of meat.
Apologies to those who have seen this before. In light of the article, I feel it is important to post this. I realize it is a long read, but, please bear with me. Thanks…
If anything, police should be held to a higher standard than that of the public…As it stands now, police can commit crimes with impunity because, in most situations, they investigate themselves…Behavior that would get an ordinary citizen charged, convicted and incarcerated is routinely ignored by “the powers that be” because police are considered to be “above the law” as the “law” is whatever they say it is, the Constitution be damned…
Police officers are the only group that can murder someone by falsely claiming that “they feared for their lives”, have 48 to 72 hours to “get their stories straight”, and have a union lawyer and compliant prosecutor-steered “grand jury” absolve them of responsibility.
Police demand immediate compliance (Israeli-style)–with two or three cops issuing and yelling out conflicting commands, it is easy to see how a person under police control could lose his life for merely attempting to follow conflicting directions.
Ever notice that police unions are “fraternal”? This should tell you something. The “thin-blue-line” is a gang, little different than street gangs–at least when it comes to “covering-up” their questionable and quite often, illegal and criminal behavior.
In today’s day and age, “officer safety” trumps de-escalation of force. This, in part, is due to the militarization of the police along with training in Israeli police tactics. This becomes a problem, with the “us vs. them” attitude that is fosters, along with the fact that Israel is a very different place, being on a constant “war footing”, its police tactics are very different.
It is interesting to note that our military operates under “rules of engagement” and “escalation of force” doctrine, unlike American police departments which have NO “rules of engagement” policies.
There are too many instances of police being “given a pass”, even when incontrovertible video and audio evidence is presented. Grand juries, guided by police-friendly prosecutors, quite often refuse to charge those police officers who abuse their authority.
Police officers, who want to do the right thing, are quite often marginalized and put into harms way, by their own brethren…When a police officer is beating on someone that is already restrained while yelling, “stop resisting” THAT is but one reason police have a “bad name” in many instances…this makes the “good cops” who are standing around, witnessing their “brethren in blue” beating on a restrained suspect, culpable as well…
Here are changes that can help reduce police-induced violence:
1. Get rid of police unions. Police unions (fraternities) protect the guilty, and are responsible for the massive whitewashing of questionable police behavior that is presently being committed.
2. Eliminate both “absolute” and “qualified” immunity for all public officials. This includes, prosecutors and judges, police and firefighters, code enforcement and child protective services officials, and others who deal with the citizenry. The threat of being sued personally would encourage them to behave themselves. Require police officers to be “bonded” by an insurance company, with their own funds. No bond=no job. You can bet that insurance companies would be more diligent in weeding out the “bad apples” than our present system…
3. Any public funds disbursed to citizens as a result of police misconduct should come out of police pension funds–NOT from the taxpayers.
4. Regular drug-testing of police officers as well as incident-based drug testing should take place whenever an officer is involved in a violent situation with a citizen–no exceptions.
5. Testing for steroid use should be a part of the drug testing program. You know damn well, many police officers “bulk up” with the “help” of steroids. Steroids also affect users mentally as well, making them more aggressive. The potential for abuse of citizens increases greatly with steroid use.
6. Internal affairs should only be used for disagreements between individual officers–NOT for investigations involving citizen abuse. State-level investigations should be mandatory for all suspected abuses involving citizens.
7. Prosecutors should be charged with malfeasance IF any evidence implicating police officer misconduct is not presented to the grand jury.
8. A national or state-by-state database of abusive individuals who should NEVER be allowed to perform police work should be established–a “blacklist” of abusive (former) police officers.
9. Most people are unaware that police have special “rules” that prohibit them from being questioned from 48 to 72 hours. This allows them to “get their stories straight” and makes it easier to “cover up” bad police behavior. Police must be subject to the same laws as civilians.
10. All police should be required to wear bodycams and utilize dashcams that cannot be turned off. Any police officers who causes a dash or body cam to be turned off should be summarily fired–no excuses. Today’s body and dash cams are reliable enough to withstand harsh treatment. Body and dashcam footage should be uploaded to a public channel “on the cloud” for public perusal.
11. All interrogations must be video and audio recorded. Police should be prohibited from lying or fabricating stories in order to get suspects to confess. False confessions ARE a problem in many departments. Unknown to most people, police can lie with impunity while civilians can be charged with lying to police…fair? I think not…
12. Any legislation passed that restricts the rights of ordinary citizens, such as firearms magazine capacity limits, types of weapons allowed, or restrictive concealed-carry laws should apply equally to police. No special exemptions to be given to police. Laws must be equally applied.
13 “Asset forfeiture” is a form of “legalized robbery under color of law” and must be abolished. We must return to Constitutional principles when it comes to “crimefighting”. The so-called “war on drugs” is actually a “war on the citizenry” and has had an extremely corrosive effect on the Constitutional principles that our country is (supposed to be) founded on.
