Thank heavens for the police

[Nicole Brown]

Now, how often have you thought this while out dressed? Personally I never have until today. I had driven down to one of the local outlet malls to visit a Dress Barn where I know one of the managers. After spending about an hour and making my purchases, I walked to the food court to use the ladies room before I started driving home.

As I was walking out of the food court, I heard a noise off to the right and turned to see and man getting up from a table, knocking over a chair and starting to walk in the same direction that I was. As I exited the building, I heard someone talking and realized that it was this same man and that he was talking to me. Initially I just ignored him and started walking in the general direction of my car.

His comments got cruder and more vulgar and I started to feel quite uncomfortable and realized that it was not a good idea to go to my car or let him see what type of car I drive. I started to walk into one of the stores, just to get away from him, when I spotted a police car approaching me from the opposite direction. Without really thinking, I changed my direction and walked over the officer and told him that I was being followed and annoyed by a man and pointed this man out to the officer. The officer told me to stay where I was as he pulled across the road.

The officer pulled his car up to the man, got out and started talking to him. After a minute or two, the officer put this man in the back seat of his car, turned to me and waved me to leave, which I did, quickly I might add.

In the past, I have been stopped by the police on several occasions for silly little things and always considered the police to be considerate and for the most part polite. This is the first time that I have ever asked a police officer for help and was really glad that he was there to assist. I did notice his badge number and name and have already called his station and spoken with his superiors to express my appreciation for his help.

Now my question,how many of you have ever been in a situation where you asked a police officer for help while out full dressed and what was the situation?

[Krysta]

Wow! never been in that kind of situation, but i'm glad that things turned out good for you in the end!

[Charlena]

I have never been in a situation like that, but it sounds like you had control of the predicament, good for you.

[Loni]

I hope I never find my self in that way. glad things worked out for you, sounds like the creep was looking to be a big problem to someone, and you just happend by.

.

[Samantha43]

What a jerk. A dangerous one. I'm glad it worked out well for you, Nicole.

This is why I stay in my cozy little closet.

[Cheryl James]

It has never happened to me and I hope that it never does. But, if it does, I hope that I am able to react in the manner that you did. That was good thinking on your part and I am happy that it turned out OK for you.

[AKAMichelle]

He had to be drunk for the cop to put him in a squad car. Usually they just talk to the individual and get them to move on. He must have done something to provoke the officer. You were very lucky if he held by the cop

[JenniferR771]

Scary! You did the right thing. As for me, I was wearing a wig and pants. Stopped to mail a letter at a strip mall. I looked behind me to see if anyone was watching--perhaps he took that as a come-on. The man followed me in his pickup for a mile or so. I stopped to get gas--he got gas--at the next pump. Finally he left. So I left--but--he was waiting for me a quarter mile down the road and pulled in behind me. Finally I turned onto the freeway abruptly. Lost him then. So nervous. Went to my favorite thrift store where I know the girls. Hung out for a few minutes, and they checked the parking lot to be sure he wasn't there.

[eluuzion]

Not when I was C-dressed, but once when I was dressed in a dark suit back in my road warrior daze. Kansas City. Driving rental car back to my hotel after doing my traditional dinner/drinking party-host duties for all the local salesmen before taking off the next day to do it again in another city/state.

New rental car, dark night, dark suited Corporate suit...unfamiliar town. I did what everybody does...took a "shortcut"...lol...

Long story short,,,lost in space...big wide roads turned to 1.5 lane gravel-ish, unlighted path to ghetto hell...and it kept getting scarier instead of brighter... ended up turning around in a Stephen-Kingish looking version of a 7-11. The kind with that one bare bulb street lamp in the parking lot... But, hey, suddenly I had all kinds of "help" blocking my car and yelling what I do not believe were directions back to civilization...talk about a fish outta' water...911 push- send time...

Had no choice but to get out when three thugs...er, ah...I mean local young gentlemen started bouncing on hood and blocking back of my car... Being the good salesman that I was, I wasted as much time as possible (hoping for a cop to show up), then slowly got out of the car and assumed my role as the village idiot trying to talk my way out of the inevitable...a few laughs and insults later...I did what any girl scout would do...I tried to take out the "leader",,,hehehehe. Just as he hit the ground and I was 3 seconds from being a newsclip of a guy found in the dumpster last night....a cop rolled into the lot, followed by another car that blocked the entrance... funny how the "bad" guys always seem to be wearing white T-shirts, eh? Just an observation...moving on with story....

20 minutes of paperwork and a lecture on my stupidity from one officer...and I was outta there...in one piece...fortunately...good Karma strikes again!!

Had to go back about a month later...to face Bubba and clean up the "charges" etc...{I broke his wrist that night} I did not file any charges, he paid his own bills,,,we all lived happily ever after...the end....I hope...hehehehe Oh, I got charged for the rental car damage...er, ah I mean the "company" did...hehehe Maybe I'll get a "thank you" note from "Bubba" some day...yea, right....

still waiting for my Darwin award to come in the mail...kinda given up on it now...years later....

