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In Australia you can request a GLLO officer if you feel you are not being treated fairly, to be honest I am not sure how well this works as I have never had to do it because whilst they may not have exactly been impressed with a trans driver they have always been sufficiently respectful and polite.
Krisi, suggesting the police are on your side is a bit of a misnomer. They do not know you. They do not know your intentions, what you are capable of, what you will or won't do or what evils you do or do not subscribe to. Because of that, they will treat you like they treat all the other criminals and unsafe drivers, and therefor they will not treat you as though you are on their side. They most certainly will not treat you as though they are on yours. You are a statistic to them. A ticket or citizen contact statistic. But also a statistic that harms police. A statistic they have driven into their minds during training that is capable of doing unspeakable harm to them and turning them into a different sort of statistic if they let their guard down.
Do you know who else allows them to search their cars? People with guns or dope. They say yes to the request hoping the nice officer will just go away since it looks like they've nothing to hide. Their cars are summarily tossed, personal items rifled through, and detained even longer. I've even seen some troopers pull out tool kits and remove seats and panels. Of course they aren't obligated to put them the way they were. So feel free to give them permission to search as a former police officer, I've no intention of doing it. That alone should tell you something. If they think they can make a case against me, then fine, they are going to have to work for it. I will not make it easy for them. Especially considering that I do not do anything illegal. If they say they smell an odor associated with drugs or an alcoholic beverage, I know they are making it up with hopes of getting into my car. If they get a dog to alert, they will find nothing and have a negative alert they will have to explain on their K9s log sheet.
Be cooperative, be understanding, be conversational. Know your rights as to what questions you have to answer. If you feel comfortable, answer them. But draw the line if they ask to search. If you know you've done no wrong, roll with it. Odds are, they will back down. Worse case, they call a dog. Worst case, and these happen less than people think; they will fake a case against you. There are simply too many good cases to be made for them to put in the time and effort to fake a case.
I sometimes carry. What I was told in training was to present my carry permit with my DL. This is what I did. The patrolman then asked if I was carrying to which I replied yes and he followed up asking where. I told him and that was the end of it. I've always been respectul to police and will continue to do so. They often perform a thankless job.
Interesting thread. My last few non-dressed interactions with Ottawa Police Service doesn't leave me with much confidence. Please tell me that not all cops are small-minded macho pissheads.
omg, I cannot imagine this in Russia)))) I would be sooo much in trouble)))
sounds like he was looking for something to bust you for but failed. Glad he stopped when he did and didn't try to plant something. You sure handled it the correct way Total complete honesty and respect for him. I sure you were the talk of his station when he got back.
The officer was doing his job, protecting the public. Nothing more, nothing less. Try putting yourself in his position. Every traffic stop could be his last.
So true. Yesterday in Minnesota an individual was convicted of First Degree Murder of a police officer. All he was doing was making a traffic stop.
One of the things I read is that if an officer asks you something, ou should ask him if it request or a demand.
If he says can I search your car and you agree, it is a legal search. If you say no, he would need probable cause, The marijuana question is his ecue to determine probable cause, but could have he search declared illegal. If the search is illegal, then nothing found during the search can be used against you. In fact (at least in Virginia), you're not required to take a field sobriety check. But if you get to the police station, you do need to take their Breathalyzer test.
In Maryland, if there is any hint that you will be charged with an alcohol violation, insist on a breathalyzer. If you do not, and they decide to charge you, you will also be charged with refusing one. Several years ago, I was pulled over after I had been to a wine tasting. I had not swallowed any, but, of course smelled like I had been drinking. (Fortunately, I was wearing all "man clothes".) The officer said, "The breathalyzer is being calibrated. It will be an hour or more before we can get it here. But I can give you a field sobriety test." It was about twenty degrees out, with a stiff wind out of the North, and all I was wearing was jeans, a tee shirt and a blazer, so was freezing. So I said, "OK, what ever is the simplest." As I was walking a straight line, heel to toe, a gust of wind came up, and I had to put out my foot to keep from being blown over. I was arrested and charged with driving while impaired, taken to the station and booked. They held me for four hours, and then I was taken before a Master, who read the charges. They had charged me with refusing a breathalyzer. Ultimately, the entire thing cost me $1200.00 in attorney's fees, and the judge found me guilty, despite my plea of not guilty. I got supervised probation before judgment, and had to report to a parole officer once a week for the next year, at a cost of $25.00 per visit, and extra $25.00 each, for three urine tests, and had to attend a Mothers Against Drunk Driving meeting and "donate" $50.00 to them. It is mostly a big money game. So now, if there is even a hint that I will be charged with drinking, I request a breathalyzer. I did that this past Sunday, when I was on my way home from playing a show, and was pulled over in one of those general traffic road blocks, where they stop every vehicle, trying to catch drunks after the Superbowl. After my experience in 2012, I don't trust police any further than I can throw them.
