[–] [deleted] 0 points 10 points 10 points (+10|-0) ago (edited ago)
Just FYI to anyone else reading this,
Mr psycho copper who then ordered me to get out of the car.
This is actually perfectly legal for the cop to do. It's a dick move for a minor traffic infraction, but the courts have ruled they can do it, and you cannot refuse.
Flashlight still in his hand he went through my vehicle and finds the bong within seconds.
This is NOT legal for the cop to do unless you give them permission OR they have probable cause. They cannot search your vehicle without your permission if all they stopped you for was a minor traffic infraction. Even if they make you get out.
[–] CatFarm 2 points 5 points 7 points (+7|-2) ago
Every time somebody gets profiled or illegally searched or has their property taken from them under civil forfeiture laws I feel personally impacted. It wears away at the integrity of The Constitution as well as the laws of the land and the faith of the people in their government officials. When a cop fucks up and the city has to pay out a settlement to the victims and then that cop gets a slap on the wrist, I feel personally violated, even if it isn't in my hometown. Fuck the Police Unions and fuck the boys club mentality of many police stations. There are too many cases occurring for something to not be wrong systemically.
How is this the only 'right way' to validate my opinion? It doesn't matter if I've been directly involved or not for me to have an opinion on the matter. It also doesn't matter if the bad apples are only few and far between. Each incident affects people and impacts the laws of the land which I am subject too.
[–] Gerplunckamo 0 points 19 points 19 points (+19|-0) ago (edited ago)
I've posted it before, but Ill post it again.
I got a 1 year sentence for .25 grams of weed crumbs that had been sitting in the floorboard of my car for 3+ years.
For frame of reference: I live in a state that probably still uses Reefer Madness as a legitimate source on the effects of weed.
As for all the other wonderful times, here's a quote from one of my previous replies
Every time I'm pulled over, my car is searched.
Every time I'm at a checkpoint, my car is searched.
If I ask questions, I'm threatened with physical harm.
If I'm too slow to comply, I'm threatened with physical harm.
I've been physically beaten by cops for a quarter gram of 3+ year old weed in the backseat
floorboard of my car.
I've had firearms pulled on me, more than once, because they were "protecting themselves".
About a dozen cops from my hometown got busted by the feds for extortion and trafficking hard drugs.
Checkpoints in my state are literally designed to rob people, and the first question they
ask is "Are you carrying any cash on you?".
I've witnessed firsthand a grown ass cop screaming at the top of his lungs in the face of
a scared ten year old little girl, because she was too choked up to answer his question the first time.
And as I mentioned in the previous post, I'm white. If there's a white person treatment when it comes to cops, I've yet to experience it.
[–] Gerplunckamo 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
I currently in a small town in the south, outside of Texas.
One of the benefits of Texas is that they don't have Dui, or any other kind of checkpoints at all, as they're against the state constitution.
And you can thank your lucky stars you don't live in the South. Dirty cops get so much worse outside of major cities down here.
[–] Gerplunckamo 1 point 1 point 2 points (+2|-1) ago
And give them another reason to make my life hell? Brilliant.
Even if I did take this shit to court, it wouldn't matter, because the judges down here are part of the problem too. That drug charge was my first offense, and instead of getting the usual probation/suspended license, the Judge (who was at least infinity years old and had a spot-on foghorn leghorn voice) decided to make an example of me and give me a 1 year sentence. For a quarter gram of weed.
If I were somehow able to overcome that, I'd still have to deal with public opinion. Unfortunately, I'm white, so the civil rights and anti police brutality folks could care less what happens to me.
These folks seem to think that all whites are buddy-buddy with law enforcement, when in reality its only whites that have money or influence. In the south, poor white people have about as much social standing as poor black people when it comes to cops.
[–] AgriGrunt 4 points 6 points 10 points (+10|-4) ago
I cannot name a time. The only ticket I got was when I was going to the hardware to pick up a new headlight and it was a ticket for a blown headlight. I replaced the light, got my mechanic to sign off and the ticket was dropped. I think that people create problems more with police than the other way around.
[–] JH1010 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago (edited ago)
As I live in the UK and don't live in South Yorkshire, I have never had a bad interaction with my police and they tend to be nice people. I don't see many of them 'on the beat' though, that's a job that has mainly been passed over to community support officers.
[–] wolflink009 2 points 6 points 8 points (+8|-2) ago
Gave me a fucking stupid and unnecessary ticket for not noticing a "no turning left between 3-7pm sign"
Insurance doubled...fuck that.
[–] 2716057 0 points 3 points 3 points (+3|-0) ago
I had one when I was a teenager. Where I used to live, there is a law that teenage drivers, under 18, can't drive alone without a parent after midnight (or something like that). It was new when I got my license, but I knew about it.
So, one night, I was at a friend's house and I saw it was getting close to midnight, so I left. Being a new driver, I got lost on my way home, and had no idea where I was. On my way back I noticed a police cruiser behind me, so I voluntarily pulled over to ask him for directions.
No, I'll take a second to admit that I was in the wrong, and that I was breaking the new law, but I tried my best to stay as legal as possible.
So, when I pulled over, so did he. Protocol says he has to call for backup for all stops after a certain time, so a second interceptor arrived after a couple of minutes. We all talked and I explained the situation.
They threatened me, and unless I let them search my car, I'd be "in trouble." Being a dumb kid, I consented to a search of my car. While one officer searched the car, the other patted me down to make sure I didn't have any weapons.
When both searches were done, they gave me directions, drove off, and let me get back into my car. When I climbed in, it was a wreck... my owner's manual was literally torn to shreds, the coins (tons of coins) I kept in my console were literally everywhere, and the door to my glove compartment was broken.
The next day I tried to file a complaint, but ended up getting bullied to the point where I never even got a hold of a complaint form... I was still a kid and didn't know how the system worked.