I'm asking this for my friend who ran out of questions:
One day after school, my parents weren't going to be home until like midnight. They had me run an errand right after school to give this letter to some company (I think it was the water company). Anyways, I knew how to get there, but I guess I made a few wrong turns on the walk home, because I was lost. It was about 6:00 and I had no idea where to go. All of a sudden, I see a cop car. I wave it down and he comes out. I simply tell him that I am lost and do not know where to go. I give him my address and he gives me directions. As I am about to leave, he asks if I would like a ride home. I gladly accept the offer. I then tells me to please turn around. He handcuffs me behind my back and puts me in the car like a criminal. I'm too speechless to turn down the offer now. He never told me why he had to handcuff me, and I was too scared to ask.
2007-06-11 08:09:01 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
When we get there, we walks me to the door in my handcuffs (all the neighbors are watching this). I tell him my parents are out of town. He then asks for their cell phone number. So here I am (still in my school uniform) handcuffed in my front lawn with a cop calling my parents. The neighbors have even begun to take pictures of this. He gets off and tells me that my story checked out and he took off the handcuffs. Then I used my key to go inside and he left. But why did he handcuff me? He offers me a ride and treats me like a criminal. I don't understand why at all.
2007-06-11 08:09:20 · update #1
He wasn't trying to treat you like a criminal. He was protecting himself. He doesn't know anything about you. And with you in the back of the car (where everyone goes, even if they are victims of a car accident), he doesn't know if you plan on grabbing him from behind.
In your lawn, he also doesn't know if you plan on taking off or not. He's simply trying to be careful. An officer who isn't careful is a dead officer.
2007-06-11 08:14:03 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Be VERY GLAD that you were 'put in handcuff' and were 'humiliated' in front of your neighbors ... what if it had been a 'robber' or a murderer who 'told the police' the same EXACT story you did ... expecting to be 'taken to the place and let go' so they could 'do their crimes' freely, without any 'checking' on who they were or whether they really 'belonged there' ... you could have been 'home alone' and in REAL DANGER if the cop had treated someone else the way you 'think you should have been treated'!
It would have been better if you had 'flagged the police car down' and said, I'm lost and my parents aren't at home, and I don't know where a phone booth is to call them. Can you help me to the nearest phone booth?' Or 'could you please call my parents, I'm lost and need someone to come get me'and then given them the 'number' to call? THAT would have been 'much better' and your 'experience' would have been 'more pleasant' in the end ... so at least half of the 'responsibility' is yours if you were 'treated badly' before you were RELEASED ... and 'being scared' doesn't count for much with the cops ... because most law abiding citizens are not 'afraid' of the police.
2007-06-11 08:23:46 · answer #2 · answered by Kris L 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I have no idea, but you have a valid complaint to the department. My father is a police officer and I have been harrassed by cops in the past for ridiculous reasons, a simple call to the chief usually gets the point across. He had no reason to handcuff you, unless it was department protocal for you to be in the vehicle, however he should have explained that to you, and removed them immediately after you exited the vehicle, not after he walked you to the door and "checked your story out". Again I would call the department, requested an explanation and/or file a complaint. If he was arresting you, you would have known because he is required to read you your rights, the fact that he handcuffed you with no explanation is unacceptable.
2007-06-11 08:13:45 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think the officer wanted to protect himself. But this action of handcuffs is uncalled for. What if he handcuffed you to make you defenseless and raped you? What will you say in the end? That you were too scared to question authority...thus lending to your demise?
People like your friend makes me more convinced that America really isn't the home of the brave anymore, simply because people are too scared to question authority figures.
I would have accepted his offer to drop me home, but if he tells me to turn around I will ask why, and if he insists, I will not accept the ride. That was very careless of you.
2007-06-11 09:13:51 · answer #4 · answered by Jerry H 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Most police depts have policies that if you are in the officers care you must be restrained. This makes complete sense since you may or may not have been telling the truth as far as your situation. Secondly this makes sure that no-one gets hurt if other issues arise.
It was nothing personal probably just department policy. Remember lawyers are too quick to sue if someone gets hurt.
2007-06-11 08:16:18 · answer #5 · answered by fstopf4 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Handcuffs are for the cops safety. A cop if offering you a ride home has the right to handcuff you for his safety as well as he is able to do a stop and search. When these a made he will most likely handcuff you.
2007-06-11 08:13:17 · answer #6 · answered by EB1285 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
there was no reason to, a civilian can ride in the front seat of a police cruiser. Also students don't have to be cuffed to be in a police ride along. I would have your parents file a complaint on the officer and maybe even talk to a lawyer.
2007-06-11 08:14:54 · answer #7 · answered by nor_cal116 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That behavior on the part of the policeman does not seem right to me. You should get the snapshots your neighbors took for evidence, and you and your parents should approach your state attorney for an opinion as to whether or not the policeman's behavior was appropriate.
The state attorney's office should be able to tell you how to proceed.
Maggie
2007-06-11 08:14:43 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
He may have though you were a runaway? I would report him because that doesn't sound right.
This story can't be true! If your parents don't know yet tell them. They should be outraged and that cop needs to be reported. Get those picture from your neighbors to show evidence.
2007-06-11 08:15:16 · answer #9 · answered by pditty 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am not sure. There may have been some crime where you fit the description of the criminal and for safety reasons the officer handcuffed you until he/she knew your story was correct. I still believe that you should have been given an explanation.
2007-06-11 08:12:44 · answer #10 · answered by msi_cord 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