Pulled over

[retired]

gee, go figure. gotta love that brotherly "courtesy".

I wrote my statement as a joke, but I knew who would make the above post. Actually, I should have made the above statement myself and just put Nikon's name after it to save him the trouble of typing it.. Also, a lot of people in different careers give professional courtesy to each other.

For your info Nikon, I gave many people a verbal warning only (my former dept. doesn't do written warnings) and told them to have a nice day. If someone let their mouth get ahead of their brain, I'd give them a ticket; even tho I may have planned on giving them a warning.

I generally only gave tickets to flagrant, dangerous traffic violations or what I described above. I primarily worked a criminal car. We had traffic units assigned to that function only and I'm sure a lot of other depts. do the same. As a criminal unit, I could give tickets and I occasionally did, but that was not my primary function. When I worked a traffic car, I did traffic enforcement because that was my primary function that day and the public was entitled to me performing my duties for the salary I was paid.

The contract cities would pay to have traffic cars/motors and criminal cars. That's not to say if a traffic unit saw a crime being committed, he/she would ignore it; of course not, but generally they enforced traffic and handled accidents. Accidents and traffic in the unincorporated areas, are handled by the CHP.

I worked in a suburban area that also had it share of bad areas. Thankfully I was never shot at and never had to shoot someone (tho I came very close one day). Leos who work in suburban areas are not traffic fairies as Nikon said (Lord, I don't know why I even rise to the bait). You don't have to work in LAPD's 77th Division or LASD's Century Station to be a "real" leo.

True, they have a lot more shootings and other violent crime in those areas and see more violence on an every day basis than where most of the other stations are located. That does not negate from the fact the deps in other areas handle and see the same stuff; just not on the same scale.

One last thing, there are a lot of violent and wanted criminals who have been arrested off a mere traffic stop for a traffic violation. I had a neighbor when I was 13 who was a CHP motor. He stopped a car for a minor traffic violation on the fwy. They came out shooting; the bank robbery call hadn't gone out yet, so he didn't know about it. He had to drop his bike and hide behind the motor. Thankfully he wasn't hurt and they were all arrested when the calvary showed up. That's when I decided I wouldn't ever be a motor officer.

[The Grand Pooh-Bah]

Originally Posted by retired

One last thing, there are a lot of violent and wanted criminals who have been arrested off a mere traffic stop for a traffic violation.

This is so true... When I was in High School I worked at a Gas station. I was held up at gun point and the guy took off behind the building. I didn't see a car or his buddy. They got pulled over for a burnt out headlight about 1/4 mile down the road. If they had fixed the headlight they would have gotten away.....who said criminals are idiots? LOL

[JakeUSA]

I've been pulled over a couple of times, and I deserved it. I was breaking traffic laws by speeding. See, that's the thing. The purpose of law enforcement is to ENFORCE the LAW, not just have shoot-outs with violent criminals. Being a cop in an area where there are law abiding citizens doesn't make that cop a panty-waist, because he's still doing his job. I'm pretty sick of hearing the same people blast cops that haven't sustained bullet wounds or PTSD just because the boys in blue in Compton have it worse than they do. I've only ever dealt with professional LEOs. If they treat me with a little bit of hostility when I get pulled over for a traffic violation, I don't think "man, this cop's an a-hole." I realize that he doesn't know me from Adam, I was in the wrong, and he's doing an often thankless job that keeps the roadways safer for myself and my family. Also, if I were so concerned about being stereotyped because of my religion, prehaps I would avoid doing the same thing to others. That is all.

[retired]

because the boys in blue in Compton

JakeUSA, just messing with you, but the boys in blue are actually the guys in green and tan. . L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. took over le for Compton in 2004 or so. Those 10 guys that shot 120 rounds at the suv and missed are from my former dept. Some of them worked for me when they were in the jail. (hangs head and shakes it back and forth).

Thank you for the forthright statements.

[JakeUSA]

Thank you, retired, I stand corrected.