Got pulled over for an hour, patted down, and car searched

**ls1camino** · 04-16-2012, 08:17 PM

This is an awesome story, so bear with me...

I stopped to get gas on the way home from dropping a friend off at his house. Pulling out of the gas station, I didn't signal my turn and a cop followed me almost all the way to my house. He flipped his lights on as I made the u-turn to go to my neighborhood. I drove down and pulled into a parking lot so the officer was not exposed on the highway. I stop, turn the car off and put my hands on my head for them to see. He walks up and here is the following conversation:

Officer #1: "License and registration please." I give them to him.
Officer #1: "Why did it take you so long to pull over?"
Me: "Because I was thinking of your safety. I didn't want you to get hit by a passing car."
Officer #1: "That's what the flashing lights are for."
Me: "I've seen plenty of cops get hit on the side of the road." He walks back to his car. Another police car pulls up and the officer walks up to my passenger window.
Officer #2: "What's your problem?"
Me: "Excuse me?"
Officer #2: "What's your problem?"
Me: "When I said 'excuse me' I meant that I did not understand the question, so repeating it does not make it more clear than the first time you asked it."
Officer #2: "Don't get smart with me! Why didn't you pull over when the lights came on?"
Me: "I was thinking of your safety, I didn't want you getting hit by a passing car."
Officer #2: "Well, next time you need to pull over right away."
Me: "No, I don't. I can pull over anywhere I want, there is no law that says I need to pull over immediately."
Officer #2: "Doesn't matter, you should do as I say next time."
Me: "Oh, so you're telling me I should break the law just because you said so? Can I get your permission to go rob a bank or murder someone, please?" By this time a third officer has rolled up on a bike.
Officer #2: "Get out of the car now!"
Me: "Why? and you didn't even say 'please'"
Officer #3: "Sir, please get out of the car."
Me: "Why?"
Officer #3: "Because the officer (#1 in this case) smelled PCP."
Me: "Oh ok." I get out of the car and I am told to stand about 15 feet away.
Officer #3: "Have you been drinking tonight?"
Me: "No"
Officer #3: "Have you been doing any drugs?"
Me: *smirk* "Tonight?"
Officer #3: "Ever!"
Me: "No" At this point Officer #2 has started looking through my car.
Me: "Hey, you're not allowed to do that without a warrant."
Officer #2: "Yes I am, if I believe there is drug related items in the vehicle."
Me: "No you're not. It's not like they're going to get up and walk away while you're waiting for a warrant."
Officer #2: "Fine!" Goes off to presumably call for a warrant *shrug*
Officer #3: "Where were you tonight?"
Me: "Work."
Officer #3: "Where is work?"
Me: "Pasadena"
Officer #1: "That's not where you pulled out of."
Me: "Well, HE asked me where I was tonight, so where I work seemed more important than the gas station I was just at."

While waiting for the warrant, I get patted down for whatever, given a field sobriety test and field drug test, because my pupils were dilated. Passed both test easily. I was told to sit on the curb while we waited for the warrant. When the warrant was brought over an hour later, I read it and gave them permission to search my car. They proceed to take EVERYTHING out of my car including every car part that were still in boxes in my truck. They then open every box and dumped the contents all over the parking lot. After they are completely satisfied that I have no drugs or alcohol they tell me I can leave. They just laughed at me when I told them to put everything back. Oh well, lol.

I'm torn between filing a complaint and just letting it go. I really had too much fun being an asshole to them that it almost seemed worth it.

**SiggyZ** · 04-16-2012, 08:31 PM

I think both you and the cops were assholes in this situation. You set them off by being a smart ass.

**Y2KArcticSS** · 04-16-2012, 08:34 PM

Wow little more than standard procedure it sounds like... based on an assumption from Officer Bloodhound's keen sense of the smell of PCP....

I would have been an ass too. Good for you making them go through the law instead of around it. Sorry that you had to go through that at the same time. Hope they didn't mess anything up with your vehicles, I've heard some horror stories in the past.

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**blackSS01** · 04-16-2012, 09:15 PM

Next time you are in WI, beer is on me

**98maro** · 04-16-2012, 10:25 PM

Cops.....
That sux bro.
One time I got pulled over they took me out of my car searched everything. Pulled the headliner off. Door panels. And all they felt like doing. Just bc I did not have my license on me.
Of course. I had to put everything back......

**Smittro** · 04-17-2012, 02:41 AM

I would'nt even think twice about filing a lawsuit..

**GTP231** · 04-17-2012, 04:39 AM

PG county or MTA?

**flat-top** · 04-17-2012, 04:46 AM

I'm sorry for your bad experience. Most of us aren't that bad...

**Y2KArcticSS** · 04-17-2012, 05:10 AM

I've personally only had a problem with a couple in my small town. Stopped for running my fog lights once, another time because my tag light was 'blue' (LED). Neither time got me a ticket, just frustrating that they wasted my time for piddly things. I've had many a highway patrol give me a break when I had lead foot syndrome.

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**Zinergy** · 04-17-2012, 05:51 AM

I get pulled over all the time for no front plate. They sometimes ask if they can search my car and the two times I said no they called for a K9 unit. Once the dog barked or gave the cop the I found something look(cause i didnt hear him bark) lol they said it was cause enough to search. They always ask me where I was coming from, where I am going or usually what my business is in there city. Cops these days go too far in most situations. They ask inappropriate questions which they have no business knowing. Protect and serve has become hassle and harrass.

