The Ignorance of Law Enforcement (And Why We Still Have A Long Way To Go...)

[Charise52]

What a horrible experience! I thought when I left grade school and became a professional, i had left bullies behind forever... now they carry badges... I miss the days when they were professional and were called "Peace officers" and were there to help us... I am appalled... this is not America... a simple citation that you could have cleared in court would have been sufficient... what they did is a waste of tax dollars in an already underfunded economy... and they have computers... they could have checked... you can sue for big bucks...

[Melissa Jill]

Makes me glad I live in the UK. Sounds a complete and utter horror story from begining to end. Sounds the major part of the blame should be put on your old insurance company.

I doubt our police force is any better.
Im so sorry for what you had to go through Anna.

[Jay Cee]

I am so sorry you went through that, Anna Marie. I cannot begin to imagine how horrendous that was for you. It says a lot for your character that you tried to educate the guards a little bit. You never know - some of it may have soaked in.

Side note: I am absolutely shocked that an invalid license would get someone sent to jail. Seems pretty severe.

[Noel Chimes]

Although the police are suppose to be trained to deal with us you cannot change a closed mind. I too had to deal with officers here in St. Louis coming from a gathering. I misread a sign and made an improper turn. Much to my dismay the police were right behind me. So there I was fully dressed, no DL, and scared to death. I guess it is procedure now to call for back-up because another unit pulled on the scene.
I sat there trying to keep my composure and call someone who could come get me in the event of arrest, but the officer seeing my plight wrote me 3 tickets and informed me that in most cases 3 tickets means a ride to jail. He said, " however in this case just go straight home and get things in order". I thanked him for the break and did exactally what he told me to do.
There are many good officers out there that take their positions seriously and have respect for everyone. It's that sometimes a narrow-minded knuckle drager slips through and gives an entire department a black eye. We just have to make use of the powers that be to identify these persons and let it be known our displeasure of their performance of their duties.There job is to protect and serve,; not harass and intimidate. And for what it's worth, your insurance company should remburse you for the fines. They were at fault for not updating their system in a timely manner.

[Jennie1975]

I just want to say I am sorry you had to go through all that.

As some of you might remember over thanksgiving I too was arrested and booked into county jail in WA state. My experience was vastly different, albeit due to different protection laws here, I was treated withe respect and dignity. It is not all law enforcement that has ignorant views and vbehaviors.

Once again I am sorry to hear of your horrible experience. And I hope that this isolated incident does not keep otherd from stepping out of the door and participating with the world.


Jennifer

[Bethany38]

Nicely said Rachel

Well said to both of you. I have worked closely with law enforcement for years, on both sides of the line. Further more my Mother was a Police Officer. I have a ton of respect for the Officers whom are professional and well balanced, however, there are those like the ones our Anna encountered. Let me tell you as someone who knows there is a very, very thin line between Cop & Criminal, and the way the officers behaved with Anna was criminal. Know one should ever have to endure that kind of derrogatory commentary from any person. If that had happened with me I would Hire a lawyer, have him/her get hold of the cruiser tapes, the tapes in the sally port, the tapes from the proceesing area, well you girls know the rest. But that is just me.

[JohnH]

There are a lot of law enforcement personnel that are jerks. And there are ones who act and talk in a professional manner as I explain below:

When I got busted for public intoxication while going for a walk wearing a dress, panties underneath, women's sandals, and a purse I was carted off to jail. However, everybody treated me in a professional manner and did not make me feel uncomfortable for wearing the femme clothes. When I was processed in I was asked if I was wearing a bra since I have a slight bust. I was issued an orange jumpsuit and I was treated like any other male inmate with the utmost courtesy. For the first night (the only night) I had my own cell.

The food was adequate and I even had a shower in my cell, and I was given deodorant, toothbrush, and soap. I asked for a Bible and they gave me an English-Spanish New Testament.

What was embarrassing was when I had to put my street clothes back on [the femme outfit] and walk past visitors and walk across the street to the bail bondsman office. At no time did anyone taunt me or embarrass me.

So you can see I was treated with respect the whole time.

Johanna

[Sarah Michelle]

I worked in law enforcement for over 30 years before I retired. I cringed every time I heard one of these stories. I've investigated many of the complaints that they trigger. I've also had to defend the entire L.E. community at family dinners, B.B.Q.s and every time it comes up anywhere-else. Those of us on the job know where the mould and the rot is in our organizations but the same external agencies that protect the civilians protect the rot. Canadian L.E. had a spate of cross-dressing arrest/search issues a few years ago that we were embarrassed by and hopefully learned from. That said; a generation ago (70s) L.E. was being accused of harassing the gay community, most of that has been corrected. It is always especially harmful when those with authority abuse it. The true tragedy is, if you were to ask them, the officers would say they didn't mean any harm, they were just having a bit of fun at your expense. They wouldn't see their mistake. Weed carefully, nurture broadly.

[KristaE]

Wow... call an attorney. I wish I practiced in Georgia to help you out. That is unacceptable.

