The official "Ask a cop/deputy anything!" thread

[Littlebear]

Originally Posted by unluky

Well if you are making my firearms illegal - then you are talking about my shooting sports. Firearms are used 99% more for sport than they are against humans, so when you try and outlaw them - you are taking away our "golf clubs".

Nobody is talking about making your gun illegal....

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by Littlebear

Nobody is talking about making your gun illegal....

Actually you've insinuated and/or explicitly stated that multiple times.....or is your memory that short?!?

[Littlebear]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Actually you've insinuated and/or explicitly stated that multiple times.....or is your memory that short?!?

No, your eyesight is.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by Littlebear

No, your eyesight is.

Ok!! Thanks.

[vreihen16]

Can we puhleeeeze make an effort to not get this thread locked?????

[premier3is]

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

Can we puhleeeeze make an effort to not get this thread locked?????

We've only got one antagonistic character here and we all know who that is. Managing our own response(s) to it (...controlling the controllable) is/are the key(s) to not allowing it to overshadow the well intentioned nature of this thread.

[bayarea328xit]

This thread has been really useful and interesting.

I would suggest that we move the general 2A questions/debate to a separate thread.

[Littlebear]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

We've only got one antagonistic character here and we all know who that is. Managing our own response(s) to it (...controlling the controllable) is/are the key(s) to not allowing it to overshadow the well intentioned nature of this thread.

Every time when I think you are going to be nice....

[Sedan_Clan]

Question from me to those of you who peruse this thread:

When you are pulled over and detained on a traffic stop by law enforcement, what can we do to reduce your anxiety/nervousness?

[UncleWede]

Quit with the squats

Over the horn, tell me where you want my hands and if you want any windows down. Tell me what makes you comfortable.

I'm going to sweat and my heart is going to pound as soon as I see the lights, because I know you caught me

[Fly320s]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Question from me to those of you who peruse this thread:

When you are pulled over and detained on a traffic stop by law enforcement, what can we do to reduce your anxiety/nervousness?

Be more friendly and less business like.

All cops seem to walk around with a look on their face and an attitude that says, "don't fuck with me." Maybe that is an acquired trait from being a cop for a few years or maybe it is how you want to be perceived. It doesn't really matter why, but that attitude is obvious when you're speaking/interacting with the public.

Just yesterday when I was getting tacos (without you because you suck ) there was a cop standing outside the restaurant waiting for his food. I said hi to him, but his reply and attitude was all business and gruff. Maybe he was having a bad day; I don't know. I do know that I pay attention to people and can size them up well enough to guess whether they are friend or foe. Generally speaking, cops give off the "foe" vibe.

Marine General James Mattis said it best:

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." I think the police need a touch more of the "be polite" part.

[upstatedoc]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Question from me to those of you who peruse this thread:

When you are pulled over and detained on a traffic stop by law enforcement, what can we do to reduce your anxiety/nervousness?

Walk up to my window and immediately say you're not going to give me a ticket.

But seriously, it should be the other way around. The officer is at the disadvantage. I always put down all of my windows and have my license and registration in one hand and both hands on the wheel.

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by upstatedoc

Walk up to my window and immediately say you're not going to give me a ticket.

But seriously, it should be the other way around. The officer is at the disadvantage. I always put down all of my windows and have my license and registration in one hand and both hands on the wheel.

You went rummaging around in your pockets and glove box as officer was walking up?

Note to self: don't get in his car!

[Joekerr]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Question from me to those of you who peruse this thread:

When you are pulled over and detained on a traffic stop by law enforcement, what can we do to reduce your anxiety/nervousness?

After pulling me over, before you come up to the window, you could just decide to pull away and drive past me to somewhere else. That would do wonders to reduce my anxiety

Other than that, I'm just wondering whether you got me at the speed I know I was going, or something lower. I don't even have many tickets to be honest. But I richly deserve a lot more than I have.

[Murf993]

Originally Posted by Fly320s

Be more friendly and less business like.

All cops seem to walk around with a look on their face and an attitude that says, "don't fuck with me." Maybe that is an acquired trait from being a cop for a few years or maybe it is how you want to be perceived. It doesn't really matter why, but that attitude is obvious when you're speaking/interacting with the public.

Just yesterday when I was getting tacos (without you because you suck ) there was a cop standing outside the restaurant waiting for his food. I said hi to him, but his reply and attitude was all business and gruff. Maybe he was having a bad day; I don't know. I do know that I pay attention to people and can size them up well enough to guess whether they are friend or foe. Generally speaking, cops give off the "foe" vibe.

Marine General James Mattis said it best:

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." I think the police need a touch more of the "be polite" part.

I was always all about this. I did a long stint with our Public Order Unit (Riot Police), we were trained using the model used in England for dealing with the Football Hooligans. We always tried to personalize ourselves to the crowd as folks whom you've had a friendly exchange with were less likely to throw a brick at you.

I was generally friendly and easy in my approach, that didn't mean in anyway that I wasn't always very aware and prepared. I like to think I put most people at ease. It's easier to ramp up a situation than it is to deescalate one.