**tatertot91** · 04-17-2012, 07:00 AM

I've had my fair share of cops like that, but i've also met some pretty cool down to earth ones. One laughed telling me I woke him up taking off down the street. saw my fast 92 in the back seat and was joking around saying the car was loud and fast enough. glad you at least got a laugh out of it

**GTP231** · 04-17-2012, 08:00 AM

Originally Posted by Zinergy

I get pulled over all the time for no front plate. They sometimes ask if they can search my car and the two times I said no they called for a K9 unit. Once the dog barked or gave the cop the I found something look(cause i didnt hear him bark) lol they said it was cause enough to search. They always ask me where I was coming from, where I am going or usually what my business is in there city. Cops these days go too far in most situations. They ask inappropriate questions which they have no business knowing. Protect and serve has become hassle and harrass.

Never once been asked anything inapropriate before. Only issue I've ever had was by the MTA police down by BWI. Forgot about my registration renewal so was expired by 2 months(living in MD always maintained PA registration). Got the car has to be towed but we won't impound you tonight. I'm telling my buddies if they see you to stop and impound your car. Asked if I could borrow his phone to call my boss since I lost my phone that day. Just got a no. Just waited 20 minutes and drove home praying I didn't see them.
Then I later get issues from them never telling PA I paid the tickets from that night. God I hate that state

**Zinergy** · 04-17-2012, 09:20 AM

Asking me where I am coming from, going to or what my business is are all inappropriate questions. They have no business knowing that information as I am a "free" American citizen not a criminal.

Citizens with badges often do not know there limits and sometimes they just do not care. There has been case after case and video after video to prove this.

**GTP231** · 04-17-2012, 09:39 AM

When stopped for speeding I don't see how "Where ya in a hurry too?" As inapropriate or if stopped late at night aka past 1:30am where ya coming from as you know the possibilty of DUI exists. Do I drink and drive no do others yup so big whoop. He's doing his job so if you don't want to be asked questions stop giving them reasons to pull you over.

**robcas47** · 04-17-2012, 09:43 AM

There are assholes in every job, I wouldn't let this incident ruin the reputation for every cop. I can understand the witty sarcasm you gave them since they weren't satisfied with the original answer about pulling over in a safe spot, I was asked the same question before after doing the same thing and the cop appreciated the guesture but nicely recommended that I pull over immediately next time around. I would have gotten their badge numbers and filed a complaint since they were out of line with the initial lack of warrant search. Also PCP has a very distinctive smell that a running car does not even come close to producing, it doesnt even dilate your pupils. They were just looking to find something else on you, sometimes a simple traffic stop can lead to a much larger arrest for these guys and if given a reason they will pursue that, or if they feel like being a dick they can just claim whatever they want get away with as much as you let them. This is why you should always take the time to go ahead and file a complaint if you feel you should. My uncle has been LAPD for about 20 yrs now and told me that all valid complaints get filed under that cops record, I guess if they get enough they get reviewed and so forth. Either way from what he told me, any time a cop is overstepping his grounds you simply ask for his badge number and write it down, if he refuses to give it to you ask his partner or whatever back up that shows up. This is sometimes a reality check and an indicator to the cop that you are considering filing a complaint. That was a funny read and my favorite part was "excuse me" explanation, gotta remember that.

**Zinergy** · 04-17-2012, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by GTP231

When stopped for speeding I don't see how "Where ya in a hurry too?" As inapropriate or if stopped late at night aka past 1:30am where ya coming from as you know the possibilty of DUI exists. Do I drink and drive no do others yup so big whoop. He's doing his job so if you don't want to be asked questions stop giving them reasons to pull you over.

Usually when I get pulled over for no front plate I am in Brookfield where I work from 8:30am to 5:30pm. The two times I was searched were coming back from lunch around 2pm. That is one thing I miss about living in the city the cops usually have better things to do then worry about me.

I am not saying all cops are bad cause I have met some good ones. Who just want to do there job but in my personal experience more of them want to mess with and hassle the average citizen. They talk as though they are your superior.

**Smittro** · 04-17-2012, 10:40 AM

I am never disrespectfull to ANY Police Officer, even if I think he/she is totally out of line.

Frankly because it's never a winning battle to have an open verbal altercation with law enforcement.

With that said, I am still not going to lay down and have my rights trampled upon.

I live in the city, a large city, I fully understand the garbage they have to deal with everyday on the streets as I have seen plenty of it first hand.

I give them the utmost credit, and respect for the job they get up every day to do, to make a living for themselves and their families.

They do what others won't or can't for generally not much financial well being, that alone deserves admiration and respect.

But that also gives an Officer/s NO right to carry out a power trip.

Nor any other chip they may be carrying around because I am 5-10 over the speed limit or forgot to signal.

That is just how I feel about it.

**Schmalgar** · 04-17-2012, 11:27 AM

^^ That somes up my position pretty well...

I once got pulled over for doing 95 in a 55, he asked me where I was going in such a rush, I told him honestly I was late for a movie with my friends, he said slow down and enjoy the movie and walked back to his car...

Cops represent the same cross section of our society as most other groups. Some bad, some dishonest, but mostly good normal people trying to do their job the best they can. I hope it's just a few ruining the reputation of the whole...

**Schmalgar** · 04-17-2012, 11:28 AM

Also, you can get pulled over for running your fog lamps? Really? It's not exactly like those low pointing beams are blinding oncoming drivers... What's the reasoning for that?

***SMWS6TA*** · 04-17-2012, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by Schmalgar

Also, you can get pulled over for running your fog lamps? Really? It's not exactly like those low pointing beams are blinding oncoming drivers... What's the reasoning for that?

That is one of those things that falls on a state by state statue. Some states have funny damn traffic laws. Some are common sense, some aren't

AL has one about how high off the ground your bumper and headlights can be based on your class of vehicle. In parts of KY horse drawn buggies have right of way even when they are on state highways.