An email from "Gunner", a regular commenter on this blog, made me think about traffic stops. The email he sent I will no doubt post at some point, but it was a number of things supposedly said for real during traffic stops, very amusing.
I have said some of those things of course.
The thing is, I suspect that traffic process is done very little throughout most of response Police officers. A lot of it is left up to traffic officers to do.
Yes, probationers are expected to hand in a certain amount of process, and all of us are expected to show a return of work of some type, so traffic process is done.
But I don't think it's way off the mark to guess that 80% of people that get pulled for traffic offences are let off with a warning. I'm not talking for No Insurance or similar, but for the smaller offences. I STOP people for these offences, but I have a very simple test to see what happens afterwards.
You see, I walk up to the car, and say "Excuse me mate, you weren't wearing your seatbelt back there." I then wait for the reply from the person, knowing that it will affect the outcome of this stop. If he replies "Sorry, officer, my fault, I know it's wrong..." or something along those lines, and doesn't smell of booze or drugs then frankly I know that within about thirty seconds I'll be back in my car and he'll be on his way.
If, after my opening gambit, the reply I receive is along the lines of "Fuck you man, you filth are always pulling me over, just get out of my face. I'm not getting out of the car, last time I got arrested it took four of you," then there is a good chance that I will in fact be doing some kind of writing. Although not necessarily for traffic offences.
I actually stopped someone who was on his phone a while back, and I was busy enough to verbally warn him and be on my way. Except he wasn't happy with that. And went into a rant about how last time he was nicked for supplying drugs the week before it was well out of order, you filth are all the same, it wasn't enough for supply...
So, funnily enough he found himself getting searched.
And, funnily enough, had drugs on him.
So once again was off to Custody for PWITS (posession with intent to supply). Although, like many of my customers, his custody record should have read "Failed the stupid test, arrested for prompt and effective investigation of any sign of intelligence."
More trade secrets!
On another note, Belfast Peeler seems to be in a pickle at the moment.
He is one of my favourite Police Bloggers, and it's his choice whether he explains the situation. However, can I suggest posting a comment in support of him at this time? The comments may not be posted (as they may be more damaging to him) but he'll be reading them, as he has comment approval on his blog, and I think we should show our support for a great blogger and someone who sounds like a great copper as well.
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19 comments:
Amen to that AT, BP is one of my favourite police bloggers, it appears that the PSNI rubber heels may finally have caught up with him. Just sent a comment to him - like you say, may not be published, but I think it's important for him to know he's not alone..
JC
I don't understand what he has done that is wrong. I support him. Sorry for the delay in responding. Have been away. Can someone enlighten us?
have tried to put a post on in support but it hasn't come up.
belfast peeler,
if you're reading this, we haven't been aquainted very long but you sound like the sort of cobber i'd want along if things go sideways, best luck mate and i hope things looks better for your future whatever present troubles may be.
"gunner"
traffic stops...,
in the course of a good bit over a million miles, driving everything from tractor-trailers to motorcycles over much of the u.s. and a couple of canadian provinces i've learned that you get what you give out. traffic stops are "just business", if you give the cop a bad time, like the moron "area" described you'll buy your own grief. if you treat him with civil courtesy and you're not all that far off the mark you'll likely get a verbal or written warning and be on your way. for some reason those with the most to lose, the ones doing something else illegal already, are the very ones who cannot seem to stop their mouths. "aggravated stupidty" is at the bottom of a good many arrests, if not all, no matter what the official charge sheet reads.
"gunner"
Had a shuftie at BP's blog last night and was quite surprised at what I found. Hopefully it's not what it reads like. If it is as bad then at least one good thing might come out of it. As the fella himself mentioned; once you're out, its "memoirs". I've no doubt there's many of our local daily publications would love to serialise the like of what he's been writing. It'd be iteresting to see how "uncle Hugh" would deal with the potential PR that would bring upon the force.
Being in university admissions, despite just being at trained monkey level, we also have our own stupidity vetting. We're supposed to send out a standard email response to query's about admission, half of these don't get sent out. If you can't sting a sentence together in English you aint coming to this uni it's as simple as that. Those emails just get deleted, of course this is absolutely contrary to university policy etc but at the end of we're saving them time and money.
