RonDawg
Contributor
I'm not sure why your department even bothers with reserve officers. They sound just like Explorers, except they're older.
Ask A Cop!!! Post Your Questions Here!
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RadRob
Contributor
I tried to read all 45 pages of this thread, but just couldn't do it.
On unmarked cruisers... Here in Texas, I don't pull over for unmarked cars and told my wife not to. If one comes behind me, I go to a well lit and public area or to a local police station if one is close. What is the best way to handle that situation?
Also, in my experience, I have fought speeding tickets several times and have only one on my record. The defenses I have used are as follows:
Request maintenance records for the radar unit.
Question if the radar was calibrated that day with the tuning fork.
Request training records of the officer using the radar (most have been trained but don't go through the trouble of getting them for the court date).
Postpone the court date and after a few months ask the officer if he can identify the person (if they answer the question honestly, most times they cannot, especially if you shave your goatee and cut all your hair off).
Where you guys are, would these tactics work? I have a good lawyer and he uses many other "slick willy" ways of getting people out of tickets.
If I do happened to get "pinched," I ask for deferred adjudication, probation, community service, or defensive driving. Correctly "timing" these punishments can get you out of about 4 tickets a year, if the judges are feeling kind that day.
I may be the exception, but I have been issued over 45 speeding tickets and never been threatened with revoking my license. Although, I haven't had a speeding ticket in over 8 years. I got most of them in my young and stupid, bullet-proof and carefree days.
I was arrested when I was a kid. I was clocked at 145 in a 45 on a motorcycle, in a wheelie. Once I saw the officer on a side street shooting the radar, I immediately pulled over because I knew I was in trouble. I was respectful and cooperative. The officer started poking me in the chest and I took exception to that and immediately my attitude changed to match his. He asked what I would do if I hit a child. It was 3 in the morning and I told him I would slap the mother in the face for letting her child play in a 6 lane highway at that time. He called me a smart-***** and said he would write me a ticket for exhibition of acceleration also, and continued to poke me in the chest. I told him he better take me to jail before I shoved the ticket book where the sun doesn't shine. He added verbal assault on a peace officer and took me in. That stupid night of ignorance cost me about $2000. That would never happen again!
Now, I respect LOE's and their jobs. I am a firefighter (as well as a fiber optic engineer) so I know what can happen when you get an idiot kid who drives like a maniac. I have grown up a lot and rarely do over 55 in my old age (I'm only 30, but going on 60). I would never act like that to an officer now. I can see how he would be upset at that speed. Stupid move. And I would not encourage anyone to treat officers that way, I was wrong for doing that. A lot more should have happened to me. I was lucky I didn't kill myself, or worse, kill someone else.
I know there will be some who bash me for this, so let it begin. I can never justify it, so I will just take what I get.
On unmarked cruisers... Here in Texas, I don't pull over for unmarked cars and told my wife not to. If one comes behind me, I go to a well lit and public area or to a local police station if one is close. What is the best way to handle that situation?
Also, in my experience, I have fought speeding tickets several times and have only one on my record. The defenses I have used are as follows:
Request maintenance records for the radar unit.
Question if the radar was calibrated that day with the tuning fork.
Request training records of the officer using the radar (most have been trained but don't go through the trouble of getting them for the court date).
Postpone the court date and after a few months ask the officer if he can identify the person (if they answer the question honestly, most times they cannot, especially if you shave your goatee and cut all your hair off).
Where you guys are, would these tactics work? I have a good lawyer and he uses many other "slick willy" ways of getting people out of tickets.
If I do happened to get "pinched," I ask for deferred adjudication, probation, community service, or defensive driving. Correctly "timing" these punishments can get you out of about 4 tickets a year, if the judges are feeling kind that day.
I may be the exception, but I have been issued over 45 speeding tickets and never been threatened with revoking my license. Although, I haven't had a speeding ticket in over 8 years. I got most of them in my young and stupid, bullet-proof and carefree days.
I was arrested when I was a kid. I was clocked at 145 in a 45 on a motorcycle, in a wheelie. Once I saw the officer on a side street shooting the radar, I immediately pulled over because I knew I was in trouble. I was respectful and cooperative. The officer started poking me in the chest and I took exception to that and immediately my attitude changed to match his. He asked what I would do if I hit a child. It was 3 in the morning and I told him I would slap the mother in the face for letting her child play in a 6 lane highway at that time. He called me a smart-***** and said he would write me a ticket for exhibition of acceleration also, and continued to poke me in the chest. I told him he better take me to jail before I shoved the ticket book where the sun doesn't shine. He added verbal assault on a peace officer and took me in. That stupid night of ignorance cost me about $2000. That would never happen again!
