Same team?
I recently got pulled over in the town where my parent live. I was in the wrong. I rolled through a stop sign without even thinking about it. It was 10pm in a very rural area. Still, I broke the law. I turned off my car, killed the radio, and turned the interior lights on. After the officer approached and asked for all my paperwork, I said "sure, documents are in the glove box and just to let you know, I'm on the job."
I handed him my license, registration, and insurance and showed him my badge. He took my wallet and looked at the ID card and badge before handing everything back to me before growling at me that I "need to stop for the stop signs."
Dude. Same team? You didn't have a pissy attitude when you approached. I didn't give you a reason to be pissy. So why the attitude now? Were you so dead set on writing a ticket and I ruined your day? If you're gonna write me, write me. I'll take my lumps; I was wrong.
I've been pulled over 4 times during my driving career. Once before I was a cop, and three while I was on the job. Twice I got attitudes from the officer, and both instances were while I've been employed as a police officer. I don't get it. I've probably stopped 6 active/retired cops in my career. Hell, one was an on duty street crimes detective from a nearby city cutting through our town who gave me kudos for noticing the plate on his undercover truck didn't belong there. All the rest got verbal warnings and a smile. I even bullshitted with them for a few minutes. No hostility, no anger.
I guess my point is - I don't get an attitude with 98% of the Joe Q. Citizens I stop, and certainly don't with officers. So, why am I getting the attitude?
I'm reminded of an old timer who retired shortly after I was hired. He told me a story of how he was stopped on the way to work, in uniform, by a young cop. The cop began berating him about how he should know better than to use his wipers without his headlights on. Finally, the old timer had enough and yelled "Listen asshole - either write me a fucking ticket or let me go. Don't you sit here and lecture me like I'm some child."
I handed him my license, registration, and insurance and showed him my badge. He took my wallet and looked at the ID card and badge before handing everything back to me before growling at me that I "need to stop for the stop signs."
Dude. Same team? You didn't have a pissy attitude when you approached. I didn't give you a reason to be pissy. So why the attitude now? Were you so dead set on writing a ticket and I ruined your day? If you're gonna write me, write me. I'll take my lumps; I was wrong.
I've been pulled over 4 times during my driving career. Once before I was a cop, and three while I was on the job. Twice I got attitudes from the officer, and both instances were while I've been employed as a police officer. I don't get it. I've probably stopped 6 active/retired cops in my career. Hell, one was an on duty street crimes detective from a nearby city cutting through our town who gave me kudos for noticing the plate on his undercover truck didn't belong there. All the rest got verbal warnings and a smile. I even bullshitted with them for a few minutes. No hostility, no anger.
I guess my point is - I don't get an attitude with 98% of the Joe Q. Citizens I stop, and certainly don't with officers. So, why am I getting the attitude?
I'm reminded of an old timer who retired shortly after I was hired. He told me a story of how he was stopped on the way to work, in uniform, by a young cop. The cop began berating him about how he should know better than to use his wipers without his headlights on. Finally, the old timer had enough and yelled "Listen asshole - either write me a fucking ticket or let me go. Don't you sit here and lecture me like I'm some child."
Labels: traffic stop
posted by Moe at 16:28
3 Comments:
The bad part is you know that if he treats us like that he treats the citizens worse - and thus gives the rest of us a bad name...
Moe:
I suppose that situations like that are the litmus test when it comes to WHY people decide to put on the shield.
Some do it for the paycheck, go thorugh the motions, and are empty uniforms.
Some do it to pad their resume' as they climb the ladder of "success".
But fortunately, MOST do it because it's just THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
In other words, enforce the law, protect the citizens, and serve the public.
Anything less just wonl;t cut it.
And that includes "officer attitude".
Seems that patrolman needs a refresher course in "brotherhood-101".
But that's just *my* opinion.
Stay safe.
My thought is he interpreted the BTW, I am a police officer too" as a bid for lenience on the citation.
But he didn't want to be lenient, and felt he ought too. So he acted out his ambivalence by not giving the ticket but giving the attitude.
Not everyone has the same background or frame of reference, even in the same job.
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