Pulled over - Good or bad

[RiverRat1]

The below was posted on the other thread and I had a couple questions.

When officers pull people over are their quotas (not tickets per day) they have to meet such as for every 5 people pulled over they must write "x" warnings and "x" citations?

I have no problem being pulled over when the below in obvious. Just wondering why, once they pull someone over that's done no wrong or isn't who they were looking for, they can't just make it a 2 minute stop versus at least making it appear your guilty of something and taking a 15-20 minutes looking for something else minor.

It's been a long time since I was pulled over. Maybe they're faster now? Just curious what the rules are they follow. If the answer is none then I can see why people complain saying it's a hassle.


"Sometimes we just have to donate the 15 minute contact that some people call hassle to allow our officers to do their jobs. With so much case law in favor of the criminals officers use small infractions to catch bigger violators. The man hauling meth to our neighbor kids and the felons on the run aren't cruising 100mph acting fools most of the time. So when I get stopped I am polite and thank our officers for doing their best to make our country safer. Most of the time (not all) the petty traffic stop is not even about us or our violation it's about turning over rocks to help protect us. I'm bias for being Police Officer for 15 years however. "

[HC Sniper]

I am not sure if there really is a quota they have to meet. I might not like it but I just try to be as courteous as I can (in the moment) so that the experience will be as safe and friendly as possible when I get pulled over.

[txwhitetail]

I worked a couple different task force and patrol positions in the past and nothing quota related at any of them.

[WItoTX]

"Sometimes we just have to donate the 15 minute contact that some people call hassle to allow our officers to do their jobs. With so much case law in favor of the criminals officers use small infractions to catch bigger violators. The man hauling meth to our neighbor kids and the felons on the run aren't cruising 100mph acting fools most of the time. So when I get stopped I am polite and thank our officers for doing their best to make our country safer. Most of the time (not all) the petty traffic stop is not even about us or our violation it's about turning over rocks to help protect us. I'm bias for being Police Officer for 15 years however. "

Guilty until proven innocent?

I have no idea what the other thread is, so I am probably reading this out of context.

[TEX_hunt_AS]

DPS pulled me over several of years ago and the initial stated reason was that he thought our windows were tinted too dark. He measured the windows and they were fine. Then the K-9 Unit showed up along with two other DPS officers. I was pretty nervous even though I knew I hadn't done anything wrong. They emptied the entire contents of the vehicle with me and my co-workers on the side of the road. I was polite the entire time. When it was all said and done the informed me that they pulled us over because a vehicle matching our make and model was a known trafficker between DFW and Abilene. I thanked them for there time and they actually helped load the stuff back up. At the end of the day it sucked for us, the whole ordeal was around 2 hrs, but I can assure you that I would have been extremely happy if the had actually stopped the dealer instead of me. I always try to thank them regardless if I'm happy about the experience or not. Those poor men and women in law enforcement have too many people against them these days and its getting worse.

[Pullersboy]

No quotas. Whether or not a citation is issued is solely the decision of the officer.

"Sec. 720.002. PROHIBITION ON TRAFFIC-OFFENSE QUOTAS. (a) A political subdivision or an agency of this state may not establish or maintain, formally or informally, a plan to evaluate, promote, compensate, or discipline:

(1) a peace officer according to the officer's issuance of a predetermined or specified number of any type or combination of types of traffic citations; or

(2) a justice of the peace or a judge of a county court, statutory county court, municipal court, or municipal court of record according to the amount of money the justice or judge collects from persons convicted of a traffic offense.

(b) A political subdivision or an agency of this state may not require or suggest to a peace officer, a justice of the peace, or a judge of a county court, statutory county court, municipal court, or municipal court of record:

(1) that the peace officer is required or expected to issue a predetermined or specified number of any type or combination of types of traffic citations within a specified period; or

(2) that the justice or judge is required or expected to collect a predetermined amount of money from persons convicted of a traffic offense within a specified period."

[RiverRat1]

Guilty until proven innocent?

I have no idea what the other thread is, so I am probably reading this out of context.

The other thread is petty reasons you were pulled over.

I don't mind them stopping me and looking in for drugs etc. But just stop me and you should be able to tell in 3 seconds I'm not a bank robber or that my truck is not filled with drugs...so let me go after 5-10 seconds. No need to BS a reason or look for other things.

I did have one LEO in Lampasas pull me over. He ran my plate and it cam up uninsured. Once I showed him my commercial insurance he let me go real fast. That's how it should be IMO after he peaked in the back window which is fine by me.

[jshouse]

The other thread is petty reasons you were pulled over.

