The drivers I deal with tend not to want to take responsibility for their own actions. They will hem and haw, make accusations, question my ancestry, yell, bitch, complain, deny...
ANYTHING to try not to get the ticket. Really, all they needed to do was not drive like an asshole in the first place and we wouldn't be in this predicament.
If I stop you for speed, running a stop sign, or some other such infraction, it is not to generate money for the city. I do not have a quota. I do not just stop random cars, and I do not stop cars based upon the race of their drivers.
If I have stopped you, I will tell you upon reaching your window precisely why I stopped you, even though there is no requirement that I do so. If you ask, I will show you any speed measuring device I may have used. I'm also not required to do that, but I do it anyway.
If you try to intimidate me by making such accusations as racial profiling, issuing false citations, or generating revenue, I assure you, you are going to get the ticket for which I have stopped you. I want there to be no illusion that I am in any way doing anything in violation of policy or the law. I am therefore going to ensure that you receive a citation so you cannot say "Ah ha! You didn't write me a ticket because I was right!"
Also, saying that you know the City Manager, Chief of Police, etc. is not going to earn you any favors. I assure you, my Chief is not going to call me and tell me to void the citation I am about to write for you.
Rest assured, you are not going to have my badge, or my house, and you do not want my "ass". These things all belong to me, and I am not going to do anything to jeopardize them for a lousy ticket.
If I stopped you, it is because I saw you violate the law, I am one hundred percent certain it was you I saw commit the violation, and I felt it egregious or blatant enough to warrant you being issued a citation for it. So get off your high horse, admit you fucked up, and sign the damned ticket so we can both get on with our day.
If you ask what happens if you don't sign the citation, I will tell you that I will take you into custody as required by law, I will impound your car, and I will send you to see a judge at the court's earliest convenience, which will not be today and likely not tomorrow either.
If I tell you this, I assure you it is not because I'm threatening you. I am not trying to coerce you into admitting guilt. In fact, it says right there in the signature box in big bold letters WITHOUT ADMITTING GUILT, I PROMISE TO APPEAR... if you can trouble yourself to read that before you ask stupid questions. I am simply telling you what the law says I am to do if a violator refuses to sign a notice to appear. I am not telling you anything I don't tell any driver who asks the same question. It is not because of your race, or the kind of car you drive, or any other such inanities, so don't even think of suggesting that it is.
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3 comments:
Love this!
"take responsibility for their own actions"......One day it will happen. I just hope your heart is strong enough to take it when you hear it.
;-)
The few times I've been pulled over (White female - yes i know its a shock that cops actually pulled over someone white lol) I've always admitted guilt right there... in fact the last time i got pulled over I told the cop that i see them on that road all the time and was just simply not paying attention. I apologized for speeding. lol The officer was nice and asked me to slow it down and let me go with a verbal warning. He had every right to write me a ticket too since I was going probably close to 55-60 in a 45 zone (road is a straight away stretch and is easy to speed down if you're not careful) I got lucky that night. :)
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