Quick question for police officers.

[Drac0nic]

Originally posted by TT/A1233

I'm suspicous of people who put illegal, smoked plastic covers over their plates. I wonder why they want to obscure their registration information....drive off without paying gas?....drive like a moron so other's can't read their plate?....commit larcenies so people won't read the info? I'll stop and usually ticket every person I see with a dark-plastic cover over their rear license plate. Even when I was 16yr old and started driving knew it was pretty dumb to do that. There's a reason for a license plate and a reason it needs to be easily read....by everyone.

Taking you up on your invitation to flame away, the original reason for those smoked covers is to prevent profiteering city officials from using automated cameras to mail people tickets for going over the speed limit. It's not to obscure the human eye from reading plates, but the mechanical one. If we had those cameras here, the first time I got a ticket I'd get the covers too.

Same thing with quotas, cops wonder why and/or complain when people get radar detectors. The county cops here pull a LOT more people over towards the end of the month, trust me I've seen it.

The thing that startles me most is how many of these people break the laws themselves. I've paced a cop who's cut me a ticket before, I was doin 75 and not gaining on him, it was in a 65. What the hell is right about that?

The most curious thing IMHO is that the few times I get pulled over, they ALWAYS ask about my radios (licensed ham radio operator) it seems like they're afraid of being listened to. Then again, with as much that doesn't make the news I'm not too surprised. The cops seem to think people should have a "nothing to hide" attitude unless it involves them to a large degree.

 

[TurboJunky]

Originally posted by Drac0nic
Taking you up on your invitation to flame away, the original reason for those smoked covers is to prevent profiteering city officials from using automated cameras to mail people tickets for going over the speed limit. It's not to obscure the human eye from reading plates, but the mechanical one. If we had those cameras here, the first time I got a ticket I'd get the covers too.

Michigan doesn't have traffic cameras so that is a moot point in this state, which takes me back to my original problem (here) with dark plastic covers.

Originally posted by Drac0nic
Same thing with quotas, cops wonder why and/or complain when people get radar detectors. The county cops here pull a LOT more people over towards the end of the month, trust me I've seen it.

Quotas have been deemed illegal by the courts.

Originally posted by Drac0nic
The thing that startles me most is how many of these people break the laws themselves. I've paced a cop who's cut me a ticket before, I was doin 75 and not gaining on him, it was in a 65. What the hell is right about that?

Can't speak for that LEO but I lead by example on duty. I ALWAYS obey the speed limit unless I'm urgently needed at a call.

Originally posted by Drac0nic
The most curious thing IMHO is that the few times I get pulled over, they ALWAYS ask about my radios (licensed ham radio operator) it seems like they're afraid of being listened to. Then again, with as much that doesn't make the news I'm not too surprised. The cops seem to think people should have a "nothing to hide" attitude unless it involves them to a large degree.

Just because you're asked about your radios isn't harassment. There are plenty of "wanna be cops" out there and some who have the radios to perpetrate crimes, I've caught'em. I've found a few wannabes that not only have radios but hidden police strobe lights and a siren, along with handcuffs and batons. One never knows unless they start asking questions.

On a side note I write more equipment violations than moving. Equipment are NO POINT tickets and don't affect insurance rates nor do they show up on a driving record. Not to mention some are "fix it tickets", why is that so bad?

Neon or colored lights were brought up. Most LEO's in this state have a low tolerance for them and you rarely see someone taking a chance driving with illegal lighting on a public road. My feeling is there has to be some continuity amongst motor vehicle lighting and there shouldn't be a "free for all" to make your car look like a UFO at night. In Michigan you'll see amber lights in the front, red in the rear and that's it.

 

[V6UnderPressure]

Originally posted by TT/A1233
On a side note I write more equipment violations than moving. Equipment are NO POINT tickets and don't affect insurance rates nor do they show up on a driving record. Not to mention some are "fix it tickets", why is that so bad?

