Do I have to acknowledge a cop when I'm walking down my street??

[41tellthetruth]

You brought this on yourself

You could get a dog or you could simply be polite and spend a minute talking to the officer. Ignoring him and continuing walk will make him or her wonder what you're up to. By the way are you sure there haven't been any burglaries in the area?

 

[CdwJava]

There are very few people out and about in most neighborhoods at 3 AM. That, coupled with other articulable circumstances, can give rise to reasonable suspicion to detain. This is HOW we solve crimes. One of the first things detectives research when a crime has been committed is the record of officer contacts in the area in the wee hours of the morning or late at night - they call these, "leads".

The courts see this as a minimal intrusion and, absent some outrageous act by the officer such as excessive force or an unreasonably prolonged detention, they are lawful.

- Carl

 

[TheGeekess]

Really?? Was your "acknowledgment" a one fingered wave????

I was just waving/lifting my hand off the steering wheel (like I do at all law enforcement). I have an older brother who is an officer in the Metro area, so I tend to be really polite to officers rather than risk the wrath of the older brother!

 

[outonbail]

I guess the only way around this is to get a dog to walk with me anytime I'm strolling around the neighborhood.

You might even consider pulling the ladies nylon off of your head as well. That always makes them nervous!

 

[grndslm]

You could get a dog or you could simply be polite and spend a minute talking to the officer. Ignoring him and continuing walk will make him or her wonder what you're up to.

Where is it written that I must be polite to a cop? ... obey his every request? ... talk to him, even? ... or even look at him??

I looked at him, told him I was going home, but wasn't going to stop for him. There should be no reason for that when there's nothing in my hands!! At best, he can run me for warrants... but then he's just wasting his time catching those invisible burglars.

By the way are you sure there haven't been any burglaries in the area?

I'm positive there weren't any that night. He was just cruising before he had seen me. When the second cop got there, her story didn't jive with the assertiveness by the first cop that there were multiple burglaries. If there were multiple burglaries in that neighborhood, they wouldn't have stayed with me for the length of time that they did... and there weren't any other cops around looking for these "real" criminals.

There are very few people out and about in most neighborhoods at 3 AM. That, coupled with other articulable circumstances, can give rise to reasonable suspicion to detain.

There was no articulable circumstance in addition to the fact that it was 3am. I don't think the time of day is good enough reason to stop somebody if they're simply walking and neither matching any specific description that was radioed in, nor carrying anything whatsoever.

The courts see this as a minimal intrusion and, absent some outrageous act by the officer such as excessive force or an unreasonably prolonged detention, they are lawful.

Wouldn't tasering me be considered excessive force when I simply keep walking?? No crime was commited by me or anybody else... and I have no obligation to talk to him. I think I woulda been better off if I hadn't even looked at him and said I was walking home; I'd rather him try to taser me after I kept looking straight ahead and never said a word to him. How would he know I'm not deaf?

Like I said... I think I'll take my chances now on by playing dumb and not opening my mouth, unless of course I see a crime committed. THEN I will be morally obligated to assist in an *actual* crime... not a low-percentage probability of catching a late-night walker that has warrants. He certainly knew there was no probability that I was a thief because he shined his spotlight on me up and down for quite a while... and then he lied about some burglaries, changing his story when the female cop arrived later.

Right & Wrong will never be understood by these local cops. A friend and I got pulled over for driving thru a predominantly black neighborhood about a month ago. They claimed that the tag was for a Chevy Astrovan, while he had just gotten the tag for his Chrysler Concord *that* week. They took us both out of the vehicle and searched the front without our consent (the doors were open, tho)... then THEY LET US GO with NO tickets, even tho we had "changed tags"!!! They thought we had bought some drugs because of where we were coming from and/or the color of our skin. They play dirty here, and nobody should have to deal with this sh!t so often.

 

[grndslm]

You might even consider pulling the ladies nylon off of your head as well. That always makes them nervous!

I prefer using a 20-pack of Budweiser as my helmet... so that whenever I get tased, I'll have a bit more protection when my head smashes on the pavement.

 

[CdwJava]

I looked at him, told him I was going home, but wasn't going to stop for him. There should be no reason for that when there's nothing in my hands!!

No such law exists, and if the officer can articulate reasonable suspicion for a detention, he can detain you. Failure to comply with the detention can result in a criminal charge for obstructing, resisting, or delaying an officer (whatever the appropriate offense might be in your state).

