Can you do anything about crooked cops?

[kallend 1,625]

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The title of the thread is misleading. A "crooked cop" is one who's corrupt, i.e., a thief, etc. Just because a particluar cop has an asshole attitude, doesn't make him a crook.

If the assholeness extends to giving tickets for bogus infractions, then that's crooked.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[ECVZZ 0]

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A "crooked cop" is one who's corrupt

Lying about actually seeing a motorist not wearing a seatbelt certainly qualifies as "crooked" in my book.

Is the guy a "crook"? No idea. Is the above situation "crooked"? Yup...

G. Jones

"I've never been quarantined. But the more I look around, the more I think it might not be a bad idea."

[Shawndiver 0]

You can also see if the state offers a "trial by declaration" option like in California. I have sucessfully fought two moving violations without ever having to set foot in a courtroom. Basically its a trial by mail, you write in your version, the cop has to write out his version, a judge reads them and makes a decsion. No physical appearance necessary. The good news is that instead of a day in court with lots of overtime, the cop (oops, revenue generation drone) gets to write out his version on his regular shift. Definitely worth a try if its available and you don't want to hire an attorney.

_________________

[akarunway 1]

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You can also see if the state offers a "trial by declaration" option like in California. I have sucessfully fought two moving violations without ever having to set foot in a courtroom. Basically its a trial by mail, you write in your version, the cop has to write out his version, a judge reads them and makes a decsion. No physical appearance necessary. The good news is that instead of a day in court with lots of overtime, the cop (oops, revenue generation drone) gets to write out his version on his regular shift. Definitely worth a try if its available and you don't want to hire an attorney.

True that. I advised my cousin to fight a speeding ticket up in Big Bear, Ca. Half the time the cops can't show and you win. It was by mail and she won. I've fought a few tickets and bs arrests by cops and won. (playing my own attorney) Read up on the local law A good story> Many moons ago I was out late driving and crashed into a tree on a dusty road going thru some orange groves in Fl. Dog ran out in front of me At the courthouse all the FHP officers sitting around eating donuts asked if I brought the dog to testify and laughed at me. The cop tesified all his traffic (accident investigation) bullshit. Road was 11'3" wide etc. etc. Then the judge asked him if he looked for doggie footprints. He said NO. Case dismissed. Got a decent judge for once in my life. And to others. Many small towns in Fl. get most of their revenue from traffic BS. I KNOW THAT FOR A FACT. They passed somes laws awhile back because certain cities were getting 90% of revenue from traffic (speed traps, 55mph goes to 25 before you can slam on the brakes) . Now they can only get 50%. Nice eh? And did you hear Clinton got a blowjob

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[Scoop 0]

Well done for cheating the law you prick.

Is that not in itself 'crooked'?

Hopefully someones reading this and you'll get done for perverting the course of justice or whatever the US equivalent is.

[GravityJunky 0]

Oh, NO never. And there's no such thing as a "Ticket Quota" at any of our fine law enforcement offices across this great nation. That would be wrong! Might encourage some officers to write "Extra" tickets, to meet said quota.

*My Inner Child is A Fucking Prick Too!
*Everyones entitled to be stupid but you are abusing the priviledge
*Well I'd love to stay & chat, But youre a total Bitch! {Stewie}

[GravityJunky 0]

Great advice. as far as the revenue drone- ROFLMAO!
Good one.

*My Inner Child is A Fucking Prick Too!
*Everyones entitled to be stupid but you are abusing the priviledge
*Well I'd love to stay & chat, But youre a total Bitch! {Stewie}

[akarunway 1]

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Well done for cheating the law you prick.

Is that not in itself 'crooked'?

Hopefully someones reading this and you'll get done for perverting the course of justice or whatever the US equivalent is.

Cheating the law. Fuck off. Thev've cheated me most my life. So you would hang a person w/o a lawyer or a trial I guess? I play the same game all them fuckin liars and cheats do. They taught me well

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[Andy9o8 0]

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"You prick!!!"