only the body in the trunk officer. here's your sign...Quote:
did I have anything in the car I shouldn't have
In Michigan, you have to take a breathalyzer if asked. You do not have to do monkey tricks on the side of the highway, in front of their dashcam. Tell the officer there will be no sobrieties! Be firm about it. Tell him if he has probable cause to believe you have been drinking alcohol, to get a PBT and a superviser down here! If they say it will take an hour to get a PBT down there, so be it! Tell them you'll be happy to wait! That hour works in your favor. Field sobrieties are not in your favor. But the video can be used to convict you, even in the absence of a breathalyzer. Older people often have small balance problems, and you should never perform for their cameras. It can only work against you.
Oddly enough, this does not make me nervous about going out dressed. My wife worries about me though.
I have been pulled over a few times. When I drive I do not drink, but they seem to target anyone driving around the bar zone at 1 or 2 am.
Worst time: I was not dressed. Officer stopped me, said my licence plate light was out, a lie. Immediately wanted to search my car. I told him if he had a legal reason to, then he would not need my permission, so no permission. DUI feild sobriety test. I thought I passed because I was sober. Arrested me for under the influence of crystal methamphetamine. Tests came back negative of course. DA declined to clear my record. They said they woul leave the charges pending, awaiting further evidence. I had to file a law suit and finally settled for $18,000.
Weirdest time: I was dressed. Officer stopped me, said I had run a stop sign and was traveling at high speed, lies. Field sobriety test. Breathalyzer, blew 0.0001 or something like that. They let me go with nothing. The next day I was going to my hotel, not dressed and an officer was following me. I parked at the hotel. The officer stopped behind me and said he was following me because my brake light was out. It was not. It was the same officer from the night before and he asked if I remembered him. I got the vibe that he wanted me to get dressed up again and ask him out for a drink. Weird. Then, two years later I was pulled over again for the same brake light in Yosemite, also a lie. I could swear that that Park Ranger was the same San Mateo PD officer as before.
Nothing good is ever going to come from police investigating themselves.
You only have to present a little different from what they think is the norm and then all the tricky questions come out. :)
I'm sure that was unnerving. I'm going to be an optimist and suggest that the officer was not prejudiced but was confronted with someone who looked so little like their male license that he was suspicious. :)
Glad you survived and not too much the worse for wear.
Your cop seems like cops here. Ours make up stuff to see if their intended victim will make a mistake. I have found through experience that it usually takes one or two felonies committed by the cop to make a speeding ticket stick here. My first ticket, the cop committed perjury in court and so obviously that it was easy to challenge. The judge came to his rescue by committing felony extortion from the bench. I was lucky to get out of there with no more than a hefty traffic fine. Oh to be a fly on the wall when the judge talked to the cop after that incident. I now avoid court. I always hire a lawyer to plea bargain any ticket no matter how small. My next ticket, the cop committed felony assault at the traffic stop. He returned to stalk me the next night and had one of his cop buddies stop me after I crossed the state line. (My house is about a mile from the state line.). His cop buddy anticipated an easy DUI, but I never drink (actually have a documented allergy to alcohol). The cop buddy just stood there for a few seconds and then decided that I would be a lot more work than he was willing to do. Oh to be a fly on the wall when those two cops saw each other next. The first cop's court clerk wrote out a summons with the wrong date, in hopes of getting me for failure to appear. Good thing I had a good lawyer--same lawyer who got a felony reckless driving accusation against my daughter completely dismissed. (Same cop, by the way). My only other ticket in 20 years here, for tailgating, my lawyer plea bargained down to $100. I was in drab for all of these incidents. I cannot even imagine what would have happened if I was en femme.