Oh, no offense to KS intended...it was one of my favorite cities, still is...the whole incident was definitely a case of "operator error" (me, lol)

[LeannL]

Nicole,
You did the right thing. The police are there to protect the law abiding citizens like you.

Leann

[Starla]

He had to be drunk for the cop to put him in a squad car. Usually they just talk to the individual and get them to move on. He must have done something to provoke the officer.

Or, for all we know, the guy might have had an outstanding warrant. In any case, it's fortunate that he was detained and that the cop didn't do "catch and release."

[Dawna Ellen Bays]

That's a very scary story, Nicole! I'm very glad it worked out and you emerged safe and sound!

But eluuzion's story REALLY scared me. I work in NYC and go to work while there's still a good hour or so of darkness before the dawn. I've never been out in female mode, but let me tell you, I seem to attract a LOT of unwanted attention in male mode (I have NO idea why...creeps must just be desperate at that hour). The most recent was a guy last week who asked "Hey, which way is 23rd Street?" (and he was standing right by a sign that read "23rd Street"), then proceeded to follow me for BLOCKS while telling me that he just moved here and did I wanna "hang out" (at 5:30 AM!). I also have to pass a few adult video stores along the way, and I get catcalls and requests to reveal certain body parts. I just raise the volume on my iPod and keep moving...

And whenever I DO see a cop, he usually gives me a once-over like I'M doing something wrong...

Sorry, I realize a little of that may have been "off topic," I'm just saying I get scared, too...and that unwanted attention is a VERY scary thing...

[Kjara_Ra]

Wow, glad to hear you are alright.

[Jenny Doolittle]

Nicole,

You were smart in your actions after realizing a threat. The most important thing we have to remember is; as girls we must always be aware of our surroundings, just like any other girl.

Really girls, the sign on the car "Protect and Serve" really is what they do.

signed,

a retired cop

[Starla]

My old support group used to get an annual visit from two cops, one city and one county. They emphasized that crossdressing is not a crime, and that they were there to protect everyone, regardless of their "dress code." They would give basic safety tips, emphasizing that crossdressers are as vulnerable as "targets" of crime and unwanted attention as any woman. Inevitably, the "bathroom question" would be raised, and they specifically told us to use the rest room matching the appearance/presentation. Further, they emphasized that if any of us were to be harassed by an officer simply for being crossdressed that they wanted to know about it, because they would not tolerate that.

Police, both institutionally and individually, vary in their attitudes towards the transgendered, but hopefully more and more PDs and SOs are as enlightened as those guys were.

[sherri]

Mucho kudos to that policeman, and to you for sharing the story.

[cindym5_04]

I've never been in a situation like that. I'm glad you're okay and that everything worked out for you.

The only thing that's even come close for me is when I was in a mall one day fully dressed (jeans, heels, sweater, wig, full makeup) and was heading out of the mall, a couple of guys started to follow me making a few lewd comments about what they'd like me to do to them. I just played like I didn't hear them and kept walking...after a bit they stopped following me.

[Roberta Marie]

Sort of, I've had to call the police while I was mostly dressed, but not because I was in any danger.

I had been wearing a denim skirt, an obviously women's top, breast forms, and large hoop earrings one evening his past summer, since I had gotten home from work, and I saw no need to change before I ran out tonight to take care of something. I did not have any makeup on to cover my beard shadow, nor was I wearing a wig, but my long, thinning hair was pulled back into a pony tail. *Into the van and off I headed. *I was in town, the town where I had worked as a firefighter for 26 years, the town where I know all of the firefighters and most of the cops, The town where I still live and work, and know countless people, but none of them know about my crossdressing. *The van that I was driving has IAFF stickers on the windshield and rear window. *But I had been on these small excursions numerous times before with no problems.

I stopped at a traffic light, the one that is across the street from the police station, and half a block from the fire station, with one car ahead of me. *When the light turned green, the car ahead of me proceeded through the intersection, and I followed. *Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye I saw headlights coming through the rain from my right, I hit my brakes and started to steer left, but it was too late. *The small, silver PT Cruiser hit me in the front right fender.

I put the car in park, set the parking brake and turned on the hazard lights, and got out while checking for traffic. *We were smack dab in the middle of one of the busiest intersections in town. *I walked around the front of my van to find an hysterical young girl in the driver's seat of the other car, and a younger boy in the passenger seat. She was crying, almost hyperventilating, but managed to blurt out, taking a gulp of air between ever second or third word, "I'm so sorry, this is my mother's car and I just got my license. *I don't know what to do. *Should I call my Mom?"

I reached into my pocket as I told her to calm down and pulled out my cell phone. *"Are either of you hurt?"

"No," came the response, followed by more tears and apologies.

"Call your Mom," I replied. * "I'll call the police."

