Two Questions.

[cirrusly]

It worked because I had to slow down a little and actually think. Now if I can just slow down my brain for the other stops I'll be okay.

[irishmick]

Well done, sir!

[keith720]

"Good afternoon, I'm Officer 720 with the village police. May I see your license and proof of insurance please? Do you know why I stopped you this afternoon?" 9 out of 10 times they'll admit to the offense. Then I continue, "I had you going 47 in a 25 zone. Did you know that you were going that fast?" They'll usually say something like, "Well, I was trying to slow down." I then tell them, "Please remain in your vehicle, I'll be back in a few minutes."

I see no arrogance or condescension in asking if they know why I stopped them. As far as it being "officious," I am, after all, acting in an official capacity!

I've had a few occasions where the person has gotten mouthy, and that usually means that they are going to get the full benefit of the judicial experience, and won't be afforded the use of my discretion in lowering the speed on the citation and will, consequently, suffer more financial loss.

[Jks9199]

Well, I only got to do one of the 3 car stop scenarios. The one I did do was a Spanish speaking driver. So this white boy (me) with blonde hair, blue eyes; walks up to the car and.......... Handled business. IN SPANISH. I love being a Spanish speaker with my Irish/German looks. It threw the driver off, threw the grader off, and earned me a perfect grade.

Good job. One tip... Make use of that deception. I don't look like I speak Spanish, either. It can throw someone off who figures the "no habla" game is gonna make the cop go away. And they'll sometimes say things to each other assuming you won't know what they're saying... Like the time I was doing a warrant service, and the woman who answered the door warned the target, and told them to give me a different name! OOPS!

[MacLean]

Your post made me research the case law:

Berkemer v. McCarty 468 U.S. 420 (1984)
FindLaw | Cases and Codes

Yessir, also:

State v. Sutton, Investigative stop and patdown not custodial for Miranda.

United States v. Leshuk, Terry stop even with weapons drawn not necessarily custodial.

State v. Benjamin, Ordered out of car and frisked not necessarily custodial.

I'm not certain if the circuits are still divided on some of the defining factors.

[jmur5074]

Another thing that Lew made me think of....


I almost always say the exact same thing when I go up to cars. My initial contact is always the same (except the violation changes each time obviously) and my wording when I release the driver is almost always the same (citation, warning each obviously have different scripts. But each script is the same).

I've gotten to the point where I can say it so quickly people have asked me to repeat myself in the past. I'm basically on autopilot, looking through windows, shining my flashlight around, looking at passengers, hands, etc, while I'm talking from my "script."

[Motorwaycop]

"Alright Sterling, where's the fire?"

(Sterling Moss an old british racing driver)

Never seems to wind anyone up at all.



Like most I just say "hello, I've stopped you because........"
I find that telling them straight off stops that immediately confrontational response of "Why have you stopped me?!"
Unlike most of my US colleagues I don't have to give name etc to someone. Its on my uniform anyway.

You can gob off all you like at me, gives me time to write the ticket, although if I were somewhere populated and within earshot of other members of the public you'd get a warning and then locked up if you didn't stop.

[luckyme]

A couple years ago someone posted the same question. I don't remember who it was, but I always liked their answer.

Good evening, I'm Officer luckyme from the anytown PD and this stop is being recorded. Please hand me your liscense, insurance and registration.

The "this stop is being recorded" line seemed to prevent a lot of the mouthyness from a lot of people.

I also don't go over the reason for the stop until I have their documents. No good reason, just the way I was taught.

As far as someone running thier mouth. Do NOT take it personal. Do NOT let them drag you into an arguement.

(hmm, just noticed this computer doesn't spell check my post. Sorry.)

And since you know spanish, get used to being callled to backup a LOT of stops and calls.

[sgtbear111]

They don't have to sign any more Sarge, now we just hand it to them and walk away.

Thanks for the correction Mac. My knowledge base updated from the past century.

Ref Mopery that's an old one from my BLET academy days. Updated my knowledge base there too. No case law found.

Mopery - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Jks9199]

Another thing that Lew made me think of....


I almost always say the exact same thing when I go up to cars. My initial contact is always the same (except the violation changes each time obviously) and my wording when I release the driver is almost always the same (citation, warning each obviously have different scripts. But each script is the same).

I've gotten to the point where I can say it so quickly people have asked me to repeat myself in the past. I'm basically on autopilot, looking through windows, shining my flashlight around, looking at passengers, hands, etc, while I'm talking from my "script."

I think this happens to most of us. And for the same reasons... We aren't worrying about the words, we're looking at the car, the driver, the surrounding area.

