OT - opinions of interaction with police

[Kr632]

I have had a few decent experiences and a lot of bad. I try to be as polite as possible in every encounter, look them in the eyes yes sir, no sir. We're both going in blind and have no idea how each others days are going. 95% of my traffic stops are fine and rarely end in a ticket unless I was driving like an idiot. Outside of a car is a completely different story.

 

Driving home from work(olive garden at the time)on Sheridan and millersport. Friend with the car got off early and went to the scotch n sirloin next door to drink while waiting for us. I drove because he had been drinking and we had 4 people in the car. Dropped the first guy off and started towards our neighborhood. Amherst police pull us over and at first say the car fits the description the reason changed a couple times during the 3 hours we sat at the side of the road while the officer yelled at my friend for his out of state ID saying it was fake. Officer separated us and threatened us with jail and fines if we didn't tell him our friends name. We all told him his name, showed his ID, pays tub and student iD. Officer would not accept any of it as proof. Eventually more officers came and put us in hand cuffs and said if we don't tell them his real ne we are all going to jail. They went to us one by one and asked. We all told him his name for the 100th time. They uncuffed us and said have a nice night.

 

I live in Buffalo in between Wegmans and Elmwood near buff state. We have a family catering business and we had party at the assumption church on Amherst st. It's only a block or two from my house so I walked. We had a ton of left overs so we all took some home. I had two full size aluminum trays and one half size that I was carrying home. I get about a half block from the church when I am tackled to the ground. I have flashlights and guns pointed at me and a bunch of people yelling at me. I land on top of my food with two officers on my back twisting my arms to handcuff me. They sit me on the curb and question where I was and what I am doing in this area. I tell them I have been working at the church right there. And I am going home which is a block in the direction I was walking. They say I fit the description of a robbery suspect that tried to rob the corner store on the next block. I am good friends with the owner of the store so I tell them if I fit the description bring me over there and have them ID me. A call comes over the radio about an accident so they let me go.

 

A year later we are catering the same party. Again I walked, Leaving with food. I stopped at the store before heading home and my tenant was up there and offered a ride. We see a bunch of police cars on the next block over and think nothing of it. We get to the house, I was going to share the food I had with my tenants so instead of going upstairs to my apt. I went into theirs. Just as we start to heat the food up there is a knock at the door. My tenant opens the door and it's the police, they ask us to all come out side to answer a few questions. We've done nothing wrong so we come out. I'm the last out the door and the second my back foot hit the porch we were taken to the ground and handcuffed. They put us in separate cars with out telling us what happened. I started reading the officers computer. It says they are looking for two black males 5'4"-5'7". My tenant and I are both 6'1" white males. After they found the guys they let us go with a warning lol. A warning for what? Don't open the door for police?

 

Bills game right after the guy drowned in the creek. 4th quarter a bunch of people left so my brother and I went to sit with some friends. Brother stops at the bathroom on our way I continued on. As he is walking down the aisle the bills scored so he's high fiving people as he walks. He sees some people he works with so he stopped for a second to say hi. I turn around to watch a play or two. Turn around to see if my brother came down yet and no brother anywhere. Maybe he went to grab some food. Walk up there. Nope. I go to his co-workers and they said security threw him out for smoking. My brother doesn't smoke. I go to the sheriff at the aisle and tell them my brother is missing and someone said security took him for smoking and he doesn't smoke so it doesn't make sense. He said it's not his problem he's a big boy he will be alright. I said that is the exact attitude that led to the man passing away at the last game. I go to every security guard and sheriff I can find asking if they know where my brother was taken. Either they don't know or its not their problem. I finally find the person that took him, an Erie county sheriff. He gives me an attitude about questioning their procedures about telling someone they are taking their relative. Handcuffs me for questioning him. As we are going down the elevator I ask him how hard would it be to walk a few steps and say hey were ejecting your buddy? He must not have liked that because my nose went into the wall pretty quick. Police at the stadium like to assault people in handcuffs. I have heard many stories about them besides mine.

