Should we be required to identify ourselves to police officers?

Yax

Platinum Member
Feb 11, 2003
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Man was convicted of not providing his name to cops.

I think that's giving the cops too much authority. Here's a case to prove my point:

Back when my older brother was 15, he was a passenger in my uncle's car in a town 30 miles away from our hometown. They were stopped by two officers for failure to come to a complete stop at an intersection. My brother was asked some questions like how are you related to this man, what's your name, etc. He answered, but got annoyed. The officer asked for his driver's license. He said he didn't have one. He was arrested.

My uncle had to call my father, who had to leave work, go home to find my brothers paperwork and take it down to the police station (30 miles away) to prove that my brother was really 15 and couldn't have a driver's license. They dropped the charges.

Cliffnotes: Cops arrested my brother who was considered guilty till proven innicent.
 

nick1985

Lifer
Dec 29, 2002
27,158
6
81
yes, you should.

it may come as a shocker to many of you...but the police are there to help and protect you :Q
 

dxkj

Lifer
Feb 17, 2001
11,772
2
81
Originally posted by: cheapbidder01
Man was convicted of not providing his name to cops.

I think that's giving the cops too much authority. Here's a case to prove my point:

Back when my older brother was 15, he was a passenger in my uncle's car in a town 30 miles away from our hometown. They were stopped by two officers for failure to come to a complete stop at an intersection. My brother was asked some questions like how are you related to this man, what's your name, etc. He answered, but got annoyed. The officer asked for his driver's license. He said he didn't have one. He was arrested.

My uncle had to call my father, who had to leave work, go home to find my brothers paperwork and take it down to the police station (30 miles away) to prove that my brother was really 15 and couldn't have a driver's license. They dropped the charges.

Cliffnotes: Cops arrested my brother who was considered guilty till proven innicent.

Thats what your dumbass brother deserved for being a moron about the whole thing. If he had simply explaind everything it probably would have been fine. Instead he "got annoyed" and made a situation worse.

 

JonnyBlaze

Diamond Member
May 24, 2001
3,114
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and how does having to have id or get arrested help and protect us?

cops suck. well the whole court system sucks. some cops are cool.

JB
 

TheNinja

Lifer
Jan 22, 2003
12,207
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If they have any sort of probable cause you should have to identify yourself for their safety and to make sure you don't have any warrants out or anything like that. People get all uptight above their "privacy" lately. Not to mention that it is the polite and civil thing to do is to identify yourself when asked. Why do people always think they have to "fight the man"? It's getting old where everybody nowadays thinks they are some sort of freedom fighter living in soviet russia or something.
 

jemcam

Diamond Member
Jan 3, 2001
3,676
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Just cooperate, play their game, and you'll be on your way. Be an ass and they'll reciprocate.

Oh, and BTW, not providing ID when requested will get you arrested as you've seen.
 

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
38,241
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Originally posted by: GroundZero
it is illegal to not cary identification on your person in the usa

No it's not you god damned idiot, stop making up bullshit lies.
 

Yes. If the supreme court decides that asking for a name is unconstitutional, the next argument to be made will also make the cops look bad "Why didnt the police catch that murderer that they pulled over?" Well dumbasses, its because he couldnt ask for a name.
 

JonnyBlaze

Diamond Member
May 24, 2001
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i dont know if its a federal law, but i have heard you are supposed to allways have an id.

although in my city i have been pulled over many times without my license and just give em a ssn and my name and they run it and dont care.

JB
 

dangereuxjeux

Member
Feb 17, 2003
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I do believe that you are supposed to have identification on you (if you are a certain age, 15's not it). I've heard about it before... but clearly it's not something they should go around arresting people for doing.

EDIT: You can get off not having it if you know your driver's license #, cuz they can just look up your info.
 

Yax

Platinum Member
Feb 11, 2003
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Originally posted by: FallenHero
Yes. If the supreme court decides that asking for a name is unconstitutional, the next argument to be made will also make the cops look bad "Why didnt the police catch that murderer that they pulled over?" Well dumbasses, its because he couldnt ask for a name.

Yeah, right, good argument. I can see it now:

"Well officer, my name is Osama Bin Laden"

What criminal will give their real name? Geez.
 

Supertastic Fool

Golden Member
Oct 28, 2002
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Originally posted by: JonnyBlaze
and how does having to have id or get arrested help and protect us?

cops suck. well the whole court system sucks. some cops are cool.

JB

I agree w/ johnny, yes cops are there to "protect and serve" but that isn't what they do... they get bored with their job so the decide lets screw someone over... If you want a real cop go to new york. They have real situations to deal with and don't bother half the time to do that crap...
 

Spencer278

Diamond Member
Oct 11, 2002
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Originally posted by: Staley8
If they have any sort of probable cause you should have to identify yourself for their safety and to make sure you don't have any warrants out or anything like that. People get all uptight above their "privacy" lately. Not to mention that it is the polite and civil thing to do is to identify yourself when asked. Why do people always think they have to "fight the man"? It's getting old where everybody nowadays thinks they are some sort of freedom fighter living in soviet russia or something.


How will a cop be safer if he knows my name?
 