[Sarah Doepner]

These guys are dangerous, poorly trained jerks and it will cost that agency a lot of money one of these days if they are allowed to continue behaving that way. And you will not be the only TG person they encounter during their careers (if they don't get fired first). I also worked with Law Enforcement for many years and I recommend that you contact the Internal Affairs office for that agency. They will listen politely and tell you they can't do anything about the insurance SNAFU. Remind them the call is about the way you were treated on and after the arrest, not the original violation. In the end, if you want to get anything officially done you will have to go in and talk to them.

The company of an attorney and the demand for the videos that Bethany38 mentions would be a good idea. Check with the local ACLU and any TG support group in your area.

[Babette]

Anna Marie, I'm sorry this happened to you or to anyone for that matter. This is simply inexcusable behavior by the offending persons. I really hope there will be no long-term consequences for you.

I've seen posts and replies in the past with themes very similar to this one. The report of someone's poor and often illegal behavior resulted in "torch-carrying" outcries against that person and/or anyone like them. When a cop does something bad, a lot of people quickly think all cops are bad. When somebody from the Southern US does something stupid, then a lot of people will characterize everyone in the South as stupid. When a member of the clergy does something unforgivable, then other members of the clergy are wrongly lumped in with the offender. When a teacher is jailed for abusing children, public trust of the teaching profession erodes. Worse yet, when a crossdresser commits an act of sexual violence or crime, then a lot of people are quick to assume we are all dangerous.

I have known and worked with many law enforcement officers throughout the years. The vast majority of men and women forming that community uphold the professional standards expected by society. One can only hope the offending officers in Georgia get their due because they are truly the rotten apples in a barrel full of good ones.

Babette

[RachelPortugal]

So that is what happens if you live in the so called land of the free!

What a stupid system they have in your state. So if you take your car off the road and don't renew the insurance, you no longer have the right to drive another vehicle - a hire car for instance where you take out insurance with the hire company or a car that is insured by a friend of relative for use by any authorised driver.

Then, what with the way these so called upholders of the law treated you, I can only offer you some simple advice.

If you don't like the way things are run and you don't have the power to change the way things are run, there is only one course of action to take. Get out as soon as you get the chance. This goes for workplaces, the place you live and even marriages or relationships. Life is too short to have to live in fear or unhappiness.

[Coyote]

Coyote, you may wish to reread my post, because I believe the first paragraph made it perfectly clear how I feel about the issue. Law officers who mistreat citizens, abuse their authority, and betray the public trust shouldn't get a pass, ever. No victim should "live with it."

Your right and I appologise.

[Lorileah]

There seems to be some real questions here that affect your civil rights.

First two people have stated that their not having insurance on the car led to suspension of the license. To the best of my knowledge at this time you don't need to own a car to be licensed to drive one. If you had sold the car would your license be suspended until you get another car?

Second, it does not seem like it should be a felony that leads to arrest (see Pythos' post). It would be a misdemeanor. A speeding ticket isn't a felony, running a red light isn't a felony and not wearing a safety belt isn't a felony. Every state has these laws and parity should rule. But that is Georgia, where they still are assuming the Civil War is just on hold. Fair disclosure of your license being revoked or suspended would have been in order. Entrapment laws are in place for similar things.

Finally, you are to be treated with courtesy and respect by the law enforcement community. All people are equal under the law (at least that was what the Constitution used to say). Making rude and uncalled for remarks about what you wear and how you live is definitely an ACLU matter. In most civilized parts of the US everything you did after being brought in to the station would have been on camera and recorded. If there is audio to go with it even better. There will be a board of regulation for the police and often there are oversight boards who have police and civilian members who can review how you were treated. It won't take the place of how you feel now but it may give you some resolution.

Also look for a new insurance company who is on YOUR side and will make sure that this does not happen again

[Melinda G]

First two people have stated that their not having insurance on the car led to suspension of the license. To the best of my knowledge at this time you don't need to own a car to be licensed to drive one. If you had sold the car would your license be suspended until you get another car?

Very interesting questions. What if you had a car that was not currently drivable?
My daughter was driving a rental car in Michigan. In my daughters case, in Florida, the insurance companies notify the DMV when insurance is dropped or expired. This results in an "administrative suspension", which is apparently all done on computers. However, the lady at the DMV told my daughter in Florida it is only a ticketable offense. She would not have been arrested. In Michigan however, driving while suspended carries a mandatory court appearance and 48 hour jail sentence. The cop in Michigan should have been tipped off that something was amiss, when he was told it was just an "administrative suspension". The laws are different in every state. In Michigan, if you have proof of insurance, that is accepted. The insurance companies do not yet notify the DMV. In this day and age, I guess people need to be more aware of the various laws and keep on top of things.

[JulieC]

YOUR CIVIL RIGHTS HAVE BEEN VIOLATED

Get angry, get mad, fight back!!!!!!!!!!

