Officer pulls me over in my Mustang GT on Highway 59 south of Houston... Looks into the car for any obvious infraction... (There were none...)
Begins to write information on a ticket...
Of course, I did not believe that I was going all that fast,
I inquire of the officer, "So, how fast was I going?"
He then looked at me and replied "Well, I am filling out this warning ticket, which doesn't have a space for the clocked speed. If you really want to know, I will write it down on the other kind of ticket for you."
Message received by me, my reply: "Thank you officer, that won't be necessary."
He gave me my warning, and I went on my way. Was I speeding? Probably. The difference in my getting a ticket and not getting a ticket was my attitude.
Just treat people how you would want to be treated, and usually things will work out all right.
That's me, too. 99 percent of the time the cops are due respect. I live next door to a swat cop on one side and the sheriff on the other!! They're good guys.
Still wondering, though, if the woman was arrested for eating or for giving a smart answer to a cop who'd heard it one too many times. If she was arrested for a smart remark, she shouldn't have been.
During my many years of driving I have been stopped a number (6-8) of times by Police. In every instance I have been polite; addressed them as Officer (Name) or Trooper (Name).
Not once have I ever got a ticket, but probably deserved one.
When very young I had a friend on a state police force. He advised me. "When stopped place your hands on the steering wheel, if at night turn on your inside lights. The officer will know you have friend in law enforcement."
If its raining I will offer to get out of my car and sit in the trooper's car. Some will let you, some will ask you to remain where you are for saftey's sake. But they will understand that you are trying to be considerate by not making them stand in foul weather will performing the initial enquiry.
I doesn't take a raving intellect to understand that our law enforcement officers face danger everyday and that they never know when approaching someone what to expect.
I have always found that when treated with respect the most stern officer will modify their attitude.
How about it you officers, ex-, retired, or not, how does a contact's behaviour effect your treatment of the contact?
The beneficial part of this is that I have had some brilliant conversations with officers who have stopped me and in one incidence made a life-long friend.
I have also always thanked them for doing their duty and that was not done from a weening point of view. Just imagine if you had their job. How would you want contacts to behave?