14. “No-knock” raids must be abolished as they put both police and (especially citizens) in harms way. Even the Nazis “knocked on the door” before gaining entry.
15. SWAT teams must be reigned in on their “dynamic entry techniques”. Utilizing SWAT teams for routine situations is dangerous to both police and citizens. Smashing everything in sight “just because they can”, blaming it on an “adrenaline rush” must end. There is NEVER a reason for destroying property.
16. The “21 foot rule” must be modified or abolished. American police training assumes that ANYONE that gets within 21 feet of a police officer and is deemed a threat, even a non-life-threatening situation is “fair game” for the use of lethal force. Persons with rakes, sticks, knives, or even their fists have been executed, even when non-lethal means would have been more appropriate. Police hide behind the “21 foot rule” in order to justify questionable police shootings. Their “excuse”, when brought before a prosecutor or grand jury is that “they feared for their life” or “that is the way they are trained”. THAT has to change. Police have a greater responsibility NOT to use deadly force against those that they could easily subdue by other means.
17. Clear and concise “rules of engagement” must be established for ALL American law enforcement personnel. Any deviation from these rules must be severely punished. It is interesting to note that American military veterans in combat zones operate under more restrictive “rules of engagement” than American “law enforcement”. In fact, American “law enforcement” operates under NO “rules of engagement”. They have total “carte blanche” to destroy whoever they want. THAT has to change…
Police work is not inherently dangerous…there are many other professions that are much more dangerous.
A little “Andy Taylor” could go a long way in allaying fears that citizens have of police.
That being said, I have no problem with police officers who do their job in a fair, conscientious manner…however, it is time to call to task those police officers who only “protect and serve” themselves.
@anarchyst: you said: “I have no problem with police officers who do their job in a fair, conscientious manner.”
If they even began to do their job in the manner you suggest above, they must refuse to enforce most of the laws on the books. Over-criminalization is the problem. If they did their job in a fair and conscientious manner, they would be immediately ostracized and likely fired in short order. They may sue and they may even win, but you and me pay for it, not the ones abusing the system.
Yes, I agree with you 100%. There is a book named “Three Felonies a Day” which deals with the overcriminalization of our society.
Regards,
The voters in your home state pay for this abuse and keep re-electing the abusers. The drug-infested neighborhoods in Trenton or Camden are safer. Taxes are lower and the police avoid some areas.
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Robert(QSLV)
The traffic infraction was a pretext; the officer just wanted to check you out. He could have held you longer and justified it with “based upon my training, knowledge and experience the driver was under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance”. It happens everyday. He doesn’t care; he’s on the clock, you’re the one being inconvenienced. And if you go to court and get the ticket/case thrown out, it won’t cost him a dime.
It puzzles me why anyone would talk to police. It can only help them and hurt you.
I get not talking to them if you are arrested and in custody, but how would you handle a traffic stop without talking to them? Just hand them you papers and remain completely silent? I can not imagine that will go over well, though maybe it is the best course.
There is no reason to talk to them except to ask if you are under arrest or being detained. Also, the appropriate response to a request to search you or your vehicle is, “No. I do not consent.” Too many of them are twitchy and/or stupid to engage with otherwise. Be polite and get the hell out of there alive and seething. You’re not going to win against an overgrown child with a gun and uniform fetish.
On the subject of not to talking to the police, saw this video sometime back. It’s long but well worth it if you have the time. The speaker is a law professor & former defense attorney.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=never+talk+to+the+police+video&view=detail&mid=68033E6643953EDA3FCF68033E6643953EDA3FCF&FORM=VIRE
agree, all should watch this video.
Have the uniformed ghouls been granted a bill of attainder over the common man, able to hand out penalties and fines to any of us at their whim, making up the crime as they go?
Why, yes indeed, they have.
Unless you take them back.
Do you know how the Federalists got the Constitution ratified against the Anti-Federalists? Because the Federalists were organized, with connections to all the news outlets in the former Colonies, then Federation of States, deciding to become United States in a Republican Experiment. But, the Anti-Federalists were significant and had valid complaints with the original draft. James Madison, one of the Framers who contributed arguments to both sides, though his greatest support was with Federalist cause, wrote lengthy discussion on the writ of habeas corpus and why it was vital to consider it an inalienable right to mankind.
https://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/writ+of+habeas+corpus
If you do not know what the inalienable rights are, how can you defend them?
A writ of habeas corpus is authorized by statute in federal courts and in all state courts. An inmate in state or federal prison asks for the writ by filing a petition with the court that sentenced him or her. In most states, and in federal courts, the inmate is given the opportunity to present a short oral argument in a hearing before the court. He or she also may receive an evidentiary hearing to establish evidence for the petition.
The habeas corpus concept was first expressed in the Magna Charta, a constitutional document forced on King John by English landowners at Runnymede on June 15, 1215. Among the liberties declared in the Magna Charta was that “No free man shall be seized, or imprisoned, or disseised, or outlawed, or exiled, or injured in any way, nor will we enter on him or send against him except by the lawful judgment of his peers, or by the law of the land.” This principle evolved to mean that no person should be deprived of freedom without Due Process of Law.