[lewisipso]

Well, I only got to do one of the 3 car stop scenarios. The one I did do was a Spanish speaking driver. So this white boy (me) with blonde hair, blue eyes; walks up to the car and.......... Handled business. IN SPANISH. I love being a Spanish speaker with my Irish/German looks. It threw the driver off, threw the grader off, and earned me a perfect grade.

No surprised look beats the suspect when, after standing there quietly, you tell the primary officer "He said I hope they don't look in the trunk." Don't advertise your talent.

[Five-0]

"He said I hope they don't look in the trunk." Don't advertise your talent.

+1 Big Time.

[MacLean]

Ref Mopery that's an old one from my BLET academy days.

I got "felonious mopery" from Car 4 - I think you guys were beat cops sometime around 1900 or so, right?

[McCrackhd]

How's this: "Yo', sup? How's it hanging, yo? What the hell is your malfunction, numbnuts?! Did mommy and daddy not give you enough attention as a child?! Is that why you ran that F---in stop sign, or are you blind? No,let me guess, you're special and you what the Hell you want, is that it???

As for the second part- Sir/Mam, if you don't stop yelling at me, I may have to issue some "electric shock therapy".

Did that answer your questions??



















Just kidding...do exactly the opposite of the above, unless you work for Prichard, then you can do what you want.

[cirrusly]

Don't advertise your talent.

I try not too, but I'll be working in an area highly populated by Hispanics/Mexican Nationals and I'm told 90% of my contacts made will be with hispanics. Most will see me and not think I speak spanish, but it won't take long here for me to get a rep. We ride one deputy per vehicle so I'll be solving my own spanish speaker issues.

[Jks9199]

I try not too, but I'll be working in an area highly populated by Hispanics/Mexican Nationals and I'm told 90% of my contacts made will be with hispanics. Most will see me and not think I speak spanish, but it won't take long here for me to get a rep. We ride one deputy per vehicle so I'll be solving my own spanish speaker issues.

It's a balance. Talking to and simply getting known within the community as a professional, fair officer rather than an asshole who's always playing tricks and arresting them for nothing (in their eyes) will go a long way -- and make you very useful. My department has a native Spanish speaker and a guy who is more fluent than I am... but neither of them simply TALK to people. I actually have a better relationship with the Latino community than they do... My Spanish isn't perfect, but it goes a long way that I actually try.

One of the biggest challenges we have with communities like the Latino/immigrant communities is to get them to actually trust us and come to us when they need help. You can be a big factor in creating that trust.

At the same time... no sense giving an advantage away, either. And there is so much opportunity for fun -- like the trunk comments. Or the guys who just repeat "no hablo"... until you point out that you're NOT SPEAKING ENGLISH!

[lewisipso]

I try not too, but I'll be working in an area highly populated by Hispanics/Mexican Nationals and I'm told 90% of my contacts made will be with hispanics. Most will see me and not think I speak spanish, but it won't take long here for me to get a rep. We ride one deputy per vehicle so I'll be solving my own spanish speaker issues.

I don't put forth the effort it would take to learn another language. However, if I did and were in your position, I would use just as little of it during conversation as possible. Maybe feign limited use. Pause while you talk as if you are thinking of a word and let that rep build first. You will eventually be ratted out if only due to having to testify in court about how you knew certain things. Use it up until you can't. You never know what you'll get out of it.

[Cidp24]

I got "felonious mopery" from Car 4 - I think you guys were beat cops sometime around 1900 or so, right?

Public hybockery and suspicion of interstate mopery is my fav.

[JohnSmith]

I've got a question for ya'll....

I was talking to a few staties round here, and it is pretty much SOP for them to inform the driver whether they'll be getting a ticket or not immediately after receiving the drivers license/ins/registration. Thus making the decision right then, with no input based upon the driver's history.

Do you guys like this or not? They tell me it gives the driver time to "calm down" after getting the bad news.

I personally can't do it. First, I think it is dangerous. Second, I want to know the driver's history as part of my decision-making. Can the unsafe driving be fixed with a warning, or has a pattern of 8 citations for the same offense still not fixed it?

[Jks9199]

I'll sometimes advise them that I'll be back with a ticket -- but generally, I don't even if I've already made up my mind. When practical, I do like to look at their record; it's changed my mind both ways before. But I also just don't like to be locked in; a call may come out, something else may pop up... Nobody complains if they don't get a ticket you told them was coming -- but what if they come back suspended or something, and you've said "no, you're not getting a ticket.."?

Some technical tickets, like a few days expired tags or safety inspection, or a fishing expedition tag light or equipment violation, yeah, those I'll generally say something like "I don't plan on writing you ticket for this..."