A police stopped me today. Routinely, he took my license and registration. He told me the reason he stopped me was because one of my break lights was out then returned to his car to run my license (I guess). After a min or so, he returned to the car and asked me if I smoked weed or if I use narcotics. I said no, he said "are you sure", I said "I'm sure". He asked me again and again I said I do not use weed. Then he said "I'm asking you that for a reason... When I walked up to you car, I smelled weed...do you have a problem with me searching your car"? I told him I didn't have a problem with that and again he asked me if I was sure that neither I nor anyone else had smoked in my car. He searched my car, then said... the fine for a break light out is $70...I'm gonna cut you a break. You can go". There is no way he smelled weed!!! Do police make up stories like this??? If so, why. I'm really upset about this. Thanks.
2007-12-04 13:15:27 · 17 answers · asked by Jonathan S 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
He could have needed to make a few traffic stops or he could be profiling you. Cops are like any other human, they lie. Don't take it personally, he is a dedicated professional with his heart in the right place, public safety.
2007-12-04 13:30:41 · answer #1 · answered by whrldpz 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Police officers all over the world use excuses like "your brake light is out" to stop drivers. In most countries they must have a reason to stop vehicles & will make up something if they feel the need to. As for him asking you if you smoke weed or use narcotics - you can refuse to answer such questions. It is up to him to demonstrate that he has sufficient suspicion that you do before he can proceed further on it. As for searching your car, he obviously didn't have any suspicion that you had anything illegal in your car or he would have searched it anyway. You could have & should have refused to give him your permission to. Remember, it is up to any police officer to show that they have a lawful excuse to stop & search you. It is not up to you to show that he/she does not.
2007-12-04 21:31:20 · answer #2 · answered by Graham C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can thank President Reagan, Congress and a weak Supreme Court for this one.
All a cop needs to search your car is "suspicion". All he needs to back that up is, "I thought I smelled it".
You have been profiled my dear. I bet you are young (under 25), wear your hair a little shaggy and drive an older car. How close am I?
Welcome to the Just Say No and War on Drugs stupidity. Stops nothing, costs billions and turns millions into criminals, and innocents into suspects.
Peace.
2007-12-04 21:20:09 · answer #3 · answered by Gem 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Police often make up stories like this. They have to have probable cause to search your vehicle, and a break light out is not probable cause. So he made up the "probable" cause, thus giving him the right to search. Next time refuse him permission to search and ask for his supervisor to come to the scene. He has to stop everything at that point, and get a supervisor out there, then explain everything to him. If he made up probable cause, he could have very well thrown something in your car..Don't trust him...ask for a supervisor to be present during the search.
2007-12-04 21:24:58 · answer #4 · answered by dannah1129 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Police can be very arrogant, a lot of police officers go into law enforcement just so they can feel superior and just so they can boss people around! How do I know this, I have family who are police officers, and I know what they tell me. I am not say every one, but there are so many people with aggression issues in police work, don't worry, it could have been worse! There are a lot of police violence, thank God he only accused you of weed....
2007-12-04 21:39:03 · answer #5 · answered by Sweet Judy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes they do and according to us const case law they can stop you on a pretext and lie to suspects without any constitutional infirmity. whether your state has laws against it is another story
"The fact that a confession was procured by deception or subterfuge does not invalidate the confession as a matter of law." 29A Am. Jur. 2d Evidence § 743
"a stop of a car because the car and its occupants fit a police officer's notion of a drug profile is not pretextual, when the car is stopped for speeding and equipment violations." 68 Am. Jur. 2d Searches and Seizures § 120
2007-12-04 21:29:36 · answer #6 · answered by qb 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes Police lie .All police should have to take a lie detector test at the very least once a year and be asked this one question . Did you ever lie or fabricate a reason to stop anyone ? This one question would remove all the scum from our streets.
2014-08-05 05:50:50 · answer #7 · answered by ? 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yeah the police just want all are money on fines so they can go buy some donoughts they never do any real police work they just forget about the murders rapists and petty theieves because they don't get nothing out of it but they get cash for catching you speeding or something so that is why they concentrate 80% of police work on the road and only 20% of the real police work solving real crimes
2007-12-04 21:36:10 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
in my experiences yes!!!! it's called reasonable cause as long as the suspect that there is something in the car they can search and yes they do lie and steal to they think there above the law
2007-12-04 21:33:58 · answer #9 · answered by katey b 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
at that point he can say what he wants , he just wanted permission to search your car, educate ur self on what LEs can do at what point in time former LE
2007-12-04 21:21:30 · answer #10 · answered by jmel20 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