So well put I brought it here for consideration later. I added some minor editing; paragraph returns and such.
“anarchyst
says:
February 14, 2018 at 9:50 am
Apologies to those who have seen this before. In light of the article, I feel it is important to post this. I realize it is a long read, but, please bear with me. Thanks…
If anything, police should be held to a higher standard than that of the public. As it stands now, police can commit crimes with impunity because, in most situations, they investigate themselves. Behavior that would get an ordinary citizen charged, convicted and incarcerated is routinely ignored by “the powers that be” because police are considered to be “above the law” as the “law” is whatever they say it is, the Constitution be damned.
Police officers are the only group that can murder someone by falsely claiming that “they feared for their lives,” have 48 to 72 hours to “get their stories straight,” and have a union lawyer and compliant prosecutor-steered “grand jury” absolve them of responsibility.
Police demand immediate compliance (Israeli-style)–with two or three cops issuing and yelling out conflicting commands, it is easy to see how a person under police control could lose his life for merely attempting to follow conflicting directions.
Ever notice that police unions are “fraternal”? This should tell you something. The “thin-blue-line” is a gang, little different than street gangs–at least when it comes to “covering-up” their questionable and quite often, illegal and criminal behavior.
In today’s day and age, “officer safety” trumps de-escalation of force. This, in part, is due to the militarization of the police along with training in Israeli police tactics. This becomes a problem, with the “us vs. them” attitude that is fosters, along with the fact that Israel is a very different place, being on a constant “war footing,” its police tactics are very different.
It is interesting to note that our military operates under “rules of engagement” and “escalation of force” doctrine, unlike American police departments which have NO “rules of engagement” policies.
There are too many instances of police being “given a pass”, even when incontrovertible video and audio evidence is presented. Grand juries, guided by police-friendly prosecutors, quite often refuse to charge those police officers who abuse their authority.
Police officers, who want to do the right thing, are quite often marginalized and put into harms way, by their own brethren…When a police officer is beating on someone that is already restrained while yelling, “stop resisting” THAT is but one reason police have a “bad name” in many instances…this makes the “good cops” who are standing around, witnessing their “brethren in blue” beating on a restrained suspect, culpable as well…”
These are excellent starting points for a discussion on one’s rights when facing police who are obviously trying to extort money in the form of fines as well as address the increasingly violent nature of police response to citizen’s trying to exert those rights.
“Here are changes that can help reduce police-induced violence:
1. Get rid of police unions. Police unions (fraternities) protect the guilty, and are responsible for the massive whitewashing of questionable police behavior that is presently being committed.
2. Eliminate both “absolute” and “qualified” immunity for all public officials. This includes, prosecutors and judges, police and firefighters, code enforcement and child protective services officials, and others who deal with the citizenry. The threat of being sued personally would encourage them to behave themselves. Require police officers to be “bonded” by an insurance company, with their own funds. No bond=no job. You can bet that insurance companies would be more diligent in weeding out the “bad apples” than our present system…
3. Any public funds disbursed to citizens as a result of police misconduct should come out of police pension funds–NOT from the taxpayers.
4. Regular drug-testing of police officers as well as incident-based drug testing should take place whenever an officer is involved in a violent situation with a citizen–no exceptions.
5. Testing for steroid use should be a part of the drug testing program. You know damn well, many police officers “bulk up” with the “help” of steroids. Steroids also affect users mentally as well, making them more aggressive. The potential for abuse of citizens increases greatly with steroid use.
6. Internal affairs should only be used for disagreements between individual officers–NOT for investigations involving citizen abuse. State-level investigations should be mandatory for all suspected abuses involving citizens.
7. Prosecutors should be charged with malfeasance IF any evidence implicating police officer misconduct is not presented to the grand jury.
8. A national or state-by-state database of abusive individuals who should NEVER be allowed to perform police work should be established–a “blacklist” of abusive (former) police officers.
9. Most people are unaware that police have special “rules” that prohibit them from being questioned from 48 to 72 hours. This allows them to “get their stories straight” and makes it easier to “cover up” bad police behavior. Police must be subject to the same laws as civilians.
10. All police should be required to wear bodycams and utilize dashcams that cannot be turned off. Any police officers who causes a dash or body cam to be turned off should be summarily fired–no excuses. Today’s body and dash cams are reliable enough to withstand harsh treatment. Body and dashcam footage should be uploaded to a public channel “on the cloud” for public perusal.
11. All interrogations must be video and audio recorded. Police should be prohibited from lying or fabricating stories in order to get suspects to confess. False confessions ARE a problem in many departments. Unknown to most people, police can lie with impunity while civilians can be charged with lying to police…fair? I think not…
12. Any legislation passed that restricts the rights of ordinary citizens, such as firearms magazine capacity limits, types of weapons allowed, or restrictive concealed-carry laws should apply equally to police. No special exemptions to be given to police. Laws must be equally applied.
