aggravation

I don't know about the places you guys live but around here I'm glad they give tickets on most roads...around my children's schools, parks, crowded sidewalks etc. etc.
If it was common knowledge that there was no traffic enforcement we'd have a lot of wounded pedestrians and more auto wrecks.

What I despise is the mobile revenue farms they sometimes set up on highways where the posted limit suddenly drops 10 mph just around a bend and anyone cruising at 5 over suddenly is 15 or more over and gets pulled and fined.
I'd bet the statistics don't show any reduction in accidents on the days they put up these speed traps.
But I also know it's silly to blame the cops for it and accusing them of being 'automatons' letting themselves be used to tax the people is an unrealistic assertion.

And to suggest they rebel and refuse to work the speed traps when their commanders send them out to do it is asking a bit much. When is the last time you sent in a partial payment for your taxes based on your refusing to fund the part of the governments budget you don't agree with? When is the last time you told your boss you are going to knock off two hours early everyday because the afternoon work load is just not the way you would run things...

Ron_H

OK. Well then think about this. Why not bitch about the insurance companies who make available to the police equipment to "catch speeders" and thus give those companies an excuse, not based upon a history of actual loss to them, to raise rates? Why single out the police person who believes he is saving the planet and all the life thereon, and actually being allowed to exercise and practice his dominance skills, when insurance companies know the limits are too low? It states in the Caltrans traffic engineer's manual that setting unreasonably low limits will make a disproportionate number of drivers into "violators". Don't you think the insurance companies know the contents of that manual? I agree that some police might be borderline psychopaths, but some actually don't realize how stupid and ineffective, and actually dangerous, their job is to society at times. Follow the money. Find the real problem.

aggravation

You really need to get a grip. One guy does something cruel so you blame everyone who wears the same uniform?!?!
Weak.

Red UFO

You don't get it, you weren't there. I would be dead because of 1 cop, if he had his way I wouldn't be here to type this. I've had other traffic cops caught me speeding and were thug cops, not the few good one.

aggravation

Can I get an Amen! Insurance companies, hmmm, how do they get all those laws on the books that make buying their product mandatory by law? Oh yea, that's right, they lobby their favorite congressman, shower him with gifts so he'll pass those kind of laws!!
Follow the money far enough and it always ends up in some politicians pocket....or his offshore bank account.....why do we have offshore bank accounts anyway seems like their ought to be a law, hmmm.....

Ron_H

In fairness to Red, please try to understand what its like being in the LA County Jail for even an hour. At least that is what I'm told.

aggravation

Actually, according to your story you are still here because the other cop wasn't like him....so a good cop saved your *** from a thug that day. Stop being so irrational and focus your rage on the one *******, the other cops don't deserve the bad rep you gave them.

Ron_H

Maybe the two cops were playing good cop - bad cop in Red's presence just for fun and to scare the s*** out of him, for whatever perverted reason. I wasn't there so I don't know.

928SS

laws are becoming increasingly oppressive, std of living is sliding for many, folks are getting pissed at govt and cops are on the front lines to take the heat...

too bad the bozos that passed some of these laws are not out on the street to enforce them to hear what their citizens think... THAT would be fun!

but cops are people too - my dad was one. he was an ahole at the time, had lots of ahole buddies. later he repented and went to work as a criminal defense atty!! hahaha.

people are weird, cops or not.

IcemanG17

Red
Its hard for me to believe your story....that the cops would be arguing about NOT shooting you....I mean WOW....talk about giving the arrestee (you) ammo to use against the cops in an IA (internal affairs) investigation (which you should have filed BTW)...... BUT considering it was 20 years ago, its plausible, especially since the yelling cop was probably a "training" officer and the yellie was the rookie.....

Today I think that scenario is "less" likely.....and of course the cops report will read about how you threatened them, waved the gun at them...bla bla bla....especially if they shot you!!!

However if I got an IA compliant about one of MY officers (I am the iA investigator for my department) that gave me the story you said.....I would take it seriously and investigate it......assuming my conclusion was it did happen the way you said it happened and the cop did say those things......I would recommend discipline for that officer (which varies based on their prior record of discipline)

928SS

stop giving us reasons to like you brian. this is a bad cop thread

Charley B

How ironic that a cop who thought he was doing you a favor by "scaring you straight" ends up being the focus of your rage for the rest of your life.

It is hard to find a cop who doesn't have a story of an innocent young person being blown away because he was brandishing a toy gun or bb gun in front of a police officer.

In fact it is an ongoing nightmare scenario that some cops obsess over, because they know if they end up shooting some kid in a dark ally that turns out to have been playfully pointing a toy gun at them, it will probably ruin their life.

Fireman have a canned lecture they give kids who start fires and policeman have a routine for kids who brandish fake guns.

If that cop really had thought the situation required shooting, he would have been shooting.

Of course I don't know this was the case in your incident, but I think it is the more plausible, given the headaches the cops would have been in for (paperwork, desk time, IA investigation, law suits etc.) even if the shooting of you and your friend were found to be justified.

Ron_H

Here is something that is sometimes in my car. Of course if there is a real gun in the car it is a good idea to inform the bear of its presence and location.

Red UFO

Ya, I considered that to a degree, however it was clear this cop wasn't an actor and he wasn't out to do me a favor by scarring me straight. He was so pissed that his partner nearly got him killed in his eyes. I was an expendable piece of meat cuffed in the back seat. I wonder how many people like me he later shot in his career over his paranoia?

In todays age maybe the incident would be on video and different, I hope.

I was in jail in thousand oaks jail actually and spend 5 days talking to the leader of the jail cell and his gang of illegals why I shouldn't be raped by them or sold or beat to death. That generates a bit of hate from a BB gun != rape attempts but = hate.

It never crossed my mind back then to sue, I just wanted to go my on way, but I was scared of some cops afterwards. My friend back then who was in the passenger seat is a lawyer today in Denver, we talk about this case sometimes and how it f*cked for my life and not much he can do about it or I.

People just don't wake up one day and get snarky on against cops online, there are deep reasons behind it for some people.

cold_beer839

The absolute hallmark of my carreer was recovering 2 young girls that had been kidnapped and missing for 5 years. This resulted from a traffic stop for 67 mph in a 55 mph zone.

There are a lot of bad criminals caught by officers doing traffic stops for speeding and lesser violations.