442much

I went to pick my son up from his girlfriends and on the way home I see the RCMP car behind us and then his lights go on. So I pull over. My son asks what we did wrong. I told him "I'm not sure, but I'm sure we'll find out really soon." Sherwood Park doesn't have a regular police force so the RCMP are our police force.

The cop walks up to the car and says "Good evening". He looks in the car and sees my son and says hello to him. He asks if I know why I was stopped. I said no. He then takes out, what looked like his ticket book. Then he says, "You are both wearing your seat belts, and you were doing the speed limit. So I'm writing this ticket out to both you and your son."

I looked at my 13 year old and back at the cop. He's smiling. "Sir, I'm giving you a safe driving ticket. Please give me your name and once you leave here you and your son can stop at any Dairy Queen in Sherwood Park for a Sundae, Milk shake or any treat. He writes out the ticket as he is handing it to me he says, "Thank you for driving safe, enjoy the rest of your day" and walks back to his patrol car.

He pulled out before we did, honked his horn and drove off.

So we went to Dairy Queen and picked up a free Blizzard and a chocolate dipped large cone. Good weekend and a first for me.

Boldsmobile

Thats pretty cool.

GAOldsman

That is pretty neat for him to take the time out of his busy day to do that. Down here they will try to find something to write you up about if they pull you over and then notice you are wearing lap belts. Great story.

Scot

Mark71

Wow! That's great!

I got flagged down by a cop in the middle of the road (directing traffic) in a nearby neighborhood. He was waving the cars by individually but put out his hand for me to stop. I had the top down on my 71 and it is a 30 MPH area so I was going slowly and it was easy to stop. He says "Hey, nice car. I had one when I was younger." We chatted for a sec and he waved me on my way.

I was amazed - but I didn't get any free desserts out of it.

It is so cool that your local police do that. Shame we don't have stuff like that down here. I think it really improves the police / community relationship.

Redog

That doesn't happen in Philly.

This did happen to me:

I took my son out trick or treating (just 1 week shy of 2 years old) and I came back to find that the ex wife had cut a few wires under the hood of the Alero. It wouldn't start, it was like the starter wasn't even there.

Anyway, I call the cops (suburb town) and they came and 3 of them were all looking under the hood and saying how clean and nice the car was. That was great and all, but my car was still dead in the water

snowballs442

I got a fast driving award the other day but not a free dessert. Good thing he caught me slowing down.

69442C

Something like that around here is just unheard of. Nice to know they do that in your area. Usually when I get a cop behind me with flashing lights, my day doesn't include me getting a free ice cream.

nelsontj

Around where I live the cops are at the Dairy Queen!!!

But, then again, I never remember the Dairy Queen getting robbed.

jaunty75

I'll be the stick in the mud here and say that I don't think this is so great.

First of all, he caused you unnecessary stress, because you don't know why you were pulled over, and you naturally assumed it's something bad. In the end, yes, it turned out OK, but was it really necessary to stop you at all? HE knew all along it was a joke, but did YOU?

Second, and more seriously, it's ALWAYS dangerous to pull off to the side of the road unless necessary. That's why the sign on the side of the road says "emergency stopping only." How many times have you read about a cop or a bystander getting hit or killed by someone who didn't see the people or the car stopped at the side of the road, or didn't give a wide enough berth? I don't know what kind of road you were pulled over on or how busy it was, and, again, yes, it turned out OK, but you were put in danger, however small, for no reason.

Third, when the cop is pulling you over to pat you on the back, he's NOT out there dealing with the people who are actually committing wrongs.

Like I say, I know I sound like a wet rag in all this, but this is not all goodness and light.

starfire

I agree with Jaunty 110%. And no, you are not being a stick in the mud. If they really want to do something like that, just note your license plate number and then send you the certificate in the mail.

One more reason Jaunty didn't mention, what if I am on my way to an appointment and I am possibly going to be late, now I'm being pulled over (for no reason) and this might make me late for my appointment messing up a lot of other people as well. If I was doing something wrong and got pulled over, well that's my fault then.

jaunty75

Excellent point. Hadn't thought of this. Make it my reason #4 why this isn't such a good thing.

