No need to worry about me, my training and/or decision making. Sometimes we don't have the luxury to have a backup when checking early afternoon B&E alarms in houses in our city that's highly alarmed. We get A LOT of false alarms which is very upscale with a population of 68,000. At most we have 6 call cars and 4 minimum. We just can't wait or get backup on all these calls, it's real-world vs. the theoretical world.
This is off-topic and will address this one time here:
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I write tinted window tickets for various reasons one of which is this; it's illegal here in Michigan to have them. Window tinting is an epidemic around here. The legislature is working to up the penalties to a 2 point moving violation for these reasons;
- DRIVER SAFETY: It hinders the driver's clear view of the road if the tint is applied to the driver's/passenger's and/or windshield. One wouldn't consider driving at night with sunglasses let alone at night in a foggy rain wearing those sunglasses. Michigan fine is currently $90, no points and no record on driving history - pathetic.
- OFFICER SAFETY: When we make traffic stops we are totally unable to see the driver of the vehicle whatsoever. He/She could be pointing a shotgun directly at us through the window and be completely concealed.
- PUBLIC SAFETY: As police officers we must be able to see and
identify occupants of a vehicle. We get BOL's (be on the lookout) for suspect vehicles all the time. When many vehicles are tinted so that nobody inside can be seen, it makes concealing of criminals and criminal activity that much easier. If a crime or driving complaint were made, identification of a car's occupants is absolutely necessary. Window tint conceals driver's identities thus making complaints or any other 3rd party driving complaint almost impossible to prosecute. Everyone MUST be able to have clear view of the driver of every vehicle. There is no "expectation of privacy" in a motor vehicle.
- NEED: There currently is no need to have the front windows of a vehicle tinted unless it's medically necessary. Michigan simply doesn't get enough dangerous sunshine like Florida, Texas or Arizona to offset the obvious safety factors tint creates. An argument I hear is that tint blocks UV rays, however there is CLEAR window film on the market that does just that, shaded tint is unnecessary.
I have personally had my gun out and ready because I couldn't see the driver as I was standing right next to the car. An occupant could have a gun leveled at an officer just a few inches away and the officer would never know it. Most people I stop have tint installed for a "cool car" look or privacy.
Keep in mind most cars have a light factory tint of 70-90% (amount of light passing through the glass) in the windshield and adjacent glass. Allowing a certain % as some states do simply isn't practical. It would be almost impossible to enforce since it takes expensive equipment in order to test light transmission through the glass and is cost prohibitive, not to mention we'd have to stop every car and test it.
There are issues for fellow drivers and pedestrians as well. Other motorists and pedestrians must see the activities of the driver for eye and visual contact as an important communication tool.
Here's a list of states/territories that disallow window tinting:
Alaska ($150 tickets for the violation)
California (Enforcement Note : Out-of-State cars driven in California
are required to be in compliance with the CA Tint law)
Colorado
Delaware
District of Columbia (Enforcement Note : Can apply to out-of-state
motorist, no out-of-state exemption defined in statute)
Hawaii - None on windshield only
Illinois
Indiana (Legislation: HB1282 which will basically outlaw window tint.
It would ban any tint that would go beyond Federal Standards which is
70% visible light transmission. Violation would fall under an enhanced
penalty of a Class B infraction which has a max fine of $1000.)
Iowa (A pending bill in the legislature would mandate light
transmission on all windows of at least 70% (Basically no aftermarket
tint allowed). Puts the federal window tint regulation into state law)
Maine - None on windshield only
Maryland - None on windshield only
Massachusetts - None on windshield only
Michigan
Minnesota - None on windshield only
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York (Very strict law. Replacement glass that is tinted is allowed
if and only if the original windows were tinted as well. Medical
exemption is provided for with permission from Commissioner of Motor
Vehicles)
North Dakota (Enforcement Note : The tint law may be applied to
non-resident cars as written)
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Utah - None on windshield only
Vermont
Wisconsin - None on windshield only
CANADA:
Alberta
British Columbia
New Brunswick
Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia
Quebec
Saskatchewan
If tint is allowed in your state so be it, if it isn't that's great too. I'm not sure about you, but I feel very uncomfortable approaching a car and can't see the driver due to illegal tint just because he/she thinks it's "cool".
What reasons outweigh everything I've stated above??_______________________________________________
As far as the trigger finger issue, it appears most here don't believe the finger should be placed on the trigger until you're actually going to discharge a round. If anyone feels otherwise that's fine, do as you will. I'll err on the side of caution and keep mine on the outside of the guard until I'm ready to fire a shot(s) and stop the threat.