O.T.: Police Harassment
 

Recently, California ran an email forum (a question and answer exchange) with the topic being "community policing". One of the civilian email participants posed the following question:

"I would like to know how it is possible for police officers to continually harass people and get away with it?"

From the "other side" (the law enforcement side) a cool cop with a sense of humor replied:

"It is not easy. In California we average one cop for every 2000 people. About 60% of those copse are on patrol, where we do most of the harassing. One-fifth of that 60% are on duty at any moment and available for harassing people. So, one cop is responsible for harassing about 10,000 residents. When you toss in the commercial, business, and tourist locations that attract people from other areas, sometimes you have a situation where a single cop is responsible for harassing 20,000 or more people a day. A ten hour shift runs 36,000 seconds. This gives a cop one-second to harass a person, and three fourths of a second to eat a donut AND then find a new person to harass. This is not an easy task. Most cops are not up to it day in and day out. It is just too tiring. What we do is utilize some tools to help us narrow down those, which we harass.

They are as follows:

PHONE: People will call us up and point out things that cause us to focus on a person for special harassment. "My neighbor is beating his wife" is one of the code phrases we use. Then we come out and give special harassment. Another popular one on weeknights is, "The kids next door are having a party." There is endless phone calls of people needing harassment.

CARS: We have special cops assigned to harass people who drive. They like to harass the drivers of fast cars, cars blasting their music, cars with expired registrations stickers and the like. It is lots of fun when you pick them out of traffic for nothing more obvious than running a red light. Sometimes you get to really heap the harassment on when you find drugs in their cars, or they are drunk, or have warrants out for their arrest. When you catch them, you can harass them for hours.

CODES: When you can think of nothing else to do, there are books that give ideas for reasons to harass folks. They are called "Codes"; Penal, Vehicle, Health and Safety, Business and Professions.....They all spell out all sorts of things for which you can really mess with people. After you read the code, you can just drive around for a while until you find someone violationg one of these listed offenses and harass them. Just last week I saw a guy smash a car window. Well, the code says that is not allowed. That meant I got permission to harass this guy. It is a pretty cool system that we have set up, and it works pretty well. I seem to have a never ending supply of folks to harass. And we get away with it, why?? Because the good citizens who pay the tab like the fact we keep the streets safe for them.

Next time you are in my town, give me a single finger wave. That is a signal that you wish for me to take a little closer look at you, and maybe I'll find a reason to harass YOU.

Looking forward to meeting you."

Re: O.T.: Police Harassment
 

Hmmmmm. I have read several cases that say this is "speech" and is protected by the First Amendment. Sounds like harassment to me.:mad: :puppy:

LOL!!!!!!!

I'm sending that one to our local Sherriff and several Deputies that I know. They should appreciate it considering cops everywhere hear this.

That guy was probably having a ball writing that reply......!!:D :D :D

LOL :D :D :D :D

I myself get great enjoyment by messing with the police, when I know I have nothing to hide. A good friend taught me this trick about when police want to search your vehicle, when you have nothing to hide. Read very carefully. The cop ask you if he or she can search your vehicle because they want to see if you have any illegal contraband in the vehicle. After asking them why they want to search and them giving me the run-around B.S. and I know they cannot search without probable cause(its my right), I say except for the glove box or the center-console you may search the rest of my vehicle. I have nothing to hide, but they don't need to detain me either. You have to say the except part first or before you GIVE PERMISSION. Otherwise you are giving permission and "making up rules". That won't work I tried it. The whole time they are searching the vehicle they have one eye one the part you told them they could not search. This works well for cops that you don't like or don't like you or small town cops or cops trying to make a name for themself. When asked why they cannot search the specified area simply reply "because I don't want you to". This really pisses them off. Tell them if they want to search it they will have to call in a warrant.

They don't mind detaining you why mind detaining them if you have nothing to hide why do they want to search you? Cops use to harass me for loud pipes and tinted windows. And they love to write tickets. Most of the time you are getting a ticket anyway if they are seaching your vehicle so why not have a little fun.:)

Thats just great, while you are wasting their time and my money, maybe someone is breaking into YOUR house and putting your family at risk. No, I am not in law enforcement and yes when I was 16 I burned rubber and smoked illegal things ("60s") but I grew up and became a citizen. Walk a mile in someones shoes before you condemn them. Just my opinion, our freedoms say you are welcome to yours.

Bucky.......;)

Battle Cry, sorry man my time is WAY to valuable to me :D:D

Jon

srobak,

Could not have said it better. Pretty much the same way in MD. If your car needs any kind of repair order I can keep it from being on the road. Also same with the glove box, we call it the Lunge, Grasp and Reach clause, no search warrant needed at that immediate time.

My rule of thumb is if you are nice, I'm nice.

and of course.......

If you are an ass, well, sorry but I am as well.

Srobak, You best stay in your state. In tennessee you would be the one in the hot seat for overstepping your rights as a law enforcement officer. Here the driver would own your house before this issue was done. I have decades of experience, mainly in Miami and you guys up north are just too sure of your power. The constution is nation wide and protects all the people. Keep this in mind.