Atlanta itself has legislation to protect your rights from discrimination against you for gender identity. You were verbally abused and humiliated. This is something you should do everything in your power to see about prosecuting these *******s!!!!

Were you arrested by the Atlanta police? This is very important. If you were, what they did was blatantly illegal. Please see The Atlanta Bill of Rights which states unequivocally; "The City of Atlanta shall not, directly or indirectly, discriminate among persons because of ... gender identity" Clear as day. First step, you should contact the City of Atlanta Human Relations Commission. Their contact info is here. Second, consider contacting Lamda Legal (website). Their southern office, located right in Atlanta, can be found at the address on their regional site.

Even if this did not occur within Atlanta city limits, your rights have been violated and approaching Lamda Legal will help you a great deal. At least get some consultation with them to assess the best way to proceed.

Please please please please do not accept this laying down!!!!

[eluuzion]

hiha Anna...

Sorry to read about your episode of the "Twilight Zone".

Law enforcement has never been known for having a great sense of humor...

Unfortunately fairness, honesty and “justice” have little to do with the legal process. What you can or cannot prove in a court of law has everything to do with the process...and the outcome.

Sounds like an attorney might be worth the investment...

[Mary Morgan]

This couldn't possibly happen. Afterall, these upstanding public employees are sworn to protect and serve. You must be mistaken. Unless they only protect and serve "normal" people. I suggest that you file a formal complaint with the department at the highest level, and that you copy the Attorney General in your state and your elected congressional representative. This is BS.

[Jill Devine]

I am totally disgusted by the story and feel terrible for the OP. It was a series of bad judgement calls by various officers. DISGUSTING. it's not like just one bad cop - they were all like that.

I swear to god I would get an appointment with a local reporter and then invite the reporter along to a meeting with the station commander. I would fight for an apology and then take that apology as evidence and sue. If they have to pay hard cash then the prick cops would get into real trouble.

I'm so angry right now. I hate bullies.

[meri]

This is Georgia, right? ... and these are cops, right? That's a double wammy!

It takes a long time to change internal culture -- the cops are connected to the old ways in Georgia and there are still plenty of old-timers around to reinforce that old culture. Further, when you consider what "type" of person is drawn into the police service, then this kind of behavior in this place is not at all unexpected.

[bridgetta]

light and power and strength

[Natalee]

Wow. I am sorry to hear you had to deal with those idiots.

I have always been paranoid of being pulled over, by a small-minded idiot, while in full dress under my winter coat. I always keep boy shoes in the car just in-case of such a situation..

I'm now thinking I need prepare my my telephone to quickly record audio.

These people are PUBLIC SERVANTS; you pay their salary. Being treated as a non-CITIZEN is despicable.. Glad you made it out alright in the end.

[Joanna_81]

Apalling, horrible, despicable, beyond comprehension... I wish You will be able to somehow get over this, and perhaps also have Your rights defended (like it was earlier mentioned: a lawsuit, maybe with help from ACLU). I hope You'll be fine.

[Suzette Muguet de Mai]

I would be strongly considering moving to another place, unfortunately their are idiots wherever one goes and it is disgusting that law enforcement officers have a such a view. You are right in the subject of your posting, we still have a long way to go, especially with that attitude of some law enforcement officers. I remember posting a reply on wearing high heels when driving and possibility in causing an accident. What does one endure if one is sent to jail and it is found out in jail that one is a CD, what happens to a CD in jail? Chin up, straight back, shoulders back and move forward with honour and respect but learn from past experiences.

[Yolanda_Voils]

I too live in Ga.

I have something important here to say.

The Jail personnel and most officers of the local variety(Not GSP) are trained to humiliate, degrade, enrage, to do anything possible to see your reaction, to test for a violent reaction.

This is standard procedure generally used regardless of reason for arrest, or in your case, driving on suspended license.

Driving while CD'd in Ga is Not Illegal (AFAIK)

You were being "Tested" to see what your reaction would be, violent is the one they worry about.

I've been in a pretty similar situation, but not CD'd, and got 9 miles of crap from EVERY officer that I encountered.

I was in jail 2 months, it took them about 2 or more weeks before they quit trying to set me off and started treating me with respect.

I am NOT supporting the specific comments made to you, but I do KNOW Why they did what they did..

Generally the GSP (Ga State Patrol) will not comment much, just ask pertinent questions, cuff you and turn you over to the jailers who ALL have this type of training.

Lorileah, in Ga, the insurance companies are required to notify the State when your insurance is void.

If you own only "ONE CAR" it is automatic for GA. to suspend your license, if your insurance is dropped.

You'll get a letter, sooner or later from the state.. And one from the insurance company.

The officers did have the discretion to allow you to call for a ride, but you were unable to drive.
This is not a Felony, and AFAIK you could have been cited and let go.
(Unless Ga Code has changed)

The vehicle Must be impounded if driven without insurance.

BTW, the fine in Ga for driving without insurance averages $375

Gluck
Yolanda