No one is advising anyone to "resist a law enforcement officer". The Constitution gives you certain rights, for good reasons. Standing up for your rights is not resisting a law enforcement officer. Police do not stop you to get acquainted and be your friend. They stop you to see if they can find something wrong, and write you a ticket or arrest you. That makes it an adversarial relationship from the get go. Why would anyone want to cooperate with someone who is trying to arrest them or write a ticket. Politely standing up for your rights is not resisting! Police count on you being scared and rolling over and giving up all your rights. If you politely refuse a search, they immediately accuse you of having something to hide, even if they have no reason to search. That's too bad. There are rules they have to follow, and making them follow the rules is not resisting. If you present a valid drivers license, vehicle registration, and proof of insurance, and you are conducting yourself in a lawful manner, it is none of their business where you are going, or where you have been.Quote:
It's very easy to advise someone on an Internet forum to resist a law enforcement officer, to refuse to answer questions, refuse to allow a search of the vehicle, etc. but the person giving this advice has no stake in the outcome, he or she is sitting safely at home behind a keyboard.
A a couple years ago I was on the phone and made an illegal u-turn while in femme and a cop caught me red handed. I immediately hung up and pulled over and waited for the cop to approach the car. I handed over my license and he noticed I was not the person on the license. I told him if he wanted me to get out of the car but politely told me that wouldn't be necessary and gave me back my license and told me to be careful and let me go. I must have given him a scare lol but I was glad he let me go without a issuing me a ticket.
The first time I was pulled over as Debbie, I gave the officer my driver's license, and he spent almost 45 minutes checking every agency he could to see if I had any history of criminal activity. At some point he hit an agency that knew who I was, and came back with an apology. He gave me a ticket for a broken tail light. I had checked them recently and asked if I could check the trunk to see what had happened. It turned out that my suitcase (guess what that was for? :-) had knocked the wire lose. I fixed it and he told me he would sign the "fixed" notation right there, but I still had to send in the ticket because he needed probable cause for the background check.
Later, I was pulled over for other things, like parking in a lot to get my bearings, or driving too slowly, and after being checked, found the police officer extraordinarily polite when he returned. When stopped, I would turn on the dome light, get my driver's license, registration insurance, and registration, then put both hands on the top of the steering wheel before rolling down the window. When he asked for the documents, I would hand them over and put both hands back on the wheel (car turned off as well).
I'm still not sure which agency makes the police so nice, but I am very grateful that they do.
It may help that I only get pulled over about ever 4-5 years.
All those questions are standard operating procedure so nothing out of the ordinary.
The thing is if he says I think I smell weed/alcohol then that is his justification to search your car.Its called "just cause".
Then that is where the sticky part is,if he searches your vehicle and drops a bag of weed or pills then you are sunk.
I got lucky last time I got pulled over. He turned the lights on me so I got off the road and pulled into a shopping center parking lot where 15 -20 people were standing in front of a Subway restaurant.
He asked all those same questions and I answered politely.He said I smelled marijuana in your car so I am going to have to search it.
I said I do not consent to a search and he told me he had probable cause I said well OK then.If I had pushed it I would have been taken to jail for obstruction.
Any way all those people were standing there and one young guy in the crowd said dude we got your back if that cop drops anything in your car we will see it and raise hell.
I nodded to the guy and stood there, the cop told me to stand back so I did.
After the search he said you are free to go just be careful.
My infraction was me not using the turn signal in a dedicated right turn lane.
If that group of people weren't there it could have been very different.
When going on a road trip by myself, I occasionally like to wear form fitting jeans and a snug top with my breast forms and padded panties. I have tinted windows so the only time I have any concerns is when I have to access toll roads which then I am forced to cover up with a wind breaker jacket. Haven't been pulled over in almost 20 years so I am very fortunate.