I agree. Playing games and wasting their time is...........well, wrong. :(

Typical cop.

:rolleyes:

You have demonstrated that you don't know what "the constraints of the law" are. This sounds like typical "I'm the cop, and I'm in charge" mentality.

To begin with, your legislature can pass laws that give you the power to search every motorist's underwear on a traffic stop, but that will not pass a constitutional challenge in court. The U.S. Constitution ALWAYS controls where state laws violate its protections.

I would go back and read the CONSTITUTIONAL law on protective searches if I were you, before some sleazy, slimey, bottom feeding lawyer hands you your A$$ in court.

And there ended the lesson.:mad: :puppy:

I dont know what these people who claim to be "harrassed" are doing but thats just it.....they must be doing something to get the cops attention.....a cop will not pull ya over just cause he's bored.......maybe in Mayberry where Barney has nothing better to do then go fishing but in anytown USA the cops have plenty to do.....yes you will see cops at Dohnut shops or other restaurants....but dont you get a break on your job? You cant automatically assume that just cause ya see a cop at a restaurant he's slacking while on duty......I personally know a few cops and they dont have the time to think about slacking off! Just follow the law and you wont be bothered!.....do something stupid and the cherries will be turned on behind ya! :)

KaamaScarab30,
Well said....Sobrak is a part-timer.....That says it all. Some small town in Indiana that uses part-timers. Don't get me wrong, having been a Miami cop for 22 years I have seen good ones and not so good ones. We just flat don't use part timers due to the mentaility. You know the kind...pictures on the wall in uniform with the flag and that kind of stuff. I really dont mean to sound degrading, but the position requires a very unique person and that person usually can't do it just part time... I not saying it can't be done, just rarely done right. It is obivous he does not understand the constution is for all the states and can not be over-ruled by some local city council or anyone else. Mayor Daily can say what he wants but that does not make it right. The second ammendment is always under fire and debated by all public figures. The ex-mayor would tell you the constution meant to say that it was directed for the state and not the individual. which is bull and we all know that. Anyway, I just love these "John Law" types that know more than the best legal council available at any cost.
Sorry, just had to vent.

If srobak works where he lives that would be Indianopolis which is far from a small town.

Indianapolis Population - 1,002,000 (Source: UN Population Division 2000 estimate)

There are good cops and bad cops like every profession. Stereo types get created for a reason, that does not mean they apply to everyone. Have you seen the computer guy skits on Saturday night Live? I'm a computer guy and people who know me know I do not fit that stereo type. It does exist however, the difference is when I see the skit I laugh, I do not get all defensive. If you are a police officer, great we need them, if you do a good job and keep to the true reason the police department exists, which is to serve and protect just like painted on the cars, then even better. I understand the safety issue surrounding being a cop; I have friends and family members who are policemen. One in NYC who was stationed in tower 7 at the WTC on September 11, 2001. He luckily was out on patrol far from the area when the towers collapsed. I guess my point is as in any profession do a good job and be judged by your record and don't defend those or the actions of those who do abuse their power and we all know they exist, for that is what propagates the stereo types.

Srobak:

I don't know that I fit the definition of "your average arm-chair attorney". I am a Criminal Defense Attorney. I am a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the founder of the North Louisiana Criminal Defense Lawyers. I would say I have been exposed to the issues more than most.

Nevertheless, I want to apologize for coming down a little hard on you the other day. I had just finished cross-examining two officers who beat the holy dog crap out of my client. He was charged with disturbing the peace, battery, and resisting. Their stories were WILDLY different, yet the both sat there with a straight face in the witness chair. The client has been diagnosed with PTSD as a result of the beating. The problem is that they had no reason to arrest the guy in the first place.

I guess I took it out on you a little. Sorry.

BTW -- fora is plural. Forum is singular.;)

And this is why I have a job.:eureka:

Hey, I didn't post this thing so you guys can argue over non-topical issues. I think the point of the story is that it comes down to perception. The person who wrote, "how come officers continually get away with harassing people" Obviously has no clue about law enforcement work. The average joe citizen may walk by and see someone being taken into custody by force and now all of a sudden the cops are heavy handed! Well they may not know the whole story. And just with every thing else, it is not a good idea to label groups or generalize. saying cops continually harass people is just an exageration. Unfortunately this is the view of a major portion of americas population. It's sad. However, this letter was just an eye opener for the people that do not have a clue. I thought it was amuzing, and rang true.

Kamma,

I respect your opinion, however it seems to me that you have been on the defensive since you first posted on this thread. If you read the last paragraph in the story and took it on face value, the guy didn't say he was going to pull you over for flipping him off, he was saying, flipping the police off is a good way to get noticed. No one likes to be flipped off for no reason, what this guy was saying is maybe the person giving the bird also has another reason to be stopped. Take it for what it says and dont read into it. It was a light hearted letter, not a commentary on police corruption.

my .02 cents.

Tank

Actually, I thought I was being OFFENSIVE, which is why I apologized to srobak.:D

I would like to apologize to you, too. Didn't mean to jack your thread. (No offense to Jack either.:D )