After I told the dispatcher what had happened, the girl, starting to regain some of her composure, said that her phone had died, and asked to borrow mine. *As I handed her my phone, the tears started again, and I tried to reassure her that no one was hurt and the cars could be repaired. *As I started to turn to get back into my car, two ladies approached from opposite directions, both saying they had seen everything and asked if there was anything they could do. *I asked them to wait in their cars, and that as soon as the police got there, I would send them over to take statements, thanking these good Samaritans as they turned around and went to their cars.

As I sat there for what seemed to be an eternity, waiting for the police to arrive, I wondered which cop it would be, what their reaction to my attire would be, and how I should respond. *Looking back now, I'm surprised at how calm I was, debating if I should take out my forms, wondering how much of a beard shadow I had since I hadn't shaved since early that morning. *There was no getting around the fact that I was wearing a skirt, and my purple toenails could not be hidden in my pink flip flops.

When the cop walked up to my window, I was a bit relieved to see that it was a new guy that I did not know, and as far as I know, he did not know me. *He treated me with respect, never glancing twice at the way I was dressed, even when I got out of the car to look at the damage to make sure that the van could be driven. * After talking to the other driver and getting the info from my license and insurance card, he advised me that I would not be cited, that the other driver was at fault, and that I could leave. *No muss or fuss.

This all happened several months ago, and so far, it appears that I’ve not been outed and none of this has made it to the fire department, and nothing else negative has developed. *My wife (who knows and is supportive) was out of town for the week, and after I told her about the incident on the phone, she said that she was quite apprehensive about me possibly being outed. But nothing else has happened.

Grace,
Bobbi

[Angel.Marie76]

Very minor situation for myself, but with police interaction... Keeping in mind I was a professionally dressed transwoman coming back from some meetings in a different state.. mid-day.. nice slacks, heels, makeup, blouse, and a voice in training.

Just a month ago, I was northbound and about 2 hours away from home passing through a little town when a rather large Chevy Silverado decided that it wanted to turn even though I was careening towards it. I saw it, locked up the tires in a bit of a diagonal skid, and we grazed each other enough to stop, photograph, and move to an adjacent lot for info exchange, etc.

Well, not more than 2-3 minutes later two cruisers showed up (without being called) and took over the 'scene' so-to-say. My issue? I'm an out Transwoman but I had not had anything changed officially yet. My name change was in the courts for processing, so everything I had with me for docs was male.

The woman who cut me off took everything in stride. Older 50-60's lady, very nice. I was presenting as Angel, so I kept my voice up, and we chatted like I could imagine two women going about our days... something about a hairdresser for her around the corner, husband at home.. and so on. One of the officers took my ID/reg/etc.. and as I handed it to him, I advised him nicely 'Please, my ID does not reflect my current presentation. However, I have supporting documentation if necessary..' He brushed it off and said 'don't worry'. Time passes, and he returned with his write up of the incident, handed back our info, and said to me 'You should look into getting this changed soon.' I responded in kind and informed him of my currently docketed probate matter. Thank you very much, have a nice day.

The officer wasn't phased by the situation, but did stick with the male pronouns and such (as presumed following my official ID or what have you). I was most certainly nervous, heck, it was my first accident and run in with the police EVER dressed. After the hubbub was over, all was well with the world. I tell ya though, it was frustrating changing over my name, ID and so on while dealing with an accident / insurance matter. The claims were all started as 'him' and by the time they were completed, I was HER.

[NathalieX66]

Nicole, that's a rather incredible situation. Glad you are ok. Sounds like the police handled the situation professionally. Amazing the guy ended up in the back of the police car. He must have mouthed off to the cop.

[Nicole Brown]

Hi ladies,

Thank you for your feedback. Judging from past threads, I didn't really expect many of you to have encountered a situation such as this, and from what I have read in your replies, most of you haven't. A few of you have questioned why the police officer placed the guy in the back of his cruiser or offered possible reasons for this action. To be honest with you, I believe the officer was just being considerate of me and did this to allow me to get to my car and leave without the guy being able to see my car or follow me. This reasoning is based on the conversation I had with the officer where I told him that all I wanted to do was to get to my car and leave without the possibility of being followed.

[eluuzion]

yep, after the baton dust settles and I squeeze my authority defying nature back into it's kennel...police officials really aren't so bad afterall...


...when they're sleepin'...

[Madilyn A.]

Nicole, Thank Heavens you were OK. The guy seemed like a real nut case. Smart girl !!

[Maria 60]

You must have really got scared, hope your ok. The only time anything like that happened to me was one night i was dressed and driving. I was at a red light when i looked over and a man in van was looking at my legs. It didn't help that i was wearing a short skirt. The van was higher so he couldn't see my face. I keep getting red lights and he was always trying to get beside me , i started to get nerves when i made a few turns and he kept following me. Finally he he made a turn, but i kept looking in the mirror for a little while longer before i finally went home.

[Melinda G]

If the guy didn't have any warrants, the cop may have just kept him in the car a while, to give you time to get out of the area.