 

 

Erie county sheriff had a checkpoint at the end of my old street. Everything is fine except I lost my copy of my drivers license and only had a non driver iD on me. I tell the officer he says that's fine as long as it come up in the computer. Tells me to pull over while he checks. While I'm sitting there he's talking to me he says my eyes look a little glossy would I mind if he brought over the drug specialist. I said no problem I haven't been doing anything and I consent to a search if needed. The specialist talks to me for a min does some tests and concludes that I'm sober and everything is fine. They finish running my ID and send me on my way. As soon as I exit the checkpoint I turn on my street and park in front of my house(two houses from the corner). A sheriff pulls up behind me no lights or anything i wait a min to see if im being pulled over. The officer gets out of his car and starts going thru his trunk so i get out of my car and call my girlfriend. Im on the phone walking up to my house and the officer starts yelling at me saying im trying to avoid the check point. I said i just went thru it not 30 seconds ago and there is no way i can avoid it because it blocks the entire entrance to my dead end street. He says my eyes are glossy so im high and gonna drive my car. He snatches my phone out of my hand, pushes me against the wall and starts to search me. Takes my keys out of my pocket. Puts me in handcuffs an starts to go thru my car. He comes back and says I am very lucky I didn't go thru the checkpoint because I would be under arrest for dui. I said I did go thru the checkpoint and the specialist determined I am sober and fine to drive, go ask him he is right there. Nope he didn't want to hear any of it. Called a tow truck and impounded my car.

Edited December 4, 2015 by Kr632

[LGR4GM]

About 8 months ago got stopped on a Saturday night at around midnight because the officer said I went over the white line (I didn't).  I was driving my Dad's BMW.  I suspect that this never would have happened if I was in my usual minivan.  He asked me why my hand was shaking and I told him that my hands have always been shaky.  He then asked me if I was nervous, which I said yes. He asked me if I had anything to drink, I said yes, a(one) Southern Tier IPA at 10. Then he had me come behind my car for a sobriety test.  He attempted to mislead me into saying that I had more than one drink three times.  ("You said you had a couple drinks tonight?")  He awkwardly sent me on my way afterwards.  I was infuriated by this.

This story right here is why when I get pulled over I will only answer questions about my driving or why the officer believes he has the right to pull me over. I am under no legal obligation to answer questions about where I was or what I was doing or where I am going.  Technically I could not say a word after being pulled over.  Everything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law starting with the 2nd you roll down your window. 

 

That said, I have had great interactions with cops.  The couple of times I have been pulled over, I have placed both hands on the steering wheel and waited.  I then move slowly and deliberately when retrieving and documents the officer would like.  I have had a very nice officer pull me over and a guy who was a complete ass. Still, you always respect the badge even if you don't respect the person wearing it.

 

I'll add that a good friend of mine is a police officer and there are more cops I think than rotten apples.  I've found that typically if you aren't being a raging asshat, cops are mostly pleasant.... except on gameday... just stay out of trouble on gameday. PS I won't tell that story but my friend was being and idiot, so his arrest didn't surprise me.

Edited December 4, 2015 by LGR4GM

[dudacek]

I could classify the officers I have interacted with at traffic stops into three types:

The Polite Professional

Mr. Suspicious

Bully Bob

 

All three managed to do their jobs under similar circumstances; the latter two made me feel like a piece of in the process.

I've never been pulled over under any circumstances that should have left me feeling that way.

 

I'd say the Polite Professionals are in the majority, but it is the memory of the others that linger.

[LastPommerFan]

The state is bringing the charges. People may file charges at a district justice, but when an officer does it, they are representing the commonwealth. A little further information on this - it is actually the call that inspired this thread. When I recently had this call, I arrested the wife (had too, by law), but the law does not specify what charge needs to be filed. She was arrested for harassment (it is under the assault section in the crimes code) . It is a fine of up to $300 and is a summary offense (ticket). She does not have to be booked, or held for the charge. He was not charged (attempting to DUI is not a crime and the only charge that might have been appropriate was a noise complaint since the neighbors called (but then she would have had to get another citation as well). It was strongly suggested that he stay somewhere else for the night (I provided the ride to his sister's). I did have to clear the charge with the DA's office, but they seldom question the call.  The wife was livid that she got a ticket. The husband was extremely upset (he would end up paying the fine since she was a stay at home mom) and the sister was upset that she was woken up to have her brother stay the night. My question to my wife when I got home was "what were they expecting me to do?" so... the topic. 

 

Wait. The neighbors called? So If I see my neighbor's wife slip while they're carrying the christmas tree in from the car and bruise her shoulder, all I have to do is call in a suspected disturbance to the cops and you'll have absolutely no choice but to arrest him?

[woods-racer]

Wait. The neighbors called? So If I see my ###### neighbor's wife slip while they're carrying the christmas tree in from the car and bruise her shoulder, all I have to do is call in a suspected disturbance to the cops and you'll have absolutely no choice but to arrest him?

