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[RonDawg]

This is a big reason why you guys have such a bad rep all the time. What purpose does this serve to pull a person over who has no warrants, no tickets, no nothing for something so minor.

And how am I supposed to know if someone has no warrants and a clean driving record until I pull them over? Being a mind-reader is not a job prerequisite, nor is it taught in the academy.

The person is cooperative and answers yes sir, no sir yet you still ticket them for such a minor infraction like changing lanes without a signal or something.

The decision to issue a cite is up to the individual officer. If you broke the law, and are pulled over for it, expect a cite. If you are let off with a warning, you can celebrate; if not, admit you screwed up and deal with it.

I hate to admit it but I honestly want to flip off a cop sometimes when I drive by them pulling over another car. I am sure, most of the time it is warranted and I shouldn't feel like that

Do yourself a favor and write this sentence out on a piece of paper. See if it makes sense to you.

You say you want to flip off a cop, but then say that the officer is more than likely justified in writing the citation.

but when minor infractions a single time equal a ticket that costs $100 and insurance rates rise because of it ..... people don't forget.

Police officers don't determine punishment (to include fines) nor do we set insurance rates. Please don't get mad at us because your state legislature or city council has decided that traffic fines are a good source of revenue. Some states intentionally limit how much a department and/or its municipality can gain directly from traffic revenue.

Please don't take this wrong, I don't mean this as derogitory but this has happened to me twice in my lifetime. Once for changing lanes without a signal (stupid me) and once for going 81 in a 75 in the middle of the desert away from any major town at all. Both times the insurance company was happy to remind me of it and both times it cost me $100. This is also why no one ever believes that there are not quotas on ticket issuances.

If you were cited for 81 in a 75, there is a chance that you were actually going faster. If an officer was using radar (not laser), unless he is standing directly in front of your path, the radar reading will show LESS than your true speed. Depending on the "cosine angle" as it's called, if the radar gun showed 81, you could have been going 85 or more.

Sometimes, I will give a person a "break" by citing them for a lower speed than they were actually going. It's still a ticket, but in this state you are automatically barred from traffic school for going more than 20 over the limit, and the fine doubles as well.

Now with that being said, if you track warnings and someone has a couple already...give them a ticket. Obviously warnings aren't working.

I have no way of tracking warnings. I don't know of any agency in CA that issues written warnings. Either you're let go or you're ticketed/arrested.

 

[RonDawg]

if the law is supposed to be so clear and it's supposed to be administered equally among all members of society (to avoid any type of discrimination), why is there so much discretion among law enforcement officers about the application of certain laws (speeding in this case)?

This is the dilemma officers face from the public. We are expected to uphold the law to the "T" when it benefits someone.

Yet, when that same person is now being ticketed for the same thing, we are accused of being "armed tax collectors." Or "why can't you use your discretion."

Someone earlier suggested that we should not enforce laws that we don't think are fair. But on whose definition of "fairness" do we go by?

It's a no-win situation, so we trudge along as best we can.

 

[RonDawg]

My best friend is a hoser for the same city that I'm a cop for, and I tell him this about hosers:

"Eat 'till your tired...sleep 'till your hungry!"

When you say "hoser" do you mean it the way Canadians do?

Seriously though, it must be nice to be able to sleep on duty, on taxpayer money, and not have the taxpayers all up in arms about it.

 

[RonDawg]

What is the typical ratio of time doing paper work to time spent on the street?

It depends. A simple non-injury traffic collision can be written in 15 minutes or less.

A DUI arrest not involving a crash will keep me off the streets for 2 hours +.

A domestic violence with an arrest and emergency protective order request is 3 hours +.

I've also arrived for work, given the "call from hell" right at the beginning, and it takes the entire 12 hour shift to resolve. Sometimes more.

 

[El Orans]

I've also arrived for work, given the "call from hell" right at the beginning, and it takes the entire 12 hour shift to resolve.

What makes a call a "call from hell"?

 

[RonDawg]

What makes a call a "call from hell"?

Well let's see: complicated preliminary investigation that takes forever to complete, uncooperative/nonexistent witnesses, destroyed/altered/nonexistent evidence, having to do the work in the rain or having to recover evidence/bodies in ungodly places like trash bins or sewers, etc. I'm sure you get what I'm saying now.

 

[El Orans]

I'm sure you get what I'm saying now.

CSI to the max?

 

[chip104]

CSI to the max?

except take out the romanticization. FYI: It's NOT glamorous to run a PCR!


Question: I just read an ask/tell thread of an ex-gangbanger (Crips if anyone is wondering) on another board. He makes some interesting points - two main ones are the lack of police presence in low income neighbourhoods and the peer pressure of joining the gang. I was wondering:

1.) Is there some truth to his two points?

2.) Have you had to deal with any gang-related crime?

3.) What measures is your police department (and town/city) taking to steer teenage kids away from gangs?

Thanks for any insight.


If anyone has time to read and wants the link, PM me. It's a very informative and interesting thread.

 

[TJcop]

except take out the romanticization. FYI: It's NOT glamorous to run a PCR!


Question: I just read an ask/tell thread of an ex-gangbanger (Crips if anyone is wondering) on another board. He makes some interesting points - two main ones are the lack of police presence in low income neighbourhoods and the peer pressure of joining the gang. I was wondering:

1.) Is there some truth to his two points?

I feel that it's a catch 22 with the lack of presence issue. If more officers are placed in the low income / minority areas...then we'll be accused for targeting them. As far as peer pressure, I'm sure that has to do with it, but let's not forget the lack of role models and parenting too.

2.) Have you had to deal with any gang-related crime?

Not directly. My city borders Milwaukee, so we get alot of overflow...but gangs have yet to target us.

3.) What measures is your police department (and town/city) taking to steer teenage kids away from gangs?

I don't think we really have a gang problem, not to say that there aren't any gangs. Other than our community support (DARE) officers, I can't think of anything.

 

[Knight1989]

Question: I just read an ask/tell thread of an ex-gangbanger (Crips if anyone is wondering) on another board. He makes some interesting points - two main ones are the lack of police presence in low income neighbourhoods and the peer pressure of joining the gang. I was wondering:

1.) Is there some truth to his two points?

2.) Have you had to deal with any gang-related crime?

3.) What measures is your police department (and town/city) taking to steer teenage kids away from gangs?

Thanks for any insight.


If anyone has time to read and wants the link, PM me. It's a very informative and interesting thread.

I dont think police presence really holds much bearing on a persons desire to join a gang. They are either going to do it or not do it, based upon thier own concept of morals. An increased presence might deter that actual commital of crimes, but not the actuall desire to join a gang.

I did have some run ins with gangs early in my career. I would assist the local gang taskforce, but in recent years no. Have had some interactions with some of the outlaw motorcycle clubs in the last few years, but that was very minor as well.

The area I'm at now dosent have a gang issue, so there really arent any programs in place to deter kids. Just not something thats popular around here.