13 “Asset forfeiture” is a form of “legalized robbery under color of law” and must be abolished. We must return to Constitutional principles when it comes to “crimefighting”. The so-called “war on drugs” is actually a “war on the citizenry” and has had an extremely corrosive effect on the Constitutional principles that our country is (supposed to be) founded on.
14. “No-knock” raids must be abolished as they put both police and (especially citizens) in harms way. Even the Nazis “knocked on the door” before gaining entry.
15. SWAT teams must be reigned in on their “dynamic entry techniques”. Utilizing SWAT teams for routine situations is dangerous to both police and citizens. Smashing everything in sight “just because they can”, blaming it on an “adrenaline rush” must end. There is NEVER a reason for destroying property.
16. The “21 foot rule” must be modified or abolished. American police training assumes that ANYONE that gets within 21 feet of a police officer and is deemed a threat, even a non-life-threatening situation is “fair game” for the use of lethal force. Persons with rakes, sticks, knives, or even their fists have been executed, even when non-lethal means would have been more appropriate. Police hide behind the “21 foot rule” in order to justify questionable police shootings. Their “excuse”, when brought before a prosecutor or grand jury is that “they feared for their life” or “that is the way they are trained”. THAT has to change. Police have a greater responsibility NOT to use deadly force against those that they could easily subdue by other means.
17. Clear and concise “rules of engagement” must be established for ALL American law enforcement personnel. Any deviation from these rules must be severely punished. It is interesting to note that American military veterans in combat zones operate under more restrictive “rules of engagement” than American “law enforcement”. In fact, American “law enforcement” operates under NO “rules of engagement”. They have total “carte blanche” to destroy whoever they want. THAT has to change…
Police work is not inherently dangerous…there are many other professions that are much more dangerous.
A little “Andy Taylor” could go a long way in allaying fears that citizens have of police.
That being said, I have no problem with police officers who do their job in a fair, conscientious manner…however, it is time to call to task those police officers who only “protect and serve” themselves.”
One of you clever contributors should insert a couple of relevant images and post this as a stand alone.
Several years ago, I was going to make a bank deposit thru the ATM. It was about 7:30 at night. As I pulled back onto the street, I drove about 500 feet and got ‘blue lighted’. I pulled over (city street) and lowered my window. As the cop approached, I said “Good evening”. Almost immediately, he said “I wanted to let you know “One of your license plate lights is out”. I said do you need my license…. he said no, and was on his way.
I know what he was looking for: There’s an American Legion not far from the bank – Once he knew I wasn’t drinking, he was off, I wasn’t his payday.
I consider myself lucky, many times my wife and I have a glass of wine with dinner. I make it a point not to go out after dinner if I’ve had a drink. Not that I’m anywhere near .08 – but I don’t want to be fucked with.
What a sorry country.
The first thing he did wrong, was to notice the cop.
If you make eye contact, you are going to get pulled over, it is this simple rule I follow.
The 2nd thing he did wrong was ask a question, cops hate smart citizens. Had he just sat still, he might have got a 2 point failure to do x, y or z (you can’t win at this, you can only minimize damage)
The last time I got a speeding ticket, the cop noticed I pleaded guilty to a previous ticket and he said “just go to court, and they will offer you a reduced charge” and that is exactly what happened.
does it suck? yes it does.
but, we all have a number, and eventually it will be your turn to pay the toll to the troll.
I agree, don’t question/challenge the cop. It will just piss him off. Remember cops are perpetually pissed off. Maybe he’ll cut you a break with a warning. If not, go to court.
All of this is true and I knew I was getting a ticket as soon as I asked him to tell me why he pulled me over BEFORE checking my papers, but I am kind of tired of just taking it. It was a small protest I know and I paid for it, but what changes if we continue to just take it.
anarchist offered some interesting points to discuss above… you are so right. Nothing will change until we address the real problem.
And what is the REAL problem?
The bureaucracy must feed itself with your tax monies, be they income, state, property, roads, schools, groceries, or, extorted by police goons near exits and entrances where people tend to speed up and change lanes.
Three years ago, I was driving at 40 in a 25 zone. A police officer stopped me and told me so. I told him that I was driving from NC to DE, a long drive and so tired. He let me go with a warning that I do not speed again.
Not all oficers are rude, if they are in good mode and we are kind and respectful to them.
Did you have to blow him?
If you are joking, I accept it. Otherwise, you have lost all credibility with me.
Poeple are allowed to have different political views. However, poeple should be a gentleman or a lady (some here are not).
Just joking.
Pussy. You should have told JLS: “blow me”.
I am a regular guy with a regular job trying to slog out a decent life for myself and my family here in NJ.
There’s your main problem. NJ is run by minority leftist crooks, so of course the cops are road bandits.