The other thing to remember is, and I"ve said it here before, when you're dealing with a copper he may have spoiled your day with a ticket or whatever and he has probably forgotten about you as soon as he's back in his car and probably thinking about what he might get for lunch or grabbing a bean. You on the other hand might be pissed for minutes, hours or days because of the exchange. You might take it very personally, it is just business for him and some coppers have a routine system for dealing with folks. I get that it could be friendlier, and I'm not making accuses just trying to shine a light on what you might think your experiencing vs what the copper is trying to project. Having said that, every time you walk up to a car it can become a very bad day for the police.

[Vivek.]

Originally Posted by Fly320s

Be more friendly and less business like.

All cops seem to walk around with a look on their face and an attitude that says, "don't fuck with me." Maybe that is an acquired trait from being a cop for a few years or maybe it is how you want to be perceived. It doesn't really matter why, but that attitude is obvious when you're speaking/interacting with the public.

Just yesterday when I was getting tacos (without you because you suck ) there was a cop standing outside the restaurant waiting for his food. I said hi to him, but his reply and attitude was all business and gruff. Maybe he was having a bad day; I don't know. I do know that I pay attention to people and can size them up well enough to guess whether they are friend or foe. Generally speaking, cops give off the "foe" vibe.

Marine General James Mattis said it best:

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." I think the police need a touch more of the "be polite" part.

Could not agree more. Cops tend to put on this tough guy persona and when you're dealing with a skinny guy with no weapons in a clean BMW it's simply unnecessary.

I've been pulled over by a full spectrum, some that were relaxed and comfortable with me and allowed me to be relaxed with them, others that were constantly trying to act like they're better, stronger, tougher, and can exert control/power over you....all they did was make me want to become a defense attorney more than I already do

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

Quit with the squats

Over the horn, tell me where you want my hands and if you want any windows down. Tell me what makes you comfortable.

I'm going to sweat and my heart is going to pound as soon as I see the lights, because I know you caught me

Originally Posted by Fly320s

Be more friendly and less business like.

All cops seem to walk around with a look on their face and an attitude that says, "don't fuck with me." Maybe that is an acquired trait from being a cop for a few years or maybe it is how you want to be perceived. It doesn't really matter why, but that attitude is obvious when you're speaking/interacting with the public.

Just yesterday when I was getting tacos (without you because you suck ) there was a cop standing outside the restaurant waiting for his food. I said hi to him, but his reply and attitude was all business and gruff. Maybe he was having a bad day; I don't know. I do know that I pay attention to people and can size them up well enough to guess whether they are friend or foe. Generally speaking, cops give off the "foe" vibe.

Marine General James Mattis said it best:

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." I think the police need a touch more of the "be polite" part.

Originally Posted by upstatedoc

Walk up to my window and immediately say you're not going to give me a ticket.

But seriously, it should be the other way around. The officer is at the disadvantage. I always put down all of my windows and have my license and registration in one hand and both hands on the wheel.

Thanks for the feedback you guys. I asked the question to stimulate discussion and critique. We are all human and the energy transference that occurs during a traffic stop determines (...more or less) how far left or right of center that traffic stop deviates.

[Joekerr]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

You went rummaging around in your pockets and glove box as officer was walking up?

Note to self: don't get in his car!

I don't see it as a big deal - as long as you have finished doing so and all the windows are down and your hands are visible before the officer walks up, should be fine.

I put all the windows down, have hands where they can easily see them and let them know if I am going to reach for my wallet. I've never had an issue, and I've probably got warnings twice rather than tickets.

[upstatedoc]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

You went rummaging around in your pockets and glove box as officer was walking up?

Note to self: don't get in his car!

I wear my license and registration around my neck.

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by Joekerr

I don't see it as a big deal - as long as you have finished doing so and all the windows are down and your hands are visible before the officer walks up, should be fine.

I put all the windows down, have hands where they can easily see them and let them know if I am going to reach for my wallet. I've never had an issue, and I've probably got warnings twice rather than tickets.

Note to self: don't get in the Beast limo either

Me, I'm putting my hands on wheel and waiting for instructions. Sir, you said get my registration. It's in the glove box. Sir, you asked for my license. It's in my front pocket at the end of this chain. I'm going to get that for you now, SLOWLY

Who knows, MAYBE officer just wanted to see my interior and didn't need my lic/reg

[Vivek.]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Thanks for the feedback you guys. I asked the question to stimulate discussion and critique. We are all human and the energy transference that occurs during a traffic stop determines (...more or less) how far left or right of center that traffic stop deviates.

When I say a full spectrum, I really mean it. Once I was pulled over at 2-3am on my 19th birthday in my e30, top up, with 20% tints all around. I'm quite confident he couldn't see anything into my car as I opened the door instead of window (late, tired, wasn't thinking, seemed quicker). He didn't react negatively/defensively at all and was generally friendly throughout the stop and didn't comment on my tints.

Still don't really appreciate him since he pulled me over for no good reason to ask where I was going/what I was doing (I had stopped 6" over the line at a red light because they had changed the algorithm that night; previously if you'd hit it at a 2nd gear roll it would turn green by the time you got to the line. He had been following me looking for any reason to stop me) and told me I was free to go the second he saw my license/address. Never brought up why he pulled me over til I asked while he was walking back to his car.