442much

You're right! I should have told him to FO. If I was late for an appointment, he would have been stopping me for a different reason. Besides it was a nice Sunday evening and I guess he could tell I was in no hurry.

Third: I doubt that he would have done this if he was passing me with his red and blue's flashing and siren on. Crime rate in this town is very low. When I go to the store sometimes I forget to lock the door and if I remember halfway down the driveway....I'll only be gone for half an hour. I did notice he was talking when he stopped me, so my licence plate was probably reported. I thought I heard "clear" when he was walking up to the car but can't be sure it was meant for me and only remembered it now that I was going over everything in my mind.

Second: The road where I stopped was a residential street, there was no danger and no issues with safety.

First:Had I lived in some country where police are known for beating the crap out of people, robbing them, shooting them, torturing them etc. then I suppose I could have been stressed out. If it was my wife, she probably would have been stressed anyway. You had to be there. The cops walk up to the car, his demeaner and attitude were clear that this was a different stop.

Your assessment of the situation is logical if you remove all the factors and make it a stop, cop approaching and writing something on a "ticket" pad. However you have to take in account what can't be shown in writing about this. I could tell this was a different stop just from the body language, expression on his face and the way he greeted my son and me - not aggressive at all, like we were at a bar-b-que together. What I really liked about it (other than the free treats) was that my youngest son witnessed it.

Cops get a bad wrap today (sometimes it's justified). My son experienced the human side of law enforcement and came away with a positive experience of the police. When he was young my wife and I used to say "If you ever get lost, find a policeman, he'll help you." However what you see on TV is not help at all.

Stuff like this will never make the news. Even if someone got this on tape, they'd delete it. If the cop hit me, it would make national news.

So in all, I'm glad it happened.

starfire

You could tell all of that, but other people might not be able to. I don't disagree that it was a nice gesture, i just think there are better ways to go about rewarding people who are doing the right thing. My point is in these times of police force cut backs, I'd rather have my dwindling police presence watching for people doing things wrong, not doing things right. Here in the States (especially the one I am in) everyday on the news what we are hearing about is how another police force is having to lay off officers due to lack of funding. If everything was fine and there were lots of money to keep police forces at full strength, then sure, there are the resources for luxuries such as rewarding good behavior. Maybe the economic conditions are better in Canada.

I also agree, cops get a bad rap. They are horribly underpaid for what they do for us.

1969w3155

They do it here every once in awhile, I have no problem with it, it builds more of a positive public image then just writing tickets for infractions.

MDchanic

Whether this is good or bad depends on the way it is perceived by the driver.

I agree that this could have been perceived negatively by a lot of people, and that's why you'll read about this program being cancelled in the near future.

As far as I'm personally concerned, my stress level when I'm stopped is directly proportional to the cop's stress level. Where I grew up in NYC, if you were white and not too seedy-looking, traffic stops were always a friendly affair (don't mean to sound racist, but it's the truth) - the cop would stroll over, lean in, and you'd say, "Howya doin'?" He'd say "Howya doin'?" say something about going too fast, or not stopping at that stop sign. You'd say, "You know Ernie Kowalski over at the 1-2-2?" and he'd write you a ticket (or not), and say "Drive slower," and that'd be that. Businesslike, but friendly. In the old days, you'd get out and go to HIS door, especially if it was raining.

Now, with all the ex-military Robo-Cops, it's all "Please" this and "Sir" that, all with the clear implication that he'd shoot you soon as write the ticket. You can tell that these small-town cops are stressed when they get out of their cars - they've seen too many TV shows, and expect you to open fire on them like Al Pacino. They follow all the procedures by the book - run their right index finger over your trunk lid to be sure nobody's about to pop out and get 'em from behind, stand clear of the door so you can't beer-gut them, etc. You can see them reviewing the modern operating policy of "Be polite, be nice, and have a plan to kill everyone you see." Essentially, they act like they assume you're a dangerous criminal every time, no matter what the evidence shows.

So, if the cop is relaxed and comfortable, I'm not nervous, because I know the worst that's gonna happen is I'm gonna spend some money. If he's tense, following all the procedures, and refuses to make conversation, then I do get a little nervous, because these guys can shoot you for no reason, then justify that they "saw something" after the fact.

- Eric

rustyroger

This isn't black and white (pun intended) by any means, great you met a friendly cop and your son saw the good side of policing, he was putting himself in a hazardous position though, you might have a car loaded with crack cocaine and driving carefully to avoid being stopped, but carrying a gun in case that didn't work.
I (and other drivers of unusual cars) often get pulled so the cops can have a closer look at the car, not a problem, I take it to shows for that very reason.
Mind you only a few specialist officers in the UK are armed so I'm unlikely to get shot just because the cop doesn't like me.
I've read the posts so far carefully and can't make my mind up which view I take. Ken was there and knows the full story, where, when, why, etc, so I think in those particular circumstances he was witness to some good police PR.
Roger.

442much

This happens in the summer. It was in the local papers (not me, just the program). Cops don't pull there guns here unless it is abolutely required. The last cop here was killed 20 years ago. Before that 100 years. Most people here don't carry guns. I don't own one. Actually, come to think of it the only peron I know that owns one is my brother in law. He uses it for hunting. A far a a hand gun, I don't know anyone with one.

Edmonton happens to be right now, the murder capital of Canada. It's a city of 1 million and there have been 24-25 murders (this is a city record). Apparently everyone murdered was known to police. Six years ago I was in Montreal and the guy on the radio was disgusted at the murder rate. Montreal, a city of 4.5 million had 39 murders for 2005. So crime is not a going concern, although we do things to lessen the chances of it happening.

The cop knew I wasn't dangerous, I knew I had nothing to worry about. If the cop is rude I can be rude too or report him or both. Heck, the RCMP come to our car show every year. Cops have never bothered me. I once honked at a cop car because he was talking to his partner at a red light and it turned green. After 10 seconds I honked. He waved and started going.

starfire

I don't think most people get nervous about a cop shooting them during a traffic stop, it's usually nervous about:

a. The cost of the ticket itself.
b. The increase it may mean in the car insurance.
c. The number of points that might be assessed (could be the last points that causes the loss of license).
d. Dealing with a and b on a low income and explaining it to a significant other.

The last time I was pulled over I was nervous even though I knew what he pulled me over for (going through a yellow light) and why he pulled me over (I was driving my '87 442 near Woodward Ave the week of the Woodward Dream Cruise). But what I didn't know is how much the ticket would be and how it would affect my insurance rates. I didn't have to worry about points as I've never had any.

I guess I'm not addressing your specific instance of this as much as I am suggesting that the idea is a good intention, but poorly implemented due to the reasons that Jaunty and I have outlined.

Driftr

Ken,
I enjoyed your story. Good experience, good outcome. I have a great friend from Red Deer and he tells many stories of similar nature. Not that frequent here stateside. In fact, I am a little envious of the Canadian police/resident relationship.
Just my .02 worth.

VikingBlue

Obviously he noted the youngster in the car...and wanted to demonstrate to the lad that the police aren't bad guys. I think it was a very purposeful, and positive, gesture for the youngun. And your son will tell his friends. Good for the cop.

1965cutlassragtop

i don't think a couple of free ice cream sundae's are enough to counter-balance all the corrupt activity of which law enforcement, the court system, and the government get away with everyday.

i got a ticket last year for 90 in a 65, caught on laser. after months of research on massachussetts policies which ALL LAW ENFORCMENT is required by law to adhere, i went in front of a judge to plead my case. to make a long story short, i proved that the officer could not present a laser speed detection certification in court...could not present documentation showing the laser device he used was properly calibrated, tested, or deemed to be accurate...and could not prove he even HAD a laser device in the car!!! i know most of you are probably thinking "just admit it, you got caught"...which i did, no arguing that, i was in my acura cruising at 90mph. but massachusetts law states that all these stipulations are to be assumed by the judge, UNLESS the defendant asks that they be proven...so that's what i did, he could not prove anything i was implicating to be false, the judge even sustained all of my objections, but then just said he found me guilty and had to pay the ticket. i proved the cop was breaking the law to enforce it which is ILLEGAL, and i still had to pay the ticket. i broke one law (speeding), while he broke THREE and i get the punishment. i don't like cops, i don't like judges, and i don't like law enforcement as a whole. they make wayyyyyy too much money, they break more laws than the people they convict, and they catch more breaks than a kit kat. the next time you see a cop sitting on the side of a highway and he pulls out to pull someone over WITHOUT FIRST turning on his flashing lights....he just broke a law. the next time you see a state trooper come blowing past you in the high speed lane without his lights on....he just broke a law!!! that's just a chip off the old block, don't even get me started. but golly officer, thanks for this great sundae!!!