As to your question about the three alternatives, #3 is almost mandatory. You can’t afford to get a ticket entered in a place like NJ. That’s what I tell my clients who have Traffic Court problems…
Exactly; the insurance hike is the leverage they use to extort another few hundred dollars.
While it is true that the state is run by criminal lefties, most cops are conservative, so why are they doing the bidding of lefties? For their own financial benefit? Probably but that is sad.
Fcuk insurance!
Liability is one thing and that varies state to state and situation to situation (meaning do you own assets that could be seized in the event you are held liable for an accident), but I have no pity for people driving financed vehicles requiring collision insurance who see their rates triple.
This is NJ:
http://www.guns.com/2018/02/14/nj-gov-murphy-promises-fast-movement-on-gun-control-bills/
Be really, really careful you don’t get busted on something resulting from these if you live there. It;ll make a traffic ticket look like a good thing (and if you don’t live there exercise some common sense and don’t go there).
In order to reduce needless prison sentences, part of Gov Murphy’s bill, will allow Neegrows to apply for ‘drive by’ permits. They will be available at all 7-11’s and liquor stores.
From that article:
“Murphy, elected on a platform that included “getting tough” on guns, gathered with like-minded advocates at the Betty and Milton Katz Jewish Community Center in Cherry Hill to talk about “combatting gun violence” through a series of bills pending in the legislature to expand background checks, make it harder to get a carry permit and ban a variety of ammunition, guns and devices. Murphy acknowledged that the proposals likely would have been rejected by former Gov. Chris Christie.”
Anyone notice anything interesting?
You’re trying to imply that they are Jews at a meeting of Jews.
But that reference is only to where the meeting took place.
Would meeting at, say, a rented room in a local school imply that they were all members of the NEA?
The real thing they have in common is that they are all New Jerseyans and the meeting took place at a location in New Jersey. The article doesn’t mention if anyone else was there.
They call it a POLICEstate for a good reason. Safety my ass, it’s all about revenue.
I would have played the game and try to get a warning but if he wrote a ticket I would laugh at him and tell him he’s not going to get that pension he thought he would and he’s the real sucker because the tickets he writes are paying for retired cops and firemen to lounge around in their Florida condos not going to fund his pension.
Cops are paid by your rulers to keep you in line and in the smaller towns to be supplemental tax collectors. There was a good PR operation going for many years but most of you are realizing the reality. You can complain of fight to overthrow your rulers. Those are your 2 choices. Most chose to meekly complain. In any country the soldiers and cops always get fed and paid up until the very end. When the rulers cant pay the cops and soldiers anymore the regime collapses.
Mercy
After a similar experience (I paid my ticket; I was indeed guilty of going over the speed limit for approximately 5 seconds to get through a yellow light). My insurance company raised my premium to 4x the previous rate. I was furious of course. I visited my homeowners insurance agent with whom I had a longtime relationship and who regularly solicited me to get a homeowner/auto package. I told him my sad tale of woe and he went to work on it. Somehow he got me the equivalent insurance for a little less than I was originally paying the other company.
Believe it or not the original company called me to inquire as to why I cancelled my policy with them! After I explained to the nice lady, she admitted she would have done the same thing.
Just letting you know trying to negotiate with another insurance company after a rate raise might be fruitful.
It always pays to shop around, especially when it comes to insurance (any kind of insurance).
Appreciate the tip.
Some day, maybe soon, these scrounging sorry-assed cops.prosecutors, judges and legislators are going to desperately need my help and support. Shit is going to go a bit bad on them, and they will appeal to the polite, taxpayers like me to cooperate while they deal with other messes. And that is the time when they will get the back of my hand, at best.
Most cops are just working stiffs, doing what the Man tells them. Pity it is that they do not realize how much they are hated, even by nice people like me. They know that I pose no threat to them, so they are secure in their belief that they can continue to jerk me around, sort of lightly, while they put in time to a nice retirement. When they finally figure it out, it might be to late for them.
If you are a young cop, quit and get into another better line of work. If you are an old cop, retire now, before you have to face the coming wreck. If you are in the middle, hoping against hope that you can get in your 20 or 25, then move the fuck out of town with a pension, look at what is really important to you. Ask yourself if you are willing to kill on command, or die trying. Ask yourself if stealing money for the government, and collecting debts with a gun is what you like to do, in the face of great adversity. That is what is coming.
Shunning can be an effective way to “correct” the behavior of rogue “public servants”. Publish the name, address, phone number and email address along with a photo of the rogue public servant and send it to the local businesses where the rogue lives. Yes, the rogue’s family will suffer as well, but I say “so what”? When he has to explain to his family that his behavior was the cause of their shunning, the message may “hit home”.
When the rogue public servant and his family have to shop in the next town because local merchants will no longer do business with them, the message might get across.
Do the “laws” of “NJ” or “USA” apply to you ?