"Fuck off!!!"

In a perfect world, everybody would tell the truth in court. In the real world, that rarely happens. When I practiced a lot of criminal law, I watched dozens upon dozens of cops tell what I am absolutely sure (from experience) were lies under oath, mostly about the circumstances of discovery and seizure of contraband, in order to avoid having the search/seizure declared unconstitutional. If you were gullible and only believed cops in court, everyone holding drugs tosses them out onto the ground in plain sight; every gun in a car is always protruding out from under the seat in plain sight; every person freely gives his permission for police to search his car or home; and every defendant with a smashed-in face received his injuries when the police officers were forced to defend themselves against the defendant assaulting them; and every driver whose blood alcohol was 0.00000000000001% over the limit was weaving all over the roadway.

And do criminal defendants, when they take the stand, lie like fucking bandits, too? Of course they do. (After all – they're bandits!).

Oh, and watch a civil case over a car crash sometimes. Every single driver will testify that HE had the green light and was traveling prudently at, oh, at least 10 mph under the speed limit. Yea, right.

The point being: it's an arms race out there, and nobody has the moral high ground. So you two stop pissing on each other. Sit around the bonfire, get drunk together, join hands and sing "Koom-ba-ya."

[Pulse 0]

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He never saw me do anything. I reached down to the buckle before he even got out of the car. He never could have seen that from his car. I never let the seat belt move more than about 3 inches from the buckle.

I think you would be surprised how much you can see from the squad. It's not simply how far the buckle moved. Three inches makes for quite a bit of visible slack in the belt. The part that is completely visible from behind you.

Part of me kind of wonders how your attitude was percieved by the cop. If you're jumping to the conclusion that you were done wrong or the cop was 'crooked', I have to think you were coming off a little 'testy' and didn't realize it. People aren't very good judges of how their coming off to others.

"Any language where the unassuming word fly signifies an annoying insect, a means of travel, and a critical part of a gentleman's apparel is clearly asking to be mangled."

[popsjumper 2]

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The title of the thread is misleading. A "crooked cop" is one who's corrupt, i.e., a thief, etc. Just because a particluar cop has an asshole attitude, doesn't make him a crook.

Agreed.

Both you guys contradict yourselves....on top of being an asshole, the cop was corrupt. He lied and he will have stolen from the guy using the court system to do it.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[DaVinci 0]

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If the assholeness extends to giving tickets for bogus infractions, then that's crooked.

Yes, but in this case we have a guy claiming to run a yellow...Could have been red or yellow, we don't know. But he didn't get a ticket for that, so it is not an issue here.

Then he took of his seatbelt, and then claims to try and put it back on. If the cop saw him putting it back on then it is easy to assume that the cop thought he was trying to pull a fast one.

The license being expired... The cop may not know Ohio law. That is not his fault unless he is in Ohio.

None of this could lead to this cop being "crooked".

[SuperKat 0]

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I parked the car and reached to unbuckle my seatbelt to get my insurance paperwork from the glovebox. As soon as I unclipped my belt, I realized the cop might think that I had not had it buckled in the first place. I quickly re-buckled it.

I'm sorry to hear about that. For future reference, proper car stop edicate is to:

1. Roll all your windows down
2. Put your car in park and shut your motor off
3. Remove your keys from your ignition. Then place the keys on the dashboard
4. Both hands on the steering wheel
5. Interior lights on if it's at dark outside
6. Wait for the police officer to approach your vehicle and await for his instructions

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I then explained to him what I mentioned earlier; about putting it back on for just that reason.

When I pull people over for our DWI checkpoints my partners and I always ask eachother "Did he/she have their seatbelt on before we pulled them over?" Then, we say "I don't know" or "I can't remember" and we move on. So it's possible he could have made a mistake. He's human just like you and me. You might also want to find out what your state laws say about wearing seatbelts. We don't give out tickets for this in NY but if the motor is on and you're in your car, you're required by law to wear your seat belt.