 

I think you missed a post up thread. She initiated contact, blood, scratches .... but your question may further his point. He's damned if he does and dammed if he doesn't. If he arrest one, their pissed. If he arrests no one and something horrible happens 15 minutes after he leaves there's a community out cry and an investigation into his involvement.  You want to make that decision?

[2ForTripping]

In GA I'd rather deal with the GSP than the local cowboys.

[inkman]

In GA I'd rather deal with the GSP than the local cowboys.

I would like to admit that most of my dealings with 5.0 have been Village and County police. Only a couple of trists with city cops. I think their mindset is a wee bit different considering the people they are used to.

 

It's unfortunate I've read so many people having negative interactions with the law. Like I said, almost every encounter I've had has been 100% positive. Not sure if posters are misrepresenting their side of things or I've just been really lucky like 3 dozen times.

[ubkev]

... or I've just been really lucky like 3 dozen times.

 

Me too

[Sabresince70]

Wait. The neighbors called? So If I see my ###### neighbor's wife slip while they're carrying the christmas tree in from the car and bruise her shoulder, all I have to do is call in a suspected disturbance to the cops and you'll have absolutely no choice but to arrest him?

If i get there, and am told she grabbed his arm, and there are visible signs of injury, no choice. Not in PA. Doesn't matter who called. If i am told it was an accident and have no side telling me it was from grabbing, no domestic. 

I would like to admit that most of my dealings with 5.0 have been Village and County police. Only a couple of trists with city cops. I think their mindset is a wee bit different considering the people they are used to.

 

It's unfortunate I've read so many people having negative interactions with the law. Like I said, almost every encounter I've had has been 100% positive. Not sure if posters are misrepresenting their side of things or I've just been really lucky like 3 dozen times.

Huge difference in mindset. I think what may be a huge problem is when someone would fit better in a larger city, but is working in a small one and vice versa. I have friends on Allentown (200+ officers, 100 call/day dept.) who can't believe I am "satisfied with our call volume (10/day maybe?/). I tell them , I enjoy being a "Mayberry" cop. And in contrast we have had two murders (one incident) in 100 years, they get about 1/2 month. I can spend 20 minutes at a neighbor dispute and actually talk to the people. In Allentown, they need to go from one call to another and spend maybe 5 minutes for the same type call. It matters and it reflects what the civilians see and take away from the contact. Nature of the beast.

[woods-racer]

If i get there, and am told she grabbed his arm, and there are visible signs of injury, no choice. Not in PA. Doesn't matter who called. If i am told it was an accident and have no side telling me it was from grabbing, no domestic. 

Huge difference in mindset. I think what may be a huge problem is when someone would fit better in a larger city, but is working in a small one and vice versa. I have friends on Allentown (200+ officers, 100 call/day dept.) who can't believe I am "satisfied with our call volume (10/day maybe?/). I tell them , I enjoy being a "Mayberry" cop. And in contrast we have had two murders (one incident) in 100 years, they get about 1/2 month. I can spend 20 minutes at a neighbor dispute and actually talk to the people. In Allentown, they need to go from one call to another and spend maybe 5 minutes for the same type call. It matters and it reflects what the civilians see and take away from the contact. Nature of the beast.

 

Never thought about contact time. The few times I've interacted with police they remained with me/us till the officer deemed necessary to leave. I never gave a thought to other calls coming in. But you made me think back, and I must say his radio never beeped or buzzed  or had a call out for a response. We are in a rural setting. I must say that has led to a favorable look upon our officers.

Edited December 5, 2015 by Woods-Racer

[LastPommerFan]

If i get there, and am told she grabbed his arm, and there are visible signs of injury, no choice. Not in PA. Doesn't matter who called. If i am told it was an accident and have no side telling me it was from grabbing, no domestic. 

 

 

Thanks for the clarification.

[bunomatic]

I show the utmost respect despite the ignorance I've sometimes dealt with when dealing with the police. The reason is simple. I don't want my head busted, or to be unnecessarily tazed or sprayed. I've seen it happen numerous times and at times it was criminal. The violence was not warranted on the part of the officers. That being said I've managed to stay on the good side of the men in blue and like I said its yes sir no sir for me. But I generally avoid them at all costs. Don't want to die in a hail of bullets because some wanna be can't think critically and has an itchy trigger finger. No disrespect to you Sabresince70.