Spend an evening listening to this guy, then argue against his position.
http://marcstevens.net/
Worked for me. Saved 25 years a decade ago. Last podcast I listened to was:
http://marcstevens.net/radioarchive/nsp20170701.html
He’s been doing videos since then. Podcasts for 20(?)yrs.
I used to be a cop, 25 years ago when I was young and stupid. They taught us in the academy that it’s “us against them” and they reinforced that in the field. And this was back before they started militarizing the police.
Since leaving law enforcement, I have been pulled over half a dozen times, all by the department I had worked for (a large state agency). Each time I politely asked as I handed them my paperwork, “would it help my case if I told you I used to work with your department?” Each time, I was asked for retiree ID or flat badge. Each time I produced my old wallet badge that I ALWAYS carry with me. Every time I left the stop without a ticket after a 10-15 minute conversation about people we both know or the reason I left the department.
Cops are a street gang, just one that you can leave and not get killed for doing so. Once you’re part of the family, you are always family. Us against them.
I can convey the same experience. I too was a cop in NJ. I worked for and was trained by the State.
I never get tickets. The line is likely drawn at drink driving. Cops WILL arrest cops for that…off duty, retired, whatever.
Is there any such thing as a good or virtuous armed robber?
Then how do police collect their paychecks? Judges? Any public serpent?
I keep waiting for others to call things by their true names, but keep being disappointed.
Tax. Revenue. Redistribution. Tariff. Impost. Assessment. Fine. = Armed robbery.
Guns in your back if you don’t comply. Or even question.
Even Stef’s chatter about basic biological “gaining resources”.
Inflation. QE. Bailouts. Bail-ins. Credit expansion. The FED. = Theft.
Unseen. In the dark of night. A sophisticated form of counterfeiting.
If you hadn’t been breaking the law this never would have happened . Meatheads all in one.Obey the damn traffic laws.Good grief !!!!!
Instead of ‘running your license” he/they probably ran a credit check to if you could pay the ticket.
Lol; wow that was funny — maybe even true.
I used to live in a suburban city. It had formerly been an unincorporated area that became a city rather than be absorbed into the large one nearby. It became infamous for it’s aggressive cops, who abused traffic laws to raise money for the city. One day a city councilman came to my door asking for my support in his campaign for the state legislature. I told him I would support him on one condition. That he abolish the municipal police department and contract police services to the county as it had been done previously. He frowned and I told him about my experiences with it (all bad). Then he said that he’s heard similar stories from others. He also said that they had a new police chief who took the cops off of a quota (admitting thereby that the cops had been on one!).
They actually did that in Camden, NJ not too long ago, but not because of abuses (though I am sure there were abuses) but because not enough people pay taxes. There are too many abandon properties. They literally did not have the revenue to pay the officers and so disbanded the force and reconstituted as a county department (needed the revenue from Cherry Hill/Mt Laurel/ Moorestown and the other rich municipalities).
Well not to mention that the corruption of the Camden PD was about as bad as it could get.
I hate cops.
But take heart – like so many other functions, the tax collecting the cops do will soon be taken over by automation. By that I mean automated red light and speed cameras, tech that will determine if you have overstayed your parking time and automatically issue fines, cameras that will spot you crossing that line, making rolling stops, etc.
In Australia, the state govt put in a speed camera at a busy intersection, simultaneously reducing the speed limit. That one camera issued $800,000 in tickets a day, and still does. The cameras fine you for 1.8mph over, and the speed limit is 24 mph, and the spot is at the bottom of a small hill. Oh, and there is a red light camera as well.
$800,000 a day. $250 million a year or more. One spot. No cops involved. That is the future of automated tax collection. Get ready, because it is coming to an intersection near you.
I understand the rate has now dropped to around $50k a day, $15 million or so a year. One camera. One spot. Amazing, still.
You are probably right, but in that case I suspect the authorities will be dealing with a good bit more of this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bneviIHiIKs
Though a little more attention to sobriety and disguise would likely be in order.
Here in the USA, it still hasn’t been hashed out by the courts, BUT the Constitution requires the ability for the accused to face one’s accuser in a court of law. How does one’s accuser, being a machine, figure into Constitutionality?
The jurisdictions that do use “red light cameras” and the like, depend on the citizenry not being aware, that in most jurisdictions, criminal sanctions cannot be attached to tickets issued by these automated systems. They depend on the citizenry not knowing that they can ignore summons that are issued by these automated systems in most jurisdictions.
The other “dirty little secret” to these systems, is that the purveyors of these automated systems routinely reduce the “ON” time of the yellow light, below that recommended by safety studies, in order to generate more revenue. This actually causes MORE accidents at intersections, because people will attempt to stop on a yellow, when they could safely get through an intersection.
FOLLOW THE MONEY…
I thought about that too. It is kind of hard to cross examine a machine but I suspect they would likely admit the video evidence the same way they admit any video evidence, which is the same way they admit evidence produced by a dog. It is a Constitutional stretch for sure, but that has never stopped them before.
anarchyst – how naive you are. It is unconstitutional to seize assets but they do it. Drive with a wad of cash, get stopped, and see your money confiscated, with the onus on you to prove it was legally obtained.