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I give him my license and politely inform him that it's expired. I'm active duty military with an Ohio license and we aren't required to keep it current per Ohio law. I thought he knew that military were exempt from having a current license, but boy was I wrong.

This is not information that all cops may be aware of. A lot of times, you find out these things from other cops or when the ticket gets dismissed from traffic court. However, in NY if you weren't wearing a seatbelt and if you show me a military ID, active or inactive, I just say "Thanks for serving and please be careful driving." So for what it's worth, you can come down to NY, drive up and down on my post, not wearing your seat belt and I'll keep warning and admonishing you.lol j/k Always wear your seat belt!

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I plan on going to court and explaining my case, but I know the judge is just going to say it's my word against his on the seatbelt. Is there anything I can do, or has the system screwed me?

Bro, you have a legitimate story. If the Judge is pro-military, most probably you'll get it dismissed or get the fines reduced. It all depends on the judge. We have a traffic court judge who is anti-cop. NYPD highway cops are experts with moving violations, it's what they do day in and day out. They still lose with their rock solid testimonies. Just pray that you get a judge that's pro-military. Stick to your story, stick to being honest and good luck!

Lastly, thanks for serving!

P.S. The silver lining in this dark cloud is:
1. No ticket for running light = no hefty fine and no points taken from license
2. seat belt ticket = just a fine, no points on license
3. expired license = just a fine, no points on license and you will probably have a 80% chance of getting this one dismissed

What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

[SuperKat 0]

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They do, despite repeated claims otherwise, have quotas to meet. Or if the city is being cute about it, minimum performance requirements.

You have to do your job and be a cop. I see about a hundred people a day not wearing seat belts when I'm on foot patrol, yet I only issue a less than 5 no seat belt tickets a month. A cop has to do his/her job. I'm not out to save the world, arrest the world, or ticket the world but I have to do my job and that's that.

What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

[SuperKat 0]

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False arrests gets the officer in deep water, if not sued and fired. Making a lot of "lame" arrests gets the officer in deep water (i.e. petty BS arrests), if not fired.

Bro, come out to NY. You'll never even know what a BS arrest means. I see stabbings, assaults, grand larcenies and sexual abuse everyday. It's never a boring day in NY. However, I don't know how you feel about making $25k a year and starting over in the Academy. Yikes!

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Am I saying that every cop is perfect? Nope, they're people, they can and do make mistakes. Am I saying that the majority of officers out there have a reasonable amount of training and are trying to do their job as best they can? Yeah.

Well said bro.

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Do officers recieve any sort of kick-back for traffic citations? Nope.

Can you imagine if this were true? I could actually make more money than mexicans make cooking in italian restaurants. lol j/k that line was from the latest Rocky movie.

What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

[dorbie 0]

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I parked the car and reached to unbuckle my seatbelt to get my insurance paperwork from the glovebox. As soon as I unclipped my belt, I realized the cop might think that I had not had it buckled in the first place. I quickly re-buckled it.

I'm sorry to hear about that. For future reference, proper car stop edicate is to:

1. Roll all your windows down
2. Put your car in park and shut your motor off
3. Remove your keys from your ignition. Then place the keys on the dashboard
4. Both hands on the steering wheel
5. Interior lights on if it's at dark outside
6. Wait for the police officer to approach your vehicle and await for his instructions

Sigh,

There's a procedure? Shame we can't all learn how to obey with appropriate obsequience at the academy.

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So it's possible he could have made a mistake. He's human just like you and me.

Bullshit, he's supposed to **KNOW**! He's got to SWEAR to this under oath, his word carries all the weight in a seatbelt case, if he doesn't know he should STFU, if he doesn't STFU he should lose his badge and go eat his donuts between shifts at the local mall.

[DaVinci 0]

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Sigh,

There's a procedure? Shame we can't all learn how to obey with appropriate obsequience at the academy.