Well, talk about contradicting yourself somewhat here. In my opinion, AND others, I think it's these "fix-it" tickets that irritate people. This is when you guys are really nitpicking. My buddy got a ticket in his civic because one of the TWO license bulbs was out. Ok a warning at first is understandable but give me a break. How can you guys expect everyone (especially nowadays) to have time to check and verify every piece of equipment before they leave the house. Thats just insane. You stated that these are NO POINT tickets and they dont affect insurance. HOLY COW! It is a contradiction. These NO POINT tickets are exactly THAT. You had NO POINT pulling these people over. These violations obviously aren't that important because they don't affect your insurance. And we are supposed to praise you for that??? No! I see people speeding all the time yet get ignored by cops yet when a taillight bulb goes out or an air freshener is on the rear view mirror, its all eyes wide open! THIS is the problem. The people that are speeding are the ones who are dangerous, the people who are weaving in and out of traffic on the highway are dangerous, the guy with the taillight bulb burned out IS dangerous??? <---Let's not get technical on this one. I think I just proved my point.

Scott

 

[Drac0nic]

So, you're telling me that as far as it goes quotas don't exist. Mighty curious things happen towards the end of the month here, I see at least 4X the cars getting pulled over on the last day of the month then the rest of it. Sorta funny if you ask me. I do keep an eye out for it, regardless of the date. It avoids things getting "hairy" if ya get my drift. As an officer of the law, you ought to know that something being illegal is absolutely no garuntee it doesn't happen, and unwritten rules are prevalent.

Far as the cameras, they're installing em in neighboring towns, havn't had any here yet but it's only a matter of time I bet. I'm surprised that the university hasn't put some in, they love making cash offa parking tickets and such.

Far as the law abiding part goes, your department may be better about keeping ppl on a leash then around here, they may very well also be better drivers too. I've seen cops flat out run red lights, no cherries or anything. They just drove on through. The aforementioned speeding incident is also on this list. I think they break the turn signal lever off in all of these cars too, almost no cops use their signals at all around here. (90%+, turn signals are a pet peeve) My personal favorite was the cop who saw this guy turning into a parking lot on a shoulder, so he flips his cherries on, cuts across the lane within a foot of this other fellow while slowing down then turns in, in a NASCAR (TM)-esque move.

If I wanted a light bar, I could get near as many as I like for $200 each right now. I know the guy who installs the vast majority of radios and light bars in cruisers around here, he's got a lot for sale. It would matter if I had one or ten light bars, I'm not gonna be mistaken for a cop. Far as this whole "impersonating a cop" thing, I'll send you a pic of my ride and myself, if you think I'll EVER be mistaken for a cop of any sort, I'll buy you a steak or a beer somewhere. Honestly, if a person thought I was a cop, they're probably too intoxicated to be on the road in the first place.

 

[dgreen1069]

I think the majority of the public believes that most police officers are driven by quotas. It simply isn't true.....I'm not saying that all depts. don't have quotas, just the vast majority. I have yet to hear 1st hand about a dept. that actually has quotas. Most officers have to turn in some type of activity report that explains what they have been doing with there time. In my dept., if you wrote one ticket during every 10.5 hour shift, you'd be fine. It's like every job....the bosses expect you to be doing something. If you haven't seen at least one violator during your shift you must have been sleeping. Look at the number of dumb-asses you see everyday on your way home. Some officers, such as motor officers, are expected to do much more traffic enforcement. Since their day isn't taken up answering calls for service (911 & non-emergency calls) they are expected to turn in more tickets.....still, no quota.

 

[V6UnderPressure]

Also, on a side note, I'd like to say that the NUMBER ONE THING that bothers me about cops, is that they will flinch at a cars slightly loud exhaust. Yet these choppers (harley's for the cycling inclined) have the loudest most annoying obnoxious exhaust note. Do you guys even hesitate to pull them over? No you don't. Why? Because you are afraid of them because I am actually convinced the bikers have more clout then cops. Loud car stereos and loud car exhausts attract much attention but why not harley's??? Case closed. You guys simply take the easy target. A busted taillight or headlight jumps out at you and your too lazy to LQQK for speeders and equipment violations are much easier to make. So sure, I bet the quota doesnt matter. If it did, I'm sure you'd be making much more wreckless driving citations. Thank you for your time. Goodnight.

Scott

 

[dgreen1069]

Come on now....there's no reason to lump all cops together. Nobody wants the cops to make stereotypes.....why should they be put into one! I for one like both cars and motorcycles. I can say for certain that in 9 years as an officer I have never written anyone for having too loud an exhaust. And for the record, nothing is easier than checking out a radar or laser set and writing a ton of tickets. My dept. suggests that we don't stop anyone for speeding 10mph or less..... even if we waited to stop people who are going 15 mph or more over the limit, we couldn't write tickets fast enough to keep up.

