Is there any point in admitting guilt when a cops asks you?

[imported_Condor]

Originally posted by: AlienCraft

Originally posted by: Condor

Originally posted by: Xyclone
I'm impressed by the responses of this thread. Actually, the truth is a pretty good idea.

It is an excellent idea, but only if it applies to both sides. Don't let your integrity be their weapon.

Exactly. Don't be "low Hanging Fruit". That answer of "I'm doing the best I can to follow the Rules of The Road." Is Excellent. It neither admits fault nor claims innocence. It doesn't belittle or confront the officer and allows him an opportunity to let you off with a scolding instead of make an example of you and collect your fine money for the State.

I'm going to remember it.

 

Never underestimate the power of denial.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: 95SS
I second everything Vic said. Oregon drivers are terrible. During my daily commute, I am literally amazed at the stupidity I encounter on a daily basis.

BTW Vic, some areas have raised the limits. I-5 through Salem is up to 60 now. And whatever happened with the repeal on the scool zone law?

Oh yeah. I used to play the "Who's gonna try and kill me today?" game.

Been awhile since I've driven through Salem, but now that you mention it, I do recall that they did lift it to 60 once they completed the reconstruction. Forgot about that.

The school zone law wasn't repealed, they just added some loopholes for school zones on arterials, like "when lights flash" or between certain hours.

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: AlienCraft
If by "all they do is run traffic..." you mean Stolen Car investigations / seizures, Chop Shop Stings, Commercial Truck Inspections and Equipment Enforcement, CDL driver reg enforcement, Drug Trafficking Investigation / Enforcement, Assisting US Border Patrol, County Sheriffs Patrols, City Police patrols, provid eback up for crowd control and civil unrest, all the while patrolling ALL California Roads, streets and Freeways AND writing the multitude of traffic violations and infractions as well as the inevitable accident investigations, then yeah, thats ALL they do.
The Civic and Political pressures the brass faces are the same though.
I used them as an example because I have intimate knowledge of that aspect of LE. My knowledge of Small Town PD mirrors it as well, although the political pressure was different, there were similarities and the differences were simnply the scale to which these effects occured.

Aside from the chop shop stings everything else is traffic enforcement and it pretty much goes without saying that they can assist other agencies, which can apply to any LE agency anywhere with neighboring or overlapping jurisdictions. Here in ND the BCI takes care of state investigations, not the HP.

I would argue that the political impact upon highway patrol is MUCH different and less pervasive than that of a municipal agency.

 

[ChevelleGuy468]

When answering the question as to how fast I was going, I just say yep and leave it at that. Ive never gotten off with a warning, 3 tickets so far in my life. I like the reaction i get when they call asking for donations for the state patrol, etc.. I just tell them I already made my donation

 

[KrillBee]

Originally posted by: bradruth


But it's fine to charge them with nothing? Nothing is less than what they were doing...maybe we should just apply the law 100% all the time.

i had always thought that warnings were part of the legal regimen whereas lowering their penalty (by restating how fast they were going) was not.

am i wrong?

 

[Stuxnet]

Originally posted by: BigJ

Originally posted by: bradruth

Originally posted by: jbourne77

Originally posted by: bradruth
I fail to see how we can arbitrarily hand out DUIs if people pass the tests and blow under the limit.

In my state a cop can determine you weren't fit to be operating the vehicle even if you are under the legal limit. If you blow a .003 and the cop thinks you can't handle it, you're in DUI Smackdown.

Yeah, that *can* happen, but it likely won't go anywhere in court and, as such, is more hassle than it's worth.

Even if the cop doesn't show up, that's still a pretty big inconvenience to the person he pulled over. Going to court and everything.

Yup, and I know for a fact it happens around here because it's made the news several times.

 

[Stuxnet]

Originally posted by: azoomee
They know you're speeding -- thats why they pulled u over. I'd admit guilt, applogize and hope for the best

Yes, they know you were speeding, but they don't always know how fast. I've been pulled over for speeding without the cop having clocked me. That last thing I'm going to do is give the guy a number to work with...