It is not anything other than showing respect and doing everthing you can to make the cop feel safer as he approaches the vehicle. You don't have to do it, but it is nice and they have a hard and dangerous job.

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Bullshit, he's supposed to **KNOW**!

Simple fact is he saw the seatbelt being put on. The person admitted to it. I guess you think cops should have Xray vision.

[dorbie 0]

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Sigh,

There's a procedure? Shame we can't all learn how to obey with appropriate obsequience at the academy.

It is not anything other than showing respect and doing everthing you can to make the cop feel safer as he approaches the vehicle. You don't have to do it, but it is nice and they have a hard and dangerous job.

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Bullshit, he's supposed to **KNOW**!

Simple fact is he saw the seatbelt being put on. The person admitted to it. I guess you think cops should have Xray vision.

I expect him to have integrity, conjecture is not a substitute, especially when you're asserting something as fact in opposition to a plausible explanation. It's about time some of these guys were given yellow vests instead of badges so that their status as traffic revenue generators is appropriately recognized. "America's Finest!!!!", Yeeeehaaaaww!!!!

[SuperKat 0]

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Bullshit, he's supposed to **KNOW**! He's got to SWEAR to this under oath, his word carries all the weight in a seatbelt case, if he doesn't know he should STFU, if he doesn't STFU he should lose his badge

Wow!

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and go eat his donuts between shifts at the local mall.

Eat donuts? Do you know how that stereotype came about? Donut shops used to be the only eats open 24hrs. That's not the case in NY. We have a 24 hour hot/cold food delis on every street corner, sometimes even two on every street and we have 24 hour diners every few blocks or so. Donuts are a thing of the past in NY bro. It's old news. Most of the new school cops are very conscientious about their diets and they work out.

What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

[DaVinci 0]

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I expect him to have integrity, conjecture is not a substitute, especially when you're asserting something as fact in opposition to a plausible explanation.

Hey stud. In this case the guy ran a yellow or red light (not an issue since he didn't get a ticket for it.

The ADMITTED to taking it off and then trying to sneak it back on. The cop sees a guy try to sneak his seat betl back on and thinks he didn't have it on in the first place...How many folks try to sneak on a seat belt when stopped? He would have had a much better change to just claim to have taken it off than trying to claim he was sneaking it back on.

As for the license, cops do not need to know laws from other states.

Sheesh.

[dorbie 0]

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I expect him to have integrity, conjecture is not a substitute, especially when you're asserting something as fact in opposition to a plausible explanation.

Hey stud. In this case the guy ran a yellow or red light (not an issue since he didn't get a ticket for it.

The ADMITTED to taking it off and then trying to sneak it back on. The cop sees a guy try to sneak his seat betl back on and thinks he didn't have it on in the first place...How many folks try to sneak on a seat belt when stopped? He would have had a much better change to just claim to have taken it off than trying to claim he was sneaking it back on.

As for the license, cops do not need to know laws from other states.

Sheesh.

There's no such thing as running a yellow light, he was stopped for running a red which he did not do. If no ticket then why was he stopped? Driving through on amber is often the safest option and every driver does it.

You seek to selectively pick his "confession" there is no confession, he confessed to WEARING HIS SEATBELT.

When cops go around inventing new offences like running yellow lights and being seen fastening a seatbelt we all suffer.

Stick to the real crimes hotrod, there are enough violators out there without cops running around labelling innocent people as violators of their own list of fantasy offences.

[dorbie 0]

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Bullshit, he's supposed to **KNOW**! He's got to SWEAR to this under oath, his word carries all the weight in a seatbelt case, if he doesn't know he should STFU, if he doesn't STFU he should lose his badge

Wow!

Look at the title of this thread and reflect upon how this officer's conduct undermined his profession. I'm not saying one incident & it's curtains, but if this is typical of how the guy conducts himself it's a problem.

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and go eat his donuts between shifts at the local mall.

