Racial profiling ending with a BS Ticket...
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From: The BadLands
Try to ascertain as much of the facts as is fundamentally possible. Look at the situation and conditions of the action. Then make a decision based on the facts with some consideration of the obvious factors. Believe it or not, this is the way I try to live my life combined with alot of humor too. It's really comical to see how criminals justify their actions. Not in all cases (capital crimes) but the vast majority.
Scuba, maybe I should not have been so singular. I meant a general you (everyone). It was not directed specifically at you.
Cheers
Jeff
PS. Si you seeing double?? HAHAHA
Scuba, maybe I should not have been so singular. I meant a general you (everyone). It was not directed specifically at you.
Cheers
Jeff
PS. Si you seeing double?? HAHAHA
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Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Santa Monica/West LA
I guess things are a bit different here in California. I know it's not a good idea to refuse showing the radar readout to the motorist when it is requested. I saw a case dismissed because of it.
The judge's reasoning goes like this, if the officer did indeed clock the motorist at the speed he indicated on the ticket, then he/she should have nothing to hide and should accomodate the motorists request to see the radar reading. Thus the officer refusing to show the motorist the radar reading indicates that the officer A.)didn't actually clock the motorist at the speed indicated or B.)never clocked the motorist on his radar unit.
The judge's reasoning goes like this, if the officer did indeed clock the motorist at the speed he indicated on the ticket, then he/she should have nothing to hide and should accomodate the motorists request to see the radar reading. Thus the officer refusing to show the motorist the radar reading indicates that the officer A.)didn't actually clock the motorist at the speed indicated or B.)never clocked the motorist on his radar unit.
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From: Santa Monica/West LA
I see your point about trusting all peace officers because upholding the law is what they are hired to do but we still need the system of checks and balances to keep them honest..
If the court/judge just trusted anything and everything the officer claimed, then there would be no court system right? I don't think that anyone should be trusted period. If the officer was being truthful, then he/she would've shown the radar readout without even thinking about it right? I mean, if I were the officer and I clocked you going 80 or 100, I would have no problems walking you over to my car and showing that readout to you. That would also make the motorist think twice before trying to contest it. I have delt with many officers and most of them have been courteous and have offered to show me the radar gun.
I've only had a few "bad apples" pull me over for bs reasons, such as the one time that a motorcycle officer pulled me over just to issue me a ticket on my exhaust system. I showed him the receipt saying it was 50 state legal and he still wrote the ticket. He was a jerk about it to. He told me in these exact words "I don't care if it is street legal or not, it is too loud and I will continue to cite you over and over again until you remove that system!" So I just signed the ticket, took it to a Sheriff's office to sign it off. The Sheriff was very nice by the way, he revved my engine 3 times and he was a bit puzzled as to why I was ticketed for it as it was not that loud. He signed it off and told me to keep a copy of that ticket in case anyone else hassled me. I then drove over to the citing officers station and promptly complained to the watch commander. I have not seen that officer patrolling the area ever since nor have I been hassled about the exhaust since then either.
Counterproductive or not, it's the only other way the "system" can really weed out the bad cops from the good ones. Other than the citizens complaining that is.
If the court/judge just trusted anything and everything the officer claimed, then there would be no court system right? I don't think that anyone should be trusted period. If the officer was being truthful, then he/she would've shown the radar readout without even thinking about it right? I mean, if I were the officer and I clocked you going 80 or 100, I would have no problems walking you over to my car and showing that readout to you. That would also make the motorist think twice before trying to contest it. I have delt with many officers and most of them have been courteous and have offered to show me the radar gun.