 

[V6UnderPressure]

Ive been written two tickets for loud exhaust. I'd like to hear ANYONE on here that has ever SEEN a cop issue a ticket to a biker for exhaust let alone even have the balls to pull them over.

Scott

 

[MONK22311]

Scott, Maybe you should fix your loud exhaust or stop doing whatever it is that you have done to draw the attention to yourself in the first place.

Also why don't you get a set of BALLS and try being a COP before you run your mouth about the job and lump all COPS together because you have had a bad experience.

You are lumping all COPS together in the same group which is not fair. Just like lumping all people who ride bikes into the term BIKERS which also is not fair.

And to answer your question I have the BALLS to pull over BIKERS, No it was not for loud pipes,YES he was arrested and I guess l fall into your definition of a BIKER.

Lets try to be realistic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[V6UnderPressure]

Originally posted by MONK22311
Scott, Maybe you should fix your loud exhaust or stop doing whatever it is that you have done to draw the attention to yourself in the first place.

Also why don't you get a set of BALLS and try being a COP before you run your mouth about the job and lump all COPS together because you have had a bad experience.

You are lumping all COPS together in the same group which is not fair. Just like lumping all people who ride bikes into the term BIKERS which also is not fair.

And to answer your question I have the BALLS to pull over BIKERS, No it was not for loud pipes,YES he was arrested and I guess l fall into your definition of a BIKER.

Lets try to be realistic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No offense but I would be a REAL cop. I don't want to be a cop because I don't feel like sitting in a car eating donuts and watching myself get fatter year by year. Trust me I got balls. Why you ask? Because I don't need a gun and a badge to speak how I feel.

COP = Cowards On Patrol

 

[V6UnderPressure]

By the way I apologize for saying "ALL" cops. I will say MOST cops are like this because there are a couple in my neighborhood that know I tinker with cars. They will let me know if my brake lights are out etc but will never give me a ticket or even a warning. Thats a real cop, worries about drugs and theft, not "equipment" violations. He believes there's better things to do.

Scott

 

[dgreen1069]

Scptt, have you ever had the opportunity to do a ride-a-long in your community? Nothing anyone says here is going to change your view on cops, so why don't you get a first hand look at what they do. In between ticket writing and doughnut eating, most cops do a lot of good. I agree that some tickets are stupid, but like every job, police are stuck doing things they don't particularly like...like traffic enforcement. On the flip side, an awful lot of really good arrests stem from something simple like a taillight out. Just last week one of our officers arrested a guy wanted in a robbery by originally stopping him for a no turn signal violation. Stuff like that happens all the time.

 

[2QUIK6]

Yeah, I've received some pretty stupid tickets in my life, but most cops are there to protect and serve, just watch some episodes of COPS, thats also why our prisons are packed full because they are doing their job, but it still ticks me off thats its easier to get off of a murder rap than a ticket when going to court.

 

[dgreen1069]

2Quik6, you are dead right. The worst part of being a police officer is having to go to court. We may have the best judicial system in the world, but it still sucks. The whole process was designed by lawyers for lawyers to benefit nobody but lawyers. If we want to bash a profession, I say lets go after lawyers

 

[Captain Mark]

I've also seen that people who bitch about cops change their tunes when they need help from one!

 

[V6UnderPressure]

Originally posted by Captain Mark
I've also seen that people who bitch about cops change their tunes when they need help from one!

Thats a mighty funny statement. Why? Because my tone would change when I need help about a REAL crime. Like maybe a theft. I don't ask a cop to please pull that guy over down the street because he has one taillight. BOOM! shot down again.

Scott

 

[Army MP]

As the old saying goes, we are always around when you don't need us and never around when you do need us.

 

[V6UnderPressure]

Originally posted by Army MP
As the old saying goes, we are always around when you don't need us and never around when you do need us.

EXACTLY!!!

100% CORRECT!

 

[scottyb]

I just want to find the officer that has a pet peeve for littering, especially cigarette butts. With all the butts I see flying every day, I'd expect the fines to be just as lucrative as speeding fines.

 

[Army MP]

Being an Army MP I have made people get out of the car and pick up what ever I saw them throw out. Yes, even high ranking officers.