Now, I respect LOE's and their jobs. I am a firefighter (as well as a fiber optic engineer) so I know what can happen when you get an idiot kid who drives like a maniac. I have grown up a lot and rarely do over 55 in my old age (I'm only 30, but going on 60). I would never act like that to an officer now. I can see how he would be upset at that speed. Stupid move. And I would not encourage anyone to treat officers that way, I was wrong for doing that. A lot more should have happened to me. I was lucky I didn't kill myself, or worse, kill someone else.
I know there will be some who bash me for this, so let it begin. I can never justify it, so I will just take what I get.
Fish_Whisperer
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In all fairness, he had no right to assault you by jabbing you in the chest with his finger. (Okay: Maybe "assault" is too strong of a word, but really, he shouldn't have done that.)
Yeah, assault is WAY to strong of a word. I think the officer was just trying to drive home a point. And I never poke people...that only makes my job harder.
BTW: One of our own firefighters had a little accident this morning. He was on the way to the firehouse to start his shift....problem was he rolled his truck over because he was smashed out of his mind!!! This is his second OWI accident...the first was with a pursuit and the state troopers! Guess who isn't employed anymore. And to blow it all away for the bottle at 49 years old.
BTW: One of our own firefighters had a little accident this morning. He was on the way to the firehouse to start his shift....problem was he rolled his truck over because he was smashed out of his mind!!! This is his second OWI accident...the first was with a pursuit and the state troopers! Guess who isn't employed anymore. And to blow it all away for the bottle at 49 years old.
Fish_Whisperer
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Aw man... What a dumb-azz...
(and yes, technically, it IS considered assault, just as it is considered assault for a paramedic to touch someone who has refused treatment. This is from my EMT manuals' legal chapters.)
(and yes, technically, it IS considered assault, just as it is considered assault for a paramedic to touch someone who has refused treatment. This is from my EMT manuals' legal chapters.)
TJcop:
As I said, seriously, majorly messed up! What a waste of time, money, and man-power! Why even bother?:280:
RonDawg
Contributor
TJcop:
I'd like to know why he was still employed after the first incident. OWI/DUI is bad enough, but to engage officers in a pursuit?
If that was a cop though...the headlines would be screaming as to why he was still kept employed.
papps953
Contributor
In Washington to be a marked patrol car it needs to have a government plate, lights, and a siren. Failing to stop for a car, could result in a ticket for "failing to yield to an emergency vehicle". It would be up to the officer's discretion. I used to have an unmarked, blue Mustang. If someone didn't pull over for me I would pull up beside the car with my campaign hat on. They usually got the idea.
1. Our Radar tech keeps copies of the maintenance records with the court.
2. We are required by department regulation to check the radar at the begining and end of shift. Our sergeants do semi-annual audits to ensure this.
3. In Washington state the tickets have two boxes on them. One is for I.D. on person, the other is for no I.D. on person. I might not be able to say in court, this is the person now, but I can say in court the person gave me his license and I verified his I.D. If he doesn't have I.D., then I have him step from the car and waive at my video camera. (Not much to contest there.)
1. Our Radar tech keeps copies of the maintenance records with the court.
2. We are required by department regulation to check the radar at the begining and end of shift. Our sergeants do semi-annual audits to ensure this.
3. In Washington state the tickets have two boxes on them. One is for I.D. on person, the other is for no I.D. on person. I might not be able to say in court, this is the person now, but I can say in court the person gave me his license and I verified his I.D. If he doesn't have I.D., then I have him step from the car and waive at my video camera. (Not much to contest there.)
RonDawg
Contributor
RadRob:
Not really. Most of the tactics in regards to the radar gun are typical, and expected. A good cop would already have those in order when he shows up to court. In my state, all I need to present is a card showing that I am certified in the use of traffic radar; if you want my full training record, you have to subpoena it separately, in what's called a "Pitchess Hearing", and you have to have due cause to do so. Plus, not all tickets are written with the use of radar.
Postponing a trial for several months? Won't go in my neck of the woods; the dockets are too full for that. You'd need to come up with a GOOD excuse (i.e. military service, hospital treatment, work transfer out of the area) along with PROOF.
There is no "deferred adjudication" unless you need to come back for a good reason (i.e. insurance paperwork). Traffic school is only available once every 18 months unless a judge agrees to otherwise. Community service in my area consists of picking up trash by the side of the freeway...I'd rather pay the fine, thank you.
There are judges in my area who, just prior to handing down the sentence, will review the defendant's traffic record and if he/she feels this person doesn't have a safe driving record, will suspend their license for up to 30 days.
As far as use of lawyers...EVERY single time I've had a traffic defendant bring an attorney to court, either they've lost, or they just pleaded out the case in exchange for traffic school.
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