2 LEO / attorney questions that grew from another thread.

[DZSTL1]

^^^^^^Hoorahh!^^^^Thanks for your service attison. Army Ranger here. I'm about done with this thread, it's wearing me out.

 

[attison]

Dang Albert I wish I was your insurance agent lol. Now jumpy cops: just my honest opinion is this: in the academy you see tons of films about encounters where officers get ambushed on traffic stops. Most of the "jumpy" ones are probably new. I was always aware of the surroundings as well as never took my eyes off the person or persons. I always was polite until the person started actin like a prick. I learned give respect get respect and most of the time it worked out well. I've pulled over neo nazis all tatted up and actually scary looking dudes, I was on edge to say the least, but he was polite and the encounter went fine. People are different. On every stop though I went from level 3 (on my holster) to level 2 or sometimes gun I'm hand by my side, all depends on what my 6th sense told me. The people never knew it. We (LEO) don't know your intent, what's in the car or who is in the car. All I know is I am going home to my family and will do all it takes to make that happen. When I get pulled over I roll my windows down place my hands outside the vehicle and when the officer comes up I tell him I have a gun and it location. When he asks for my ID I tell him where it is and that in going to reach for it. I never tell him I'm LEO until I get my ID out and he sees it. I've never had a LEO "violate" my rights (been stopped more than I can count) but any advice I could give would be this: show respect and you will receive it, let the officer know if you have a gun if he asks, dont make sudden moves and be honest.

Betcha didn't get a ticket!

Not since I became a LEO. But had a ton before then lol. But sometimes I wish I had of got a ticket, always hate getting called in on the carpet and a butt chewing by the chief lol.

 

[attison]

^^^^^^Hoorahh!^^^^Thanks for your service attison. Army Ranger here. I'm about done with this thread, it's wearing me out.

Semper Fi and thanks for your service. My nephew started off in Cobb left about a year ago to go to douglasville pd. you probably met or trained him.

 

[Fatal_Bert]

Thomaston Ga has a population of about 10,000. Here in Cobb the population is right at 1 million. Even though the laws are the same everywhere in Ga, policing is not the same everywhere. About 150 LEOs are killed every year in the line of duty for that small amount of pay you mentioned. Georgia is usually always in the top 5 states having the most officers killed each year. Yes, we choose this job. Anyway, here in Cobb we see multiple situations that require a hire level of force than a smaller department sees. Not anymore dangerous, just more often. Trigger happy is not an option, we are better trained than that. Other than the range, I've only fired once on duty and that was after the bad guy shot at me 5 times first. Yes he is dead. You just never know who or what you are encountering. I will be the first to say there are some on this job who shouldn't be. We try to get rid of them or retrain them as their shortcomings are discovered. A lot of LEOs start out young and need experience to mature. Jumpy, maybe but they have to learn and that only comes with enough encounters. True, some are just Jackasses and I cringe whenever I hear one headed my way as backup. No one can explain why any cop does what he does in each situation except that cop. So in my 54 years of life, 20 in the Military and 16 as a LEO, I can say, I've always carried a gun with my belief being, to stop a bad guy with a gun, I need a gun; nothing else. The trick is figuring out just who the bad guy is. Thus the questions, conversation, and caution whenever I stop a car. Thanks

Only a couple of them encounters were in thomaston, the rest were all over the state. I started my driving career living in jonesboro and work has had me travel all over the state. But anyways I appropriate what you do but please just don't take it personal if you pull me over for speeding and ask if I have any weapons I reply that it's none of your business. But I doubt that will happen cause this crappy economy has forced me to adjust my driving habits. Cant afford them speeding fines no more.

 

[Laxguy59]

Lax, fill us in on your extensive courtroom experience. I know you're a law student and such. But I (along with several other officers on here) have never heard the term "tier" used in court on a traffic stop. Sure it might be in a article, but I've yet to see it used in a real court room. I've had traffic tickets go to city court, county court, state court never heard it used buddy.

I think Biker pointed it out, but it's not going to be used in trial court, but mostly in motions and appeals. Regardless, it's just a simplified use of terms to define when you are out, in, or beyond the Terry Stop.

While your comments come off as sarcastic and an attempt at patronizing, I work for a state agency helping prosecutors offices work through civil forfeitures in relation to drug offenses. It bring me into the contact with many officers who put their lives on the line and I often have to review their investigative techniques and when they had reasonable suspicion. Wozbean being the libertarian that he is probably won't like that. You attempting to show me as some sort of cop basher probably won't like it either.

 

[attison]

Lol Albert I'm surprised you still have a license.

 

[DZSTL1]

Semper Fi and thanks for your service. My nephew started off in Cobb left about a year ago to go to douglasville pd. you probably met or trained him.

I very well may have. I teach several classes at our academy and am also a firearms instructor.

 

[Fatal_Bert]

Dang Albert I wish I was your insurance agent lol. Now jumpy cops: just my honest opinion is this: in the academy you see tons of films about encounters where officers get ambushed on traffic stops. Most of the "jumpy" ones are probably new. I was always aware of the surroundings as well as never took my eyes off the person or persons. I always was polite until the person started actin like a prick. I learned give respect get respect and most of the time it worked out well. I've pulled over neo nazis all tatted up and actually scary looking dudes, I was on edge to say the least, but he was polite and the encounter went fine. People are different. On every stop though I went from level 3 (on my holster) to level 2 or sometimes gun I'm hand by my side, all depends on what my 6th sense told me. The people never knew it. We (LEO) don't know your intent, what's in the car or who is in the car. All I know is I am going home to my family and will do all it takes to make that happen. When I get pulled over I roll my windows down place my hands outside the vehicle and when the officer comes up I tell him I have a gun and it location. When he asks for my ID I tell him where it is and that in going to reach for it. I never tell him I'm LEO until I get my ID out and he sees it. I've never had a LEO "violate" my rights (been stopped more than I can count) but any advice I could give would be this: show respect and you will receive it, let the officer know if you have a gun if he asks, dont make sudden moves and be honest.

Yeah I had a lead foot back in the day. And I agree with you, I always roll my window all the way down, keep my hands in plain sight, look the officer in the eye, speak with respect, and definitely don't make any fas or suspicious movements. This is why I personally haven't had a bad experience with a leo. But I don't feel the need to broadcast to the officer that there's a pistol inside my waistband, another in the glove box and a AK47 under the seat. It's just none of there business.

 

[dehavenave]

Best way to avoid the hassle is by using camoflauge. They never even notice the Glock.

View attachment 215909

lol too funny!

 

[dehavenave]

Thanks. I've only been doing this for a little over 15 years and actually had a two open their glove box and a pistol fell out. One caught it and for that split second I thought he might use it. The other let it hit the floorboard. Luckily I was never hit by a car while stepping back, but was also glad I did not freeze to be a stationary target either. Still it's a great job. Bottom line is you start out with a full bag of luck and an empty bag of experience. You try to fill the bag of experience before the bag of luck runs out.

I commend you for doing your job and risking your life everyday, every car you guys walk up to is a mystery and that is where the edge comes from. We just don't like being shoved, bullied, and taken advantage of. I will say I always make it as easy as possible for whatever officer that stops me. I have nothing to hide! Any job that requires a gun and possible fight for life everyday shouldn't be made more intense but us lawful folks as long as the officer is not acting like R. Lee Ermey I'll do what he ask so we can go on about our day. THANX DZSTL1 for your service