Eat donuts? Do you know how that stereotype came about? Donut shops used to be the only eats open 24hrs. That's not the case in NY. We have a 24 hour hot/cold food delis on every street corner, sometimes even two on every street and we have 24 hour diners every few blocks or so. Donuts are a thing of the past in NY bro. It's old news. Most of the new school cops are very conscientious about their diets and they work out.

Yup sorry.

[DaVinci 0]

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There's no such thing as running a yellow light, he was stopped for running a red *which he did not do*.

You were THERE and saw that? Or are you going off of one guys word?

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If no ticket then why was he stopped?

Maybe he ran the red light and the cop let him off that charge?

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You seek to selectively pick his "confession" there is no confession, he confessed to WEARING HIS SEATBELT.

He admitted to TAKING IT OFF and then trying to SNEAK it back on. reread what he wrote. If I saw a guy trying to SNEAK something, I would not bet he did it right the first time.

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When cops go around inventing new offences like running yellow lights and being seen fastening a seatbelt we all suffer.

Well he ran a red, not a yellow according to the cop, and he was seen putting on his seatbelt after he stopped.

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Stick to the real crimes hotrod

You mean like running a red light?

[dorbie 0]

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There's no such thing as running a yellow light, he was stopped for running a red *which he did not do*.

You were THERE and saw that? Or are you going off of one guys word?

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If no ticket then why was he stopped?

Maybe he ran the red light and the cop let him off that charge?

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You seek to selectively pick his "confession" there is no confession, he confessed to WEARING HIS SEATBELT.

He admitted to TAKING IT OFF and then trying to SNEAK it back on. reread what he wrote. If I saw a guy trying to SNEAK something, I would not bet he did it right the first time.

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When cops go around inventing new offences like running yellow lights and being seen fastening a seatbelt we all suffer.

Well he ran a red, not a yellow according to the cop, and he was seen putting on his seatbelt after he stopped.

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Stick to the real crimes hotrod

You mean like running a red light?

You'd have to be willfully naive to believe that the cop is going to ticket him for invented charges and not for the red light. The OP is the context of this discussion, but I'm taking the OPs word and the cop's actions into consideration. It is clear he should never have been stopped given the scenario presented.

Your attitude of inventing new imaginary crimes like "running a yellow" is informative though. You can backpedal now and claim it's now "running a red" but the fact is you originally claimed this was just dandy to be stopped for this non-offence. It is not OK.

The cop said he saw the seatbelt off earlier. That's an invention post facto to reinforce his subsequent observation. It's OK to say he saw the seatbelt being fastened, it is not OK to claim he saw it off earlier at the light, that is a lie fabricated to undermine any defense.

[DaVinci 0]

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You'd have to be willfully naive to believe that the cop is going to ticket him for invented charges and not for the red light

Or be obtuse and assume that the poster didn't run the red light. How many times have you see a guy do something then claim he didn't? How many times do you think a Cop pulls over a guy and the guy ADMITS to doing whatever the cop said he did? You have to have your head in the sand to ignore the simple fact that people are gonna lie to get out of trouble.

But you can claim that he didn't run the light...But again, where you there? Did you see it?

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Your attitude of inventing new imaginary crimes like "running a yellow" is informative though.

Never claimed he "ran a yellow" as a reason for getting a ticket. No matter how many times you make that false claim, you are still wrong. I think he ran a RED light. That is worthy of a ticket. I just think the cop let him off. Why bother pulling him over if he didn't do it? To write a seat belt ticket?

Cops pull people over all the time for traffic violations, then when they catch something else they let the traffic citation go and write up the other citation. Police do that so they still punish, but you don't get points on your license.

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The cop said he saw the seatbelt off earlier. That's an invention post facto to reinforce his subsequent observation.

Again just based off what this guy said...But we know he tried to sneak it on. So if I were a cop and you tried to claim that you took it off then tried to sneak it back on, I would not believe your story you had it on in the first place either.

Best defense, be honest and don't try to "sneak" stuff.