Originally posted by: cheapbidder01
Originally posted by: FallenHero
Yes. If the supreme court decides that asking for a name is unconstitutional, the next argument to be made will also make the cops look bad "Why didnt the police catch that murderer that they pulled over?" Well dumbasses, its because he couldnt ask for a name.

Yeah, right, good argument. I can see it now:

"Well officer, my name is Osama Bin Laden"

What criminal will give their real name? Geez.

Fake names dont go through the system. You can at least find out the real ID once they are in the station, at least with current FBI and fingerprinting tech. If they lie, its obstruction of justice and thats gonna get you hauled down to the station pretty damn fast to find out why you lied.
 

Yax

Platinum Member
Feb 11, 2003
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Originally posted by: dangereuxjeux
I do believe that you are supposed to have identification on you (if you are a certain age, 15's not it). I've heard about it before... but clearly it's not something they should go around arresting people for doing.

EDIT: You can get off not having it if you know your driver's license #, cuz they can just look up your info.

The thing is, if they don't like you, they can arrest you. They can hold you over till they have proof of your age. If you are under 16, then they just let you go. No harm done in their book, but you've been:
1. Arrested and made to look like a criminal. Many times, in front of others.
2. placed in a cell and have to waste your time trying to prove your innicence.

Since they didn't press any charges after they let you go, there's nothing you can do because it wasn't false arrest.
 

Yax

Platinum Member
Feb 11, 2003
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Originally posted by: FallenHero
Originally posted by: cheapbidder01
Originally posted by: FallenHero
Yes. If the supreme court decides that asking for a name is unconstitutional, the next argument to be made will also make the cops look bad "Why didnt the police catch that murderer that they pulled over?" Well dumbasses, its because he couldnt ask for a name.

Yeah, right, good argument. I can see it now:

"Well officer, my name is Osama Bin Laden"

What criminal will give their real name? Geez.

Fake names dont go through the system. You can at least find out the real ID once they are in the station, at least with current FBI and fingerprinting tech. If they lie, its obstruction of justice and thats gonna get you hauled down to the station pretty damn fast to find out why you lied.

I can bet you that John Smith is in the system.
 

jjones

Lifer
Oct 9, 2001
15,425
2
0
I think some states, exactly which ones I wouldn't know, require you to have ID on your person. It used to be that way in California and maybe still is, or at least so I was informed by the police on more than one occasion. California issues a state ID card in lieu of a driver's license for just that purpose. It's been more than 10 years since my last confrontation over this issue so I don't know if it is still that way.
 

Originally posted by: Spencer278
Originally posted by: Staley8
If they have any sort of probable cause you should have to identify yourself for their safety and to make sure you don't have any warrants out or anything like that. People get all uptight above their "privacy" lately. Not to mention that it is the polite and civil thing to do is to identify yourself when asked. Why do people always think they have to "fight the man"? It's getting old where everybody nowadays thinks they are some sort of freedom fighter living in soviet russia or something.


How will a cop be safer if he knows my name?

He will know if he is dealing with a felon or not. I would certainly have my guard up if someone I pulled over had a history of violence rather than someone who has had no contacts with the police.
 

AsianriceX

Golden Member
Dec 30, 2001
1,318
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As far as I can infer from this article, it is legal to not carry identification in the US. Now, it was written back in November, so something new may have been passed that makes it illegal.

Anyway, I carry multiple IDs(DL, Military ID, Student ID) with me wherever I go. They're in my wallet, and it goes along with me.
 

Originally posted by: cheapbidder01
Originally posted by: FallenHero
Originally posted by: cheapbidder01
Originally posted by: FallenHero
Yes. If the supreme court decides that asking for a name is unconstitutional, the next argument to be made will also make the cops look bad "Why didnt the police catch that murderer that they pulled over?" Well dumbasses, its because he couldnt ask for a name.

Yeah, right, good argument. I can see it now:

"Well officer, my name is Osama Bin Laden"

What criminal will give their real name? Geez.

Fake names dont go through the system. You can at least find out the real ID once they are in the station, at least with current FBI and fingerprinting tech. If they lie, its obstruction of justice and thats gonna get you hauled down to the station pretty damn fast to find out why you lied.

I can bet you that John Smith is in the system.

Can you provide a valid SS# that matches that name and your discription?

Or hell, not even a SS#. A DOB to narrow it down. All must match up.
 

Yax

Platinum Member
Feb 11, 2003
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Originally posted by: jjones
I think some states, exactly which ones I wouldn't know, require you to have ID on your person. It used to be that way in California and maybe still is, or at least so I was informed by the police on more than one occasion. California issues a state ID card in lieu of a driver's license for just that purpose. It's been more than 10 years since my last confrontation over this issue so I don't know if it is still that way.

I remember seeing a cop ask a guy on his mountain bike for his Driver's license. He was breaking a bike path law when he rode passed a stop sign on the path. Happens alot on college campuses.
 

Zedtom

Platinum Member
Nov 23, 2001
2,146
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Several years ago, an organization decided to protest the requirement that your vehicle had to have license plates. Their reasoning was that the government had no right to make you identify your car. They bought their plates, paid their taxes and fees, but did not put the plates on the car. They kept them under the front seat.

In court. the government won, for a variety of reasons.