They could care less about the criminal charges. As you rightfully say, follow the money. It is a tax grab, pure and simple, and they will automate it for sure.
Not naive at all. I am aware of the blatantly unconstitutional behavior by our “public servants”. Here in Michigan, asset forfeiture is being scaled back, over the objections of the police lobby…
Regards,
anarchyst, this is absolutely true across the globe. Happened in Perugia (Italy) when they turned their traffic ticketing over to a private, for-profit, agency. Clearly, more infractions are better for a for-profit enterprise, and so the yellow lights got shorter, and shorter, and shorter, until there was an accident every few days at certain intersections and the public made a ruckus (to the pathetic extent to which that is allowed).
It’s like no one can see the perverse or inadvertent incentives… cough, cough.
LLPOH: angle-grinder man, facepaint, nobody saw nuthin’. For all their lack of firearms, I’ve heard that Aussies are otherwise an independent bunch. Just a guess.
Snick – the lack of firearms story is largely bullshit, once you get out of the big shitties. My neighbors are well armed. Very well armed in fact. Just not semi-autos. Long arms, shotguns, etc., galore are all around me.
The folks in the bush are highly independent, as they are very isolated, even to this day. Oz is a very big nation, about the size of the continental US, with only around 20 million in population. Vast swathes are sparsely populated, with the vast majority living in 5 large cities.
Good to hear, and more power to them.
Yes, “silly string”, spray paint, expanding foam, a wasp spray head on an aerosol paint container, and other “non=lethal” items can all be used to render these automated traffic controls useless…
There are ways…
True story recently. In the suburbs of a major city on the list of 10 poorest of those with Democrat leaders, a cop from City X is pulled over in city Y, at 1:30 am, for driving the wrong way down a boulevard near bars in city Y.
No arrest. They take him back to the station, and drive him home, as he was drunk.
Later that week, an administrative cop from City Y is looking at incident reports. Since he had a 4 yr. old daughter killed by a drunk driver, he had the cop from X brought before a trial judge in Y.
Verdict? No DUI. A simple $100 fine,
and back on the job in city X.
Different set of laws & penalties for their own club.
I trust Greenwald about as far as I can throw him, but he hits the nail right on head with this book.
I generally drive slow. Not Eric Peters “clover” slow …. but, at the speed limit or slightly below. It’s less stress on me, and really pisses off most Joisey drivers. A double win.
Nevertheless, I’ve been pulled over about 3 times in the last 10 years, twice for speeding. Got no tickets all three times.
Two of the times it was because I have a GREAT driving record. One cop even said something to the effect — “I don’t want to spoil your good driving record.” Told me to be more careful, and sent me on my way with a warning ticket. Maybe he felt bad pulling me over for going 41 in a 35. Some folks here, especially cops or ex-cops may say ” bullshit”, but I don’t care. It’s the truth.
The other time … I was respectful and courteous, “yessir” “nosir” and all that. But, I think what did the trick was my feigned shock at my dastardly deed; — “What?? I did that?? I can certainly understand why you pulled me over. I can’t believe I did such a stupid thing!”. Oh, yeah, Acting 101, baby! Maybe he was amused by it. Maybe he thought I was a Fucken Retard. But, he also let me go with a mere verbal warning.
I went 5 years without being harassed (and I drive a ton — at above average speeds but cautiously). The 6th year: one stop for allegedly failing to yield. Once it was established that my record was clean coupled with the fact that I was as nice and deferential as pie, no ticket came my way. This last stop was an experiment of sorts. He almost certainly would have let me off if I kissed his backside (he seemed like a decent dude). If you don’t; you pay the piper. I guess it is human nature. Guns and gold rule the city of man.
We would all love to believe in our government and the taxpayer funded law enforcement people at all levels from fed to local . It’s a shame what motivates the officers in the field now . The federal government funds different bonus programs for drunk driving arrests Drug arrests etc… ! Consequently the poor funding for police retirement plans give them incentive to perpetrate all levels of over active policing ! Thanks to the encouragement of the attorny general Sessions regarding asset forfiture the mistrust of police as your friend becomes bull shit at the highest degree . Police in general are not your friend and are not to be trusted with any personal information about you and you should never speak to them if it can be avoided !
I hardly get pulled over anymore. I have gotten two speeding tickets in the last 20 years.
The last time, that the officer was giving me the ticket, I didn’t argue and told him to hurry up and give me the ticket. And I said that I would have my lawyer take care of it, which he did. I assume it pissed him off, but he couldn’t do a damn thing. The lawyer took it to court, and it was dismissed.
New Jersey. Speaks volumes.