I don't mind them stopping me and looking in for drugs etc. But just stop me and you should be able to tell in 3 seconds I'm not a bank robber or that my truck is not filled with drugs...so let me go after 5-10 seconds. No need to BS a reason or look for other things.

I did have one LEO in Lampasas pull me over. He ran my plate and it cam up uninsured. Once I showed him my commercial insurance he let me go real fast. That's how it should be IMO after he peaked in the back window which is fine by me.

right, because drug dealers usually leave the drugs in plain view and wear a shirt that says "drug dealer" on it...c'mon man

it usually takes a few mins of conversation for them to filter through some things.

[krisw]

If I get pulled over, I expect them to have a reason. Whether or not they write a ticket or a warning is a different story.

[Outbreaker]

One time an officer pulled me over in a bad area of town. When he asked if I knew why I pulled him over and I stated.....

"Because I am white, dressed in a suit and you think I am in this neighborhood to buy drugs."

He smiled and asked why I was there, and I told him I was visiting a client, handed him my file and business card. He checked my DL and CHL and returned. He then asked if I was carrying, I stated "Hell yeah". He then said "Good, make sure you are out of here before dark."

He never told me the made up reason for pulling me over.

[HUNTNETIME]

In a perfect world, only the guilty would get pulled over and placed in cuffs and the rest of us innocent folks would go about our days uninterrupted. I've had two cases where I was pulled over without actually breaking any laws whatsoever. Once was by a DPS officer who didn't even cut his lights on. He drove past me in the opposite direction and stuck his arm out the window and pointed me towards the side of the road. When he turned around, I did so. He pulled up next to me with his passenger window open and asked me if I had been pulled over by BP in the last few minutes. I told him no and he told me to have a good day. About a 30 second ordeal. The other was when a dog alerted on a rental vehicle I was driving through a BP checkpoint. THAT turned into a 2 hour ordeal. I was eventually sent on my way. They were not very apologetic or anything. I chalked it up to them just doing their jobs and life goes on. Would I have rather not been pulled over or sat on a bench for 2 hours being questioned. Yep. Am I glad they were doing their jobs. Yep. Am I upset about it. Nope. We do not live in a perfect world. I DO believe certain jurisdictions do use petty traffic stops as a means of both revenue generation AND traffic control. It may not be a formal policy, but I do believe it happens. I hate being pulled over for 5 over on an interstate by city PD when the heart of their town is about a mile West of the section of interstate I was on. To me, that is a bit of a waste of resources and not doing as much as they can to protect the citizens of their actual town. BUT, with that said, I was speeding within their jurisdiction. Can't deny that.

[JonBoy]

"Sometimes we just have to donate the 15 minute contact that some people call hassle to allow our officers to do their jobs. With so much case law in favor of the criminals officers use small infractions to catch bigger violators. The man hauling meth to our neighbor kids and the felons on the run aren't cruising 100mph acting fools most of the time. So when I get stopped I am polite and thank our officers for doing their best to make our country safer. Most of the time (not all) the petty traffic stop is not even about us or our violation it's about turning over rocks to help protect us. I'm bias for being Police Officer for 15 years however. "

I get where the OP was coming from in the other thread but time is the most valuable resource we possess...you shouldn't be forced to give it up just to make someone's job potentially more impactful. JMO

[Quackerbox]

Quota?

Before I left patrol the average day there was AT LEAST 5 or 6 calls for service holding at any given time for the entire shift. Most days there was no time to run traffic for all the calls. When I check my old district its still the same if not worse. And they have nearly twice the man power now.

Just now on the radio a former co-worker says....free me from this, let me clear that since Im closer then I head back to ***** and you can stack the *****. Thats 3 calls for one guy in one time on the radio. Simply no time to run traffic

[RiverRat1]

Quota?

Before I left patrol the average day there was AT LEAST 5 or 6 calls for service holding at any given time for the entire shift. Most days there was no time to run traffic for all the calls. When I check my old district its still the same if not worse. And they have nearly twice the man power now.

Just now on the radio a former co-worker says....free me from this, let me clear that since Im closer then I head back to ***** and you can stack the *****. Thats 3 calls for one guy in one time on the radio. Simply no time to run traffic

Then why all the stories in the other thread where they get tickets for 1 or 2 over etc? Are those just the bad apple LEO's in areas where they may not be busy?

[Quackerbox]

Then why all the stories in the other thread where they get tickets for 1 or 2 over etc? Are those just the bad apple LEO's in areas where they may not be busy?

exactly.


Even the guys I know who work speed STEP (see paid overtime) dont write for 1 or 2 over, that's ludicrous. Most have at least a 5 mph threshold and really closer to 10. I didnt see the other thread but did those who got wrote for stuff like that say where?