If you knew how many cops were killed each year after being shot or stabbed after a simple traffic stop, maybe you would be a little more understanding if a cop asks you if he can take a look inside your vehicle.
You do what you want to, but as for me, if a police officer asks me to search my vehicle, I will say “Of course officer, and thank you for your service.”
And Jihadists quite arguably do not have all the Constitutional rights that you, me or even druggies enjoy.
You are only one prescription pill accidentally dropped inside your car or one cocaine saturated paper money bill in your wallet away from being considered a “druggie”.
I don't know what the data are for the most recent period, but during the ten year period between 1988-1997, 688 policemen were killed during traffic stops. I don't have data for the same ten year period, in 1999, there was 23 million traffic stops in the country. Assuming that these numbers are representative, then during each traffic stop, the odds of a policeman being killed are 2.96 x 10^-6 against.
How are these numbers supposed to make me more understanding of their request to search my car?
According to This Report by the FBI (see table 17) about 10 officers are Feloniously Killed in traffic stops each year ...
while it can be argued that 1 is too many ... 10 a year is not a huge number by any means, especially considering the number of stops preformed ...
now that report was semi dated ('03) but had a nice breakdown ... THIS ONE ('06) is more recent and confirms the average of 10 a year but also shows that of the 100 officers killed during traffic stops from '97-'06 that only 64 were killed during "routine" or what you would term "simple" stops, the other 36 were killed during "felony" stops ... so that breaks the average down to 6.4 officers killed per year in "simple" traffic stops ..
so yes I know "how many cops were killed each year after being shot or stabbed after a simple traffic stop" ... and nope not going to give up my Constitutional Rights because of it ...
I don't know what one has to do with the other. Also, if you had a clue how many responsible, law abiding people had their rights violated by corrupt cops each year, you may feel differently.
Being an attorney, you must know that if you consume any over-the-counter or prescription drugs, you too are a "druggie", particularly under the current sad sack dismantlement of the U.S. Constitution which constitute this nation's DWI laws.
If someone is pulled over for SPEEDING or making an illegal turn, why should there be a search at all? I know that sometimes, criminals are caught this way but there is no ‘right to consent to a search.’ That’s one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard.
As for druggies, I’m sure you have no problem with being popped for hauling a brace of wine bottles in the back of their car too, or are you only against ‘some’ drugs?
As many cops have been turned into revenuers (not necessarily detectives, who are the real heroes of police work)
Also, cops are safer on the job than fisherman and statistically safer than landscaper/gardeners.
It’s sad that some die in the line of duty on simple traffic stops but if you’re pulling someone over for something else, why even worry about what they MIGHT be carrying since you can let them go on their way. A speeding ticket is not grounds to fish for weapons or bring an incident to a place it didn’t have to go. If the person has warrants, arrest them. Otherwise, write the ticket and go solve or fight an actual crime.
Since I’ve seen no cops refuse to perform no-knock raids and major police departments have been shown to engage in massive corruption and brutality (LA, NO, NYC) I can only assume most police do not have the interests of the citizens or liberty at heart. AFter all, the Blue Wall of Silence is about protecting dirty or reckless cops. How can I respect such a profession if that’s the case? Our Marines conduct themselves better in a police capacity than cops do.
“If you knew how many cops were killed each year after being shot or stabbed after a simple traffic stop, maybe you would be a little more understanding if a cop asks you if he can take a look inside your vehicle.”
As a lawyer, you are exempt from most of the absues visited upon the rest of Americans. You are, when all is said and done, an “Officer of the Courts”, ‘member? The cop sure does.
The nice ossifer won’t plant drugs in your car, either.
All in all, there are reasons Americans fear cops.
Is this good - claerly not. Can a Republic long endure when its citizens do not respect the law and the court system? Probably not.
But, a case can be made that all too many want to move towards an even more socialized police state than we now have.