I've only had a few "bad apples" pull me over for bs reasons, such as the one time that a motorcycle officer pulled me over just to issue me a ticket on my exhaust system. I showed him the receipt saying it was 50 state legal and he still wrote the ticket. He was a jerk about it to. He told me in these exact words "I don't care if it is street legal or not, it is too loud and I will continue to cite you over and over again until you remove that system!" So I just signed the ticket, took it to a Sheriff's office to sign it off. The Sheriff was very nice by the way, he revved my engine 3 times and he was a bit puzzled as to why I was ticketed for it as it was not that loud. He signed it off and told me to keep a copy of that ticket in case anyone else hassled me. I then drove over to the citing officers station and promptly complained to the watch commander. I have not seen that officer patrolling the area ever since nor have I been hassled about the exhaust since then either.
Counterproductive or not, it's the only other way the "system" can really weed out the bad cops from the good ones. Other than the citizens complaining that is.
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From: The BadLands
Doug,
There are and most are call (IA) internal affairs. Most call them assholes but they are there for a specific purpose.
A basis of fact is established first. If there is not authority there is no order. Does this mean that a law enforcement officer couldn't lie. Absolutely not! That's happened before and will happen again. Here's the catch. If the case is lost because of proceedural negligance on the part of the officer, they receive a reprimand and probally a suspension. Second, if the facts are found untrue then again the officer has prejured himself before the court, and has broken the law not once but twice. I guantee minimum that he's looking for a 6 mo suspension from duty without pay and possibly dismissal from the force. The system of checks and balances works! Our justice system does work and so does a good cop!
You always have a right to ask and file a grievance against an officer for wrong doing. I don't negate the fact that we are still human and not supermen. The idea, is simply that if their is no preceived authority, then there is no restraint for some. Strip away that authority and tie an officers hands and you get places like Compton, CA for example.
There are and most are call (IA) internal affairs. Most call them assholes but they are there for a specific purpose.
A basis of fact is established first. If there is not authority there is no order. Does this mean that a law enforcement officer couldn't lie. Absolutely not! That's happened before and will happen again. Here's the catch. If the case is lost because of proceedural negligance on the part of the officer, they receive a reprimand and probally a suspension. Second, if the facts are found untrue then again the officer has prejured himself before the court, and has broken the law not once but twice. I guantee minimum that he's looking for a 6 mo suspension from duty without pay and possibly dismissal from the force. The system of checks and balances works! Our justice system does work and so does a good cop!
You always have a right to ask and file a grievance against an officer for wrong doing. I don't negate the fact that we are still human and not supermen. The idea, is simply that if their is no preceived authority, then there is no restraint for some. Strip away that authority and tie an officers hands and you get places like Compton, CA for example.
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From: Santa Monica/West LA
Haha true, just look at the Rampart district of Los Angeles. The officers are all afraid to do anything for fear of being sued. My uncle is also an LAPD officer so I understand where you are coming from as I have spoken to him and other officers here and there. And I know there are good cops and bad one's. After all, they are human just like the rest of us.
Like I said before, I haven't had to experience what Sietek had to experience so I don't really have that bad a perception of police officers. I noticed it's just the attitude in which you respond to them. If you're nice to them, they usually extend the same courtesy. Although most seem to have a really rough attitude when they first approach your car but I find that just having a good attitude helps alot and the officer usually changes his/her tone after they speak with you.
The only officers that really tend to annoy are the rookies, they are so gung ho for the most part and have a major attitude problem. The older veterans can go either way, they either become a hardened cop or an experienced PR officer. Luckily, I've experienced the latter. Heck, it's always the veteran cops that let me go. Only the rookies seem to write me the tickets..
Like I said before, I haven't had to experience what Sietek had to experience so I don't really have that bad a perception of police officers. I noticed it's just the attitude in which you respond to them. If you're nice to them, they usually extend the same courtesy. Although most seem to have a really rough attitude when they first approach your car but I find that just having a good attitude helps alot and the officer usually changes his/her tone after they speak with you.
The only officers that really tend to annoy are the rookies, they are so gung ho for the most part and have a major attitude problem. The older veterans can go either way, they either become a hardened cop or an experienced PR officer. Luckily, I've experienced the latter. Heck, it's always the veteran cops that let me go. Only the rookies seem to write me the tickets..