442much

A judge ruled that the radar cameras in Edmonton may not be working correctly. Police agreed. http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjourn...1-cc809a992694 I got my $110 back from July 2010. Didn't even have to call for it. Even had enough for an ice cream.

442much

How many countries have a policeman as a national symbol? The RCMP were created to protect the Indians from the white man. That's why when the Souix entered Canada after wiping out the 7th Cavalry the RCMP (NWMP back then) told them they had to leave because the Indians on the Canadian prairies were getting food shipments from the government due to a dry season and smaller Buffalo heards. The mounties were ordered to escort the Souix and Cheyanne to the border because they would only make the situation worse for the local natives, and we wanted to maintain a good relationship with our US neighbours.

When the NWMP gave the Souix chief the order to leave they didn't move. He got off his horse and tore down the teepee himself. The Souix were impressed with his bravery and started to leave. When they got closer to the border they knew the American Army would be waiting so they decided they weren't leaving and attacked the mounties.

In the middle of the fight the mounties heard whooping and hollering behind their lines and thought at first that they were surrounded. They were relieved to see that it was the Blackfoot, Cree and Blood Indians, the very ones they were feeding, passing by them and smashing full force into the Souix and Cheyanne. They were there to stop the mounties from suffering a similar fate that Custer experienced. The Souix were forced back over the border.

If you look at pictures from the Canadian old west, you will see that to enter Fort Calgary, Fort Edmonton, Fort Garry, you had to pass through an Indian village to get in. The Indians gathered around the Forts because they new that help was inside the gates. They could also enter the forts as they saw fit.

So yes, we do have a special relationship with our police. It's engrained in our society. I'm glad to say that for the most part, it's a positive one. That's why the RCMP are a Canadian symbol. That's why I see what happened to me as a positive experience. Other's see it different based on their experiences. Nobody's right or wrong here. Sorry for the history lesson.

Alb

Great ending. Hope you enjoyed your treats. As I have read all of these replies to you event. I have to say that first of all. If I was going to an appointment I would leave early enough to be on time if something were to happen.I.E accident ahead of me. Second, anytime I see a police car along the side of the road I slow down. To be sure that I have enough room to pass safely. If I were the one being stopped and not knowing the reason why. I would wait to see what I did right or wrong. As far as being stressed out over it. Get a life. And as for taking it to court when you were wrong . Just another reason to blame somebody else for your mistake. Maybe the laser wasn't cal. but were you speeding? Sure there are some over eager police out there. But, I was taught to respect somebody in uniform. As far as being over paid. I don't think so. In this day and age they do not know what to expect when they pull you over. I don't blame them for being cautious. The last time I was stopped for speeding the officer came up to me and asked if I knew why I was stopped. I told him that I was going over the speed limit. He did write me up and as he was handing my ticket. He said that he never had anybody be so nice to him for getting a ticket. I told him. Why should I be mad at you. You are only doing your job. I was the one that was wrong. I didn't take him to court to try and get out of it. I was the one that was wrong.That's the bottom line.
Alb

1969w3155

Jeeesh oh pete!

1965cutlassragtop

glad there are people out there who don't mind that police officers everywhere are breaking laws to enforce other laws. how brainwashed are americans?? i was speeding, i was guilty....he was EVEN MORE guilty. everyone deserves a fair trial. as a matter of fact, if i had been pulled over in this exact manner, and caught with a kilo of cocaine, charged with possession and attempt to distribute....any lawyer would have brought up exactly what i did (maybe even more) to discredit the traffic stop in the first place. i would be a free man cuz the fact that i had cocaine was discovered because the officer BROKE THE LAW. guilty or not guilty, the fact still remains, that the officer is also guilty. how about you call your local police department and ask to see their speed detection device log books, maitenance records, and calibration certificates. you are entitled to see them, but you will not be presented with them, because the cops DON'T FOLLOW LEGAL PROTOCALL and they do not have the records, like they are supposed to have. but because it was just a measly speeding ticket, and i didn't have a lawyer by my side, i got the shaft...plain and simple. you do a google search of "speed detection case law" and see how many LEGIT CRIMINALS have been let free because cops make BOGUS traffic stops everyday with faulty equipment, lack of training, and lack or proper documentation that it is even legal for them to be doing the job....but that stuff just gets swept under the rug cuz nobody wants to stand up for themselves and say a cop is wrong. rules are rules, EVERYONE should be following them, but instead it's a one way street.

69442C

Must be a Massachesetts thing where no one can take the blame for their actions. Are you shure Ted Kenndy didn't teach you to drive? He seemed to have the same position regarding fault when there was an incident in Chappaquiddick that resulted in the death of a woman.

If you got busted for doing 73 in a 65 and you swore you weren't speeding then I would agree with you. But at 90 MPH and you knew it....give me a break. I'm just glad I don't live there so I don't have to worry about me or my family being on the road when you're cruising along at 90 in a 65 zone thinking you can beat the system if you can prove some equipment wasn't within the testing period. You broke the law first and put others in that position to prove your speed. To me, there should just be a Dumba#s ticket that can be issued and you would win on that day. I'd vote for a $1000 fine if it were up to me. At 90, who cares if it was 88 or 92mph? Anything that far over the limit should have got you into a lot more trouble.

oldzy

It prob would be ok with me.

I pull similar things when I get really good service from somewhere. I will go to the Customer Service desk and ask to speak to the Manager in a firm tone, and deny to explain anything when asked why. Then when the manager comes, I say something like... yeah this employee over there, yeah that one (in a firm tone again)... is a GREAT employee (in a not so firm voice)... they were very helpful, and just made my day! It throws some right off

MDchanic

All of the above has got some validity, and there's no love lost between the people of Maine and Massachusetts, but I think the point is that the police regularly "break the law to enforce the law," and personally are pretty much immune from most of the law most of the time, and that does stick in some people's craws. I suspect it's got to do with how close you and your family have been to that side of the law - in my own case, we had friends who were cops while I was growing up, and I worked side by side with cops for years, so I tend to say, "It's a tough job - give 'em a break," but I can completely see the other side as well, because it's true, they DO break the law all the time.

- Eric

1965cutlassragtop

thank you MDchanic, that's the point i'm trying to make....

@69442....i did take responsibility for my actions, i paid the ticket, all $350 worth. and massachusetts law requires a motorist to be doing DOUBLE the speed limit to acquire any further punishment rather than just a ticket. and in an acura, on the highway, 90mph is FAR from out of control or wreckless. don't get me wrong, i see your point....i was speeding, he did get me, and i paid the ticket. i did my part and took responsibility for what i did wrong....BUT THE COP DID NOT DO HIS PART, HE IS A CRIMINAL. he probably went home that night, guzzled a pint of vodka, beat his wife & kids, then went out and banged his mistress. but he is a good guy serving the community, right?? WRONG!! they think they are invisible, they are not. how about all the innocent motorists who get creamed by cruisers everyday because the cops are out there driving wrecklessly?? how about the cop who filled out an accident report completely wrong for a collision which i wasn't even driving?? i was the passenger, he wrote my name and info in the "vehicle operator" feild on the report, causing my insurance to go up, i had to pay surcharges for 3 years while i waited to get an appeal date in court to have the surcharges removed from my driving record, which i was re-imbursed $3700 for what i had to struggle to pay for no reason, for THREE YEARS!!! that cop was nice enough to "make a mistake" and i got the punishment. i've said what i have to say, you can defend the boys in blue all you want, they are corrupt...bottom line.

69442C

Just as with anything there is good and bad. That works for any profession. But the issue of someone going 90 mph, knowingly breaking the law and then crying foul when they get caught is something a little different. If the cops had been pulling people over that day and claiming they were speeding and they weren't, all in an effort to raise a little money, that would be a serious problem. If a piece of equipment is out of certification (and it's never been said that the equipment malfunctioned or gave a false speed reading) than that falls under sloppy police work. The peron doing 90 knew they were going that fast and they were cited for that speed. No foul at all other than the issue of a paper being out of date. If someone wants to temp fate and drive at that speed, there will be days when it can be done without being caught and days that the law will catch you. When you get caught, be prepared to deal with the consequences or drive slower to avoid these problems. But when you get caught and you knew you were doing that speed, crying foul is a matter of character and more specifically, a lack of character. I don't view an outdated paper as a law being broken but I do feel the equipment should be up to date. Again, the argument wasn't based on the radar giving a bad reading as much as it was about a piece of paper being out of date.

MDchanic

Well, first, Ragtop said that "an outdated paper" is specifically mentioned in the law of his state as a reason to invalidate the charges, so, in this case, it IS a matter of "a law being broken."

Second, this really depends on whether you view this entire process as a matter of absolute right and wrong, or as a game. Ask any lawyer and he'll tell you that the law has nothing to do with right and wrong, and everything to do with playing the game right.
In this case, the game begins with getting in your car and turning it on.
You try to drive the speed you'd like to drive at, and the police try to catch you and prove you were speeding.
If you get caught, they try to prove you did it, and you try to prove them wrong.
All's fair in this game, just as the Supreme Court recently refused to rule that it was wrong for the government to hold people as "material witnesses" without charges, for long periods, when they knew damn well they didn't need them to testify in any cases.
If they can break down your door, shoot your dog, drag you off, and hold you in solitary confinement for months without charging you with any crime (and in Massachusetts recently, the police barged into a woman's house, cuffed her, and arrested her in front of her family because her driver license had expired - not because she was caught DRIVING with it expired, just because it HAD expired. Look it up.), then you can damn well point out when they haven't calibrated their Johnson Rod recently enough.

Third, please don't impugn another member's character. That's out of bounds on this site.

- Eric

coltsneckbob

I frankly don't think the cops doing this is a good idea. Any traffic stop puts the driver and of course the cop in danger. This is worth the while when the driver is breaking the law, but NOT to tell him that he is within the law. As Jaunty and Starfire have already mentioned.

There is no doubt that cops and judges break or lets say twist the law to their advantage. About 2 years ago I was driving on nice spring day in my SL500. There was a traffic stop on the road checking for seatbelts. The traffic was moving slow and I was buckled. As I got up to the cop he peered into my car and gave me the thumbs up.....so good right. Well, at that instant my cell phone rang and I picked it up, before my driver window passed him he said to pull over to the side and give me a yellow Posit with a code on it (and I was supposed to bring the Posit to another cop writing tickets on the side of the road). I said what did I do and he said using the cell while driving. I said yea, but cell phone use is a secondary infraction what is the primary infraction you're charging? He said that didn't matter as I was in a traffic inspection line. I said a "traffic inspection" line is not a primary offense. He said if I didn't pull over he would ticket me for obstructing traffic or some such thing.

I did research on the law and found that a traffic inspection line was not mentioned in the cell phone regulation. I planned to present this and other related documents in court. When I got there there was a court officers who was going around asking people about their case and basically telling them them to plead to a lesser infraction and just get out. I explained my case to this cop.....and why the ticket was illegal. His response was "well in Judge so and so's court it will be legal and he will hit you with court costs". So I went to the clerk paid the $130 and left.

Anyway:
I would not want my tax dollars being wasted to tell people they are doing what they should be doing.

1965cutlassragtop

so your telling me if you fail to renew your car registration and you are driving around with an "out of date" registration, that's okay, right?? or if you don't renew your license, you can still drive cuz it's just "out of date" correct?? your not making any sense in what your saying....something that needs to be renewed needs to be renewed, end of story. i have my license to carry concealed firearms, and i'm telling you right now, if i got caught carrying a gun with an "out of date" gun license, my *** would be in jail. so i think any out of date certification/registration needs to be taken seriously, and that includes police officers....the officer could not present a certification certificate in court that proves he is up to date with training on the device (which is required by law)...the officer could not prove that he performed a controlled test on the device at the beginning and end of his shift, deeming any readings in between to be accurate (which is required by law, look it up on "ma.gov.com")...he did not provide me with all the public records, maitenance logs, and calibration certificates i requested (which i am entitled to by law)...you know what, it's not even worth listing the ADDITIONAL policies this officer broke cuz u already have your mind made up. hell, i'm thinking your a cop yourself with your condescending demeanor and all this *** kissing your doing. like i said, if this was a drug possesion case and i had a lawyer by my side, it would have been thrown out of court for all the mistakes this cop made and not following the rules. and your right, it was never said that the equipment definately malfunctioned or gave a false reading.....BUT, when he was asked to prove that the equipment WAS working correctly and gave and ACCURATE reading, he couldn't. case should have been closed right there, end of story. it's the principal that we are stalked by these guys making sure we are following all the rules, but they are out there doing whatever the hell they please. the only time they get any type of punishment is if they are caught on tape doing something and they can't deny the fact that they screwed up, it's a shame, that's all i'm saying. and if you are a cop....DO YOUR JOB LIKE YOUR SUPPOSED TOO!!!!!!! i'm done here....

69442C

As I mentioned, there's good and bad everywhere and in every profession. And cops are not immune from having their share of bad ones. MD just convicted a few for running a towing scheme and taking money for being involved. I have no love or hate for cops but I guess I do hate the game driven by lawyers as this spills over into other things that allows people to walk the streets because of a technicality and then when bad things happen, people want to know why this happened.

As for impugning the reputation of Ragtop, that is not what I was doing. I stated if someone, as in general terms.... so if it was taken that this was an attack on Ragtop that was not my intent.

1965cutlassragtop

LOL.....well the good news is we all NEVER have to renew our licences or registrations anymore, because a certification being "out of date" really has no relativity to it's purpose, it's just a "technicality"....no issue at all except a paper being out of date, right?? if we are held accountable for our responsibilities, cops should be held accountable as well. and i gaurantee that me driving 90mph on a highway in a performance driven luxury car is alot safer than ANY senior citizen driving the speed limit, or even under the speed limit!!!

1969w3155

Must be an east coast thing.

69HO43

That can't work in our state because the officer must present the ticket to the driver. No photo/mail tickets.

Anyone think that maybe he planned on a not-so-nice ticket because he didn't see the seatbelts at first? He could have changed his mind after seeing the belts on the spot. Additionally, since it is a program to promote civility and positive engagement between the police and the public, he was getting in his required "quota" of good stops?

Unless you were there, I don't know why you would think this was necessarily a waste of time. Y'all's mindset is pretty narrow if you think that way.

And to those internet lawyers that think they can do 20 minutes worth of law research to try and wiggle out of a ticket after they already KNOW they did it...please, just STFU and pay your fine. You play, you pay. Stop being dumb.

jaunty75

OK, I'll explain it to you as it's very simple.

The uniform the cop wears, the car he's driving with all the markings on the side, and the light bar on top give him the authority to stop you at his discretion if you've done something wrong or are just suspected of doing something wrong. These should be the ONLY reasons he stops you. To do otherwise is to abuse the privilege the law bestows upon him. There are other ways to engage in contact with the community that don't abuse this privilege, doesn't put the citizen in possible danger unnecessarily, and doesn't cause the citizen undue and unwarranted stress.

This all reminds me of the story a couple of years ago of the TSA screener at the airport (Detroit I think, but I'm not sure) putting a bag of white powder in the carry-on bag of pretty young lady and claiming "look what I found" just as an attempt to have a joke with her and make small talk. Gave the poor woman a heart attack and left her in tears in the process. I hope the bastard was fired. This is not the way to meet girls.

Similarly, pulling people over on the side of the road for no reason is not the way to build good community relations.

1965cutlassragtop

we are all saints, i know......i'm the bad guy cuz i exploited how cops are SUPPOSED to do their job, but don't. if their equipment is working correctly, then they should have no problem proving it is. so it's fine for people to buy cars without test driving them, or buy a house without and inspection first, or better yet, receive an operation from a doctor without a PHD on the wall or an "out of date" physician license.....you contrarians are missing the point completely. rules are rules, cops should follow them as well if i'm going to be penalized for not following them.

one thing for sure, it was worth the $350 to see that cop standing on the side of me sweating in court when he couldn't present the evidence i was asking for, studdering and mixing up his words, that was priceless. when i walked out i had everyone smiling in the court room who was also waiting to be called, even though the judge had his back and screwed me anyway. the police officer even thanked the judge mulitple times as we walked away cuz he knew that there were some gaps in his story. i should've paid a lawyer cuz my insurance wouldn't have gone up....