In a town of 4k people and zero stop lights, there’s a five-way stop, uphill on our end. Late one night (10pm is late in this neck of the woods) a cop pulls us over for not coming to a full and complete stop.. the usual scenario in which it’s clear no-one is around… not defending it.
What was interesting was one of the first questions we were asked: Were we military or “first-responders”? Without thinking I snorted, “we’re 60 years old”. The cop reprimanded me saying that there were many active-duty military over the age of 50.
What the everlovin’ fuck?
We were given a ticket (which ended up being a couple hundred bucks) and left the stop with the strong impression that military humps or any other kind of special “forces” would have skated. A two-tier system of road “justice”. Luckily the ins.co. didn’t ding us too much thereafter.
I don’t know what it is about Utah, but the highway patrol doesn’t seem to get excited unless you’re doing 15 mph or more over.
Here’s one from the old days.
Back in 1949 my dad was 12 years old. He started that summer driving my great Uncle Robert in the evening as he made his rounds to the local clubs and eventually to the gambling house in Myrtle Beach. They lived in Conway,S.C. My dad was driving my Uncle’s Cadillac . My great Uncle was rich. He owned the hardware store,the meat packing plant,one bank and other businesses as well. I can remember going to Myrtle Beach with him when I was kid….with a chauffeur taking us where ever I wanted.
My dad said that every afternoon they’d stop at the liquor store and pick up a case of Seagrams VO. Back in those days South Carolina had “Brown Bag” laws. You took your bottle into the club and bought the mixers from the club. They’d stop and he’d have a drink with the folks,telling all who were there that his bottle was on the shelf and to help themselves . They took the same route each evening and the bottles were distributed out at each club.
Once they got to the hotel in Myrtle Beach my dad was given Carte blanche to get anything he wanted to eat etc. while my great Uncle gambled and messed with the ladies there .
So now to the story.
One night they were headed to the hotel and they were running late . My dad said he had the caddy flying and my Uncle was in the back seat enjoying a drink. My dad looked in the rear view mirror and say red lights flashing. He slowed down and pulled off of the road.
He said the sheriff’s deputy came to the to his side of the car and said,” Son,ain’t no way you’re old enough to drive ” . He looked in the back seat and said, “What the hell is this boy doing driving this caddy” . My Uncle told him it was none of his GD business as to why the boy was driving. My dad said the deputy said ” Look I need to see your license right now “.
Now let me say this about my great Uncle Robert. He was 6’4″ and weighed around 375 at the time according to my dad. He wore suits tailored in New York and he didn’t get his hand dirty . My dad said he was always nice but once you pissed him off….he’d beat your ass…taking his coat off first..
So Uncle Robert said,” Son you must be new to the sheriff’s department;I’ve never seen you before .” “You get on your radio and tell them you’ve pulled over Robert Greene and they’ll tell you what to do next”.
The sheriff asked him again for his license. My uncle said,” Son,I’ve told you what to do,now I’d suggest you get on that radio and tell them who you’ve got pulled over” .
My dad said that the deputy said ” Sir I’m going to ask you one more time for your license and after that I’m not going to ask again”. He said my uncle replied ” Deputy that’s fine but let me tell you what’s going to happen “. “When I get out of this car I’m going to whip your ass all over this highway and when I’m done you’ll be in the hospital and when you get out you won’t have a job and you might have charges on you for assault “.
Mt dad said there was a short pause and the deputy said, ” I’ll be right back “. My dad said he was gone for about a minute or so and he came back…walking slowly like he was trying to figure out what to say. He got to the car,peered into the back seat window and said,” Mr Greene I’m sorry for everything,y’all have a nice evening and if there’s anything I can do for you, just let me know “.
My dad said he started the car and they headed down the road . He looked in the rear view mirror and saw my Uncle was straightening his tie . He asked Uncle Robert, ” You weren’t gonna’ whip his ass were you “. He said, “Yes I was…he didn’t know he was messing with”.
That was a by gone era. Uncle Robert passed away when I was 6. He was the kindest person…gave me anything I wanted . I was a spoiled kid for those 6 years and Myrtle Beach say my face a lot down at the pavilion and on all of the carnival rides.
I wish I could have been his driver…just once .
Why even write this article if you are unwilling to go to court to fight it. I fight every ticket, even when I am blatantly guilty, this way I know the state won’t make a profit on me. I feel it’s my social responsibility.
Here in Washington State, I suspect the police are told not to waste their time in court. Three times I’ve supenied the officer and not once did the show up. The judge was forced to drop the charges.
Besides, you just might get tagged again next month and then you’re really fucked.
Fight the damn thing. You owe it to your kids.
Mark S
I wrote the article to blow off some steam and maybe get a decent conversation going. In an ideal world–where missing two days of work (and possibly still being found guilty) is no big deal, I definitely would have taken it to court. But time is not a luxury I generally have these days. Maybe someday. Somewhat of a hokey movie, but this scene comes to mind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGgaXXBkE8A
my next vanity license plate will be “copswyf”, that should help-unless they can’t read.