Woman files suit over police demand for her identification

Salt Lake Tribune ^ | 8/26/2005 | Pamela Manson

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

It's good to see the cops hassling pedestrians that are not suspects in any wrongdoing and providing other useful public services. Can I hire this guy to come over and kick my dog, too?

[garyhope]

Why did they want her info?

[coconutt2000]

Somewhere someone once told me that a cop does not need probable cause to ask for identification.

What I don't remember is if they need probable cause to "insist" on identification.

[IronJack]

I hope she breaks these thugs' backs. Talk about abuse of power ...

[tet68]

Can I hire this guy to come over and kick my dog, too?

If he did, there probably wouldn't be much you could do
about it.

[goldstategop]

The police deserves to lose money just for having their officer hassle a pedestrian who by his own admission, did not suspect that person of committing a crime. If I don't commit a crime, its none of the police's business who I am or what I am doing. Its still supposed to be a free country.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[jimtorr]

It sounds like unreasonable hassling to me at first reading, but obviously there is a lot of information not included in this story, such as what was going on that caused the officer to seek to identify the photographer.

[goldstategop]

They don't even have probable cause here much less than suspicion. A police officer can't arbitrarily demand identification from someone who he knows hasn't committed a crime. Last time I checked, America wasn't a police state.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[zipp_city]

Whats gonna do whats gonna do when they come for you. Bad Cop bad Cop.

[Windsong]

Hope the guy gets taken down so he cant do this again. What a Nazi.

Papers Please!

[UB355]

Where I live the PD runs CIBRs on everybody they come in contact with. Pitiful

[goldstategop]

Based on what? Standing on a street corner? Like the story says, the officer didn't even have suspicion of a crime. And the poor woman still has a criminal accusation on her record. How would you like that happening to you? As far I'm concerned, what occurred was official abuse of authority under color. The police aren't always infallible and they do pick on people if they think they can get away with it.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[xcamel]

How about the "wanted subjects" board during briefing? Might she not have looked like a suspect under investigation? Someone on the "missing" board?

A cop (any citizen) has a right to ask another for ID. You also have the right to refuse, but depending on the circumstances, you have to deal with the consequences.

It is not considered an invasion of privacy.

[mad_as_he$$]

I predict she will lose. Even if it gets to the Supremes. they ruled last year on stops in a motor vehicle. Now they will seal this crack in the law.

[thoughtomator]

Left unanswered: Is this an illegal immigrant we're talking about?

[goldstategop]

Guilty before being considered innocent. Of course traffic stops may or may not have anything to do with your having broken a law. The cop may decide he needs you to fulfill his day's quota and you're good as screwed since you know its his word against yours.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[elkfersupper]

Already been done. Already been to SCOTUS. Already been lost.

We're done.

papersplease.org

[Peace will be here soon]

I need more info before I can blame the cops here. One, what is the area like? If its a high crime area, or one with prostitution present, then maybe the officer had some reason to do this.

I do not trust the media to give all the details. There are some serious questions that need to be answered before can say which side is in the wrong.

It very well may be the officer overstepped his bounds. The fact that the officers supervisor backed him up leads me to think there was some reason for the request.

I guess the courts will work it all out, like it should.

[yarddog]

This sort of reminds me of those old black and white movies where the German Gestapo agent walks up to the hero and says "papers please".

[goldstategop]

Yes, of course. Big Brother wants to know what we're up to 24 hours a day.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)