Traffic stops.
Bin a while but it just rings so true.
the old attitude test.
The majority of people I stopped were on their way very quickly but there was always the odd few who for reasons I will never fathom thought they could verbally abuse the law and get away with it.
The angrier they got the more polite I'd become.
The more serious of them would just set off the "Congrats, I've just made you my project for the day" light in my brain.
pcfrankyfact,
have you seen the patrol car cam video that's been making the rounds on the telly here in the states for a couple of years, a maine state trooper in a traffic stop with a driver throwing a raging hissy fit, the madder the driver gets the more unfailingly polite the trooper remains, even when making the by then incoherent babblingly driver dismount and pick up the remains of the ticket he had torn up and thrown on the ground. at the end the troopers wishes the subject "have a nice day" as he leaves.
"gunner"
oops, sorry, that should have read "incoherently babbling".
"gunner"
Gunner.
A HUNDRED AND THIRTY SEVEN DOLLARS!!!!
My all time favorite mate.
Belfast Peeler.
Let us know how you're doing.
whichendbites - I think he is choosing not to post the comments, obviously he has to be a bit careful at the moment, but I know he has comment approval on so at the very least he will be reading them, which is the main thing.
Pinkness - aye, you're too good to work in public sector. That's common sense you're using there. I'd love to see some of that at work!
Gunner/Franky - I have indeed seen that , I am going to search for it now on youtube for a giggle.
And Franky - I will use that line in the future, the "project for the day" is a great idea.
Area
i begin to think the poor sod in the red ute is a lot more famous than he really likes, world famous as a matter of fact. another good reason to be polite to the nice policeman. got another one, by the way for the police slang list, i'll post it there.
"gunner"
Very, very occasionally (like when I'm having a good day and the weather is particularly pleasant) if someone fails the attitude test I give them an escape in the form of one simple observation "you're not particularly good at the whole 'first impressions' thing are you?" If they wind their necks in and stop talking to me like they just found me shagging their gran then all is good, if they dig themselves any deeper then the little voice at the back of my mind goes "Mwah hahahahaha, you're mine!!!"
Fact.
It's the attitude test all the way, which is funnily enough completely contradictory to what I was taught at training school some moons ago with the suggestion "your attitude should not dictate my behaviour" I never could understand that one, especially when the trainers didn't believe a word they were saying but only did so because the home office said they had to.
Area.
Search police stop and you should find it.
If you like a laugh this will kill ya.
Last night I took my wife to her birthday present that I'd bought for her earlier in the year.
A Donny Osmond concert.
I'm red with the shame of it.
He actually came singing in the audience and held her hand.
I was nearly killed in the crush of demented ladies.
Now that took bottle to own up to.
not criticizing british police, (at least not the guys who do the work) but it sounds to me as if "the home office" has rather too much say in the day to day operations and policy of individual police departments. we don't have this sort of over-arching authority in the states, here police policy is set by the local elected authority. town, county or state, and legally a county sheriff, (an elected official with police powers) can tell the federal types, even the f.b.i. and "homeland security" to bugger off in his county and they can't say much about. likewise a town chief of police has the police authority, subject to the mayor or town manager and/or town board of selectmen. "los federales" can pursue crimes against federal law wherever found, and our oldest federal law enforcment agency can pursue fugitives wherever they may be found, but there is not an equivalent of your "home office" that can dictate policy to local and state agencies.
"gunner"
ooops again, i neglected to name that "oldest federal law enforcment agency", that would be the "united states marshals service" which was created shortly after we told "german george" to bugger off and set up shop on our own. the rest of federal law enforcement are johhnie-come-lately to the marshal's service.
"gunner"
I got everyone's comments and I'm very, very grateful for the support. I can't post them as part of a "local agreement".
I can't say too much more than that but I am still in the job. For the moment anyway :)
we haven't beensell d3 gold aquainted very long but you sound like the sort of cobber i'd want along if things go sideways, best luck mate and i hope things looks better Diablo 3 goldfor your future whatever present troubles may be
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