There was no articulable circumstance in addition to the fact that it was 3am.

Unless the officer admitted that or you read his mind, you don't know that. All because YOU were not aware of any does not mean that none existed.

It is not difficult to articulate reasonable suspicion to detain a person wandering about at 3 AM. Detaining you for longer than it might take to run your name for warrants might be unreasonable, but that, too, depends on the circumstances.

I don't think the time of day is good enough reason to stop somebody if they're simply walking and neither matching any specific description that was radioed in, nor carrying anything whatsoever.

The courts disagree with you. Sorry. Time of day or night IS a consideration.

not a low-percentage probability of catching a late-night walker that has warrants.

"Low probability"? In practice, I'd say well over half the people we contact at 3 AM or later are either wanted or are on supervised release (probation or parole) ... and, chances are, they are up to no good. This is one reason why the time of day or night is an important consideration.

If you have a complaint about some of the local cops, make the complaint. If you choose to ignore an officer's direction to stop, do so at your own risk, but know that you convert an otherwise short contact to a criminal act. Good luck.

- Carl

 

[41tellthetruth]

you're right

It is not written anywhere that you have to be polite to the cops. But i would think common sense would tell you not come off with attitude. Maybe a ride on the TASER would give you a much needed attitude adjustment. By the way the TASER... REALLY HURTS.

 

[Antigone*]

It is not written anywhere that you have to be polite to the cops. But i would think common sense would tell you not come off with attitude. Maybe a ride on the TASER would give you a much needed attitude adjustment. By the way the TASER... REALLY HURTS.

Are you speaking from experience

 

[CdwJava]

They DO hurt ... and I DO speak from experience (In my agency - and many others - we get hit with a Taser when we get trained on them).

- Carl

 

[41tellthetruth]

Yes

Yes, I am speaking from experience my agency requires that I be TASED in order to carry one.

 

[grndslm]

Yes, I have seen almost every episode of COPS there is to see. That's why I turned around immediately and said, "You win!"

Seriously, tho... what is the bare minimum I can get away with saying to a cop??

I should tell him my name, I wish to exercise my right to remain silent & not answer his questions, and then immediately ask if I'm free to go?

That response is also likely to get me some harassment that I don't want, even tho that's what lawyers recommend you say, since it is your RIGHT. Does exercising my rights make me suspect? If I don't let a cop search my vehicle, is that reason enough to get permission from his supervisor to open it up?!

Seems like everybody else helps out cops in their neighborhoods because they're doing their job. There's nothng for cops to do here but harass young guys like myself.

 

[Zigner]

Yes, I have seen almost every episode of COPS there is to see. That's why I turned around immediately and said, "You win!"

Seriously, tho... what is the bare minimum I can get away with saying to a cop??

I should tell him my name, I wish to exercise my right to remain silent & not answer his questions, and then immediately ask if I'm free to go?

That response is also likely to get me some harassment that I don't want, even tho that's what lawyers recommend you say, since it is your RIGHT. Does exercising my rights make me suspect? If I don't let a cop search my vehicle, is that reason enough to get permission from his supervisor to open it up?!

Seems like everybody else helps out cops in their neighborhoods because they're doing their job. There's nothng for cops to do here but harass young guys like myself.

What *I* would do is say "Hello officer." and then proceed with the conversation. You have the right to remain silent to avoid incriminating yourself. So, what do you have to hide?

 

[seniorjudge]

You have the right to remain silent (fifth amendment) if you are guilty or think you are guilty of a crime.

 

[cyjeff]

Yes, I have seen almost every episode of COPS there is to see. That's why I turned around immediately and said, "You win!"

Seriously, tho... what is the bare minimum I can get away with saying to a cop??

I should tell him my name, I wish to exercise my right to remain silent & not answer his questions, and then immediately ask if I'm free to go?

That response is also likely to get me some harassment that I don't want, even tho that's what lawyers recommend you say, since it is your RIGHT. Does exercising my rights make me suspect? If I don't let a cop search my vehicle, is that reason enough to get permission from his supervisor to open it up?!

Seems like everybody else helps out cops in their neighborhoods because they're doing their job. There's nothng for cops to do here but harass young guys like myself.

Most people don't see the police as the enemy. Typically, only criminals see the police as the enemy. The law abiding folks see the law as their protectors and allies.

Just being a jerk to a cop kinda puts you in the "them" category.

What's with this hatred of cops, anyway? How many times have you been arrested?