Called in DUI Driver, LEO contact with CHP

[WKC]

Originally Posted by Rob P.

Actually, I don't.

In fact you are the one who needs to look it at it "from the other side." Something in the back of my mind makes me think of a thing called the US Constitution and the provisions in it. Nothing in there about "officer safety" or even any premise of "thou shalt abuse your official position at the expense of the general populace." Quite the opposite in fact.

That you do a risky job which places you on the edge of danger does not give you the right or the obligation to stick the barrel of your firearm into someones ear on UNSUBSTANTIATED SUSPICION ALONE. And for all your training you cannot claim to have PC on the basis of seeing an unidentified bulge under someone's clothes. No one can.

As I said, it only takes once and you are financially toast and your unlucky victim an instant millionaire. You should rethink your actions and the thought process behind your motivation. Your family will not be happy that you "came home at the end of your shift" only to inform them that they are now homeless and insolvent because you didn't take the time to REALLY THINK about what you were doing while on the job that day before you tried to kill/did kill an innocent person for no reason at all. And, believe me, it would not be that difficult to prove that your mindset was exactly that.

Of course all that I just said is merely internet bravado on my part. You can ignore my words with impunity. After all, you're a trained professional. Right?

I will ignore your words because I plan on following my training and go home to my family every night.

By the way, what do you do for a living? I love to tell you how to do your job.

[EM2]

Originally Posted by rycerz

Hmmm you gotta study up on some laws and gov't cases before you can make most of your statements. I"m not going to pick them appart one by one but lets put it this way: if you are stopped by an officer and you don't disclose you have a gun and he decides that there is a very high likelyhood that you're armed and you didn't disclose, he'll decide you're probably a danger to him. This most likely means you're coming out the window... no matter how much or little it's open Ok, maybe I"m exagerrating a bit, but the bottom line is that you're considered then a threat. And you know what? The officer is not financially responsible as long as he does what another officer with like experience and training would do. Yeah you can sue the dept and might win some money but that's a different story.

Anyways, it comes down to a courtesy thing: let them know and they'll appreciate it. Don't let them know and be discovered and you're likely (especially in CA) be treated like a criminal till proven otherwise.....

Add to that all the cops that have recently died during traffic stops and or have been attacked during traffic stops and you should realize that their sense of danger is up a couple notches.

Soooo what your trying to say here is the public be damned the cops need to do or should do as they please because of the dangerous / heroic job they do? You conveniently did not post any laws you were quick to elude to in your opening sentence.
Plus I believe you missed the point which I believe was the person posting that they would screw the barrel of their firearm in someone’s ear was perceived as brutality here by those of us more inclined to view authoritarian power suspiciously. You ended your post talking about why it is prudent to let the officer know your legally armed when that was not what the compliant was about.
Now let’s take a closer look at an officer who believes he can screw his barrel into someone’s ear based on a suspicion of that person being armed. It may come as a surprise to you but it is NOT illegal to be armed (proper circumstances and/or permits of course) nor is it required to inform the officer. What would that officer do if he screwed his barrel into an undercover or off duty officer’s ear? And simply because other officers may or may not do the same thing does not protect this officer in a court of law. Police have legal protection when it comes to their legal ability to exercise discretion in the course of their duty but only as far as they do not violate the law themselves and I believe this kind of behavior comes close to violating the very laws they are sworn to uphold.

[rycerz]

I had couple replies.... some of them more polite... some of them less polite.... some of them wordy... some of them very short..... but I"ll just say this: I didn't say "the public be damned the cops need to do or should do as they please because of the dangerous / heroic job they do". I said that one should excercise courtesy in all aspects of life. I also said that if something happens and an officