Why would a cop pull me over and search me?

Question

The other night I was leaving a movie theater with my boyfriend and I was pulled over. The officer said he pulled me over because my license plate frame was partially covering one of the letters on the license plate. When he came up to the window he asked me to get out of the car and he showed me the plate. Then he asked me if I had been drinking, where I was coming from, going to, etc. I told him no drinking, coming from the movies, etc. Then he had me follow the flashlight with my eyes, took my pulse three times once on my wrist, then my arm, then my neck, made me close my eyes and "imagine what 30 seconds would be." Never asked for an i.d. Finally he asked my boyfriend for his i.d. Had him get out of the car. Asked me how long we had been together, did we like the movie, etc. Then asked to search the car. I said yes, he did and he searched my purse. Never asked me for i.d. or registration. Then just told me I could go. All this took over an hour. Is this normal?

Answer 1

Power, just a power thing. He is just another person with no life accomplishments and needs to feel above you and I. I was pulled over once for not having my seat belt on and was treated as if I just robbed the first national bank, searched and harrassed. I now carry a small tape recorder on me and will push play on it when and if I ever get pulled over again. I will in a joking way let them know they are being taped, if they think you are joking they won't look for it. If you tell them they are being taped it CAN be used in court.

Answer 2

Normal, no.

In fact, his supervisor would likely want to hear how he spent so much taxpayer money wasting time.

He did waste time, and not do his job properly, efficiently, or effectively. Worse, he occupied his time with this, rather than being available to actually fight a crime or save a life. I think his supervisor would agree with me that this officer requires some re-training, at least.

He didn't even write a ticket, or even ask for I.D. or registration! He wasn't doing his job. You could be an escaped felon, and he didn't check the ID or for wants and warrrants on a person in his custody.

I'm starting to think that you were not pulled over by a real cop, but a person pretending. Definitely something to report.

Answer 3

That's some pretty f**ked up gestapo bullsh** if you ask me.

Did you get his badge number or his name? I would report his azz to internal affairs - even if you can't identify him, give your name and when it happened, and they might be able to determine who it was, since they usually call in to verify that you don't have any outstanding warrants, etc. (though you say he didn't even ask for ID. so he may have not called anything in)

Did he try to grope you in any way?? (the half a dozen pulse checks sounds like he was working up his bravery towards touching you in more intimate places -- either that or he gets off on wrists and necks).

As far as the search - it was completely out of line since he had no reasonable cause to think you might be doing anything illegal - especially after he didn't even run your f**king id to see if you had priors, or outstanding warrants. If you had smelled like alcohol, or the car reeked of weed, then it would be one thing.

I would definitely contact internal affairs, and inform them of what happened, and tell them you aren't happy about it. Cops sometimes get the idea that they can do whatever the f**k they want because they are cops. It's time to put one of them in his place.

Answer 4

Police officers have all kinds of reasons for searching vehicles (and in your case he was probably using the license plate frame as an excuse to check you out and see if you had been drinking), but they can't search your vehicle without probable cause unless you give consent -- and you did. You don't have to give consent, and you may run across some police officers who will try to twist your arm by saying "Why not let me search if you have nothing to hide?" or "If you don't give me consent it makes you look guilty." If you don't want them to search, don't get cute or belligerant with them -- just say "I'm sorry, but if you want to search my vehicle you'll have to get a warrant."

Answer 5

It is possible you were in an area known for drugs, that is why he stopped you and searched your car.

As long as you feel he did what is within his rights, you shouldn't worry about it (you didn't get arrested). However, if you feel he stepped over the line somehow, I would file a complaint with the Police Dept.

Answer 6

does not remember how many law enforcement officers, and that they could seek your motor vehicle...with that severe speed that they had no reason to have confidence you (consequently the pat down) and has smart reason to hunt the motor vehicle, provided that maximum persons that are dashing like that have some thing else occurring. apparently you probably did not, or you are able to have reported further quotes. Their movements have not something to do consisting of your dashing citation...you have been all the way by using dashing in the previous those searches...it won;t get you off or decrease your nice.

Answer 7

Cops MAY sometimes get away after doing much worse things. I must say the cops, who handled your case, were relatively good. Many times, there are imposters who wear uniforms of cops and dupe you and bring a bad name to the cops. The greatest difficulty "a vulnerable lonely couple" faces on dark isolated highways is that, even "some" real cops (generally, at lower levels ONLY), refuse to show their IDs, and if someone asks them (perfectly legally and gently) to show their IDs, the egos (of this rare variety of cops - luckily, their numbers are small) cannot swallow being questioned about IDs. Senior officers, have NO such false ego issues. Problem is, governments are often forced to give, even junior cops excessive powers, due to restraints on resources. Admittedly, cops have to handle tough jobs, at risk to their own lives, many a time - a thing, which they frequently have to do, as part of their routine duties - some (only some) of the lower level cops, use the powers against harmless innocent civilians, who, unluckily, happen to fall into their clutches. But, there are many true and genuine cops with good ethics, too. This good category is often overlooked by our couldn't-care-less society, sometimes causing the numbers of good cops to swiftly dwindle down. (This is a globally observed issue). Cops also require the encouragement and motivation from society - their seniors do not generally miss out on such issues, although, the senior officers are far too loaded with very many responsibilities. Moral: DO NOT GO OUT, ALL BY YOURSELVES, TO DARK, LONELY SPOTS, OFTEN FREQUENTED BY HARDENED CRIMINALS. COPS OFTEN DO HAVE TOUGH JOBS UPON THEIR HEADS, AND YOU CAN'T BLAME THEM, FOR BEING ROUGH TO YOU, IF YOU HAPPEN TO PRESENT YOURSELVES AT UNEXPECTED PLACES AT UNEXPECTED TIMES. DO NOT BREAK SOCIAL CONVENTIONS. LISTEN TO THE ADVICE OF YOUR OWN FAMILY SENIORS, AND RESPECT THEM - THOSE EXPERIENCED "OLDIES."

Answer 8

This happens all the time. Whenever a cop asks you if he can search your car, always say no. If he has cause to search your car he wouldn't ask you first, so he had no reason to search your car.

Answer 9

They aren't suppose to, but yes. He was looking for drugs, obviously. The license plate was just an excuse.

If you are underage, or look like it, he was probably stopping you for DWT...driving while a teenager.

Answer 10

File a complaint with the police dept for harassment