RE: 4 Officers Shot Dead By Snipers, 7 Wounded in Dallas Protest Against Police Violence
July 11, 2016 at 9:55 am
(July 8, 2016 at 1:09 pm)Tiberius Wrote: Clearly there are exceptions to the rule when you are dealing with a copy who is trigger happy.
My advice, which I have heard from numerous lawyers giving talks, is to ask permission to do anything before you do it. If the cop asks for your license, ask them "Can I get into my vehicle to get it?", don't just assume you can. Likewise, if the license is in your pocket, ask "Can I reach into my pocket to get my license?" before you do so.
Whilst we shouldn't have to do these things, the fact that cops get shot at by armed civilians makes them wary of any sudden movements, so always be wary of how any action may look to a cop.
I think that this is the best advice. I remember being on a youth group trip, where we got pulled over (can't remember what for) and them telling us something similar. Keep your hands on the wheel, until the cop approaches and asks you to get something. Be calm and respectful and understanding of their position. Don't do anything sudden. I was pulled over a couple of years ago for speeding on my then new bike by a Sherrif. And I did what your post suggested, and told him, that I needed to get in my saddle bag to get my registration, before doing so.
I remember when I lived in Indiana (near Chicago), about how I thought it was humorous to see two cop cars pulling over a little old lady, with the hands on their guns the entire time. But it is understandable from a safety standpoint, and they never know who it is that they are stopping.
I can understand, those that feel that they are being harassed, because of their ethnicity. I also think that people need to give the benefit of the doubt, that this is not always the case. My area is predominantly white (German/ English) and I was stopped by the police coming out of work, because it was late, and it seemed out of place to them. I can understand that if I was a minority, where I might have taken this personally. It is unfortunate, that there are these questionable shootings, but I notice in most all, that they are either evading, or not complying with the officers; and I would guess very few where the one being stopped, was respectful and compliant. There are situations where officers did make a bad judgment (and I can't imagine having to live with that), but I also it's not entirely on them, and people need to understand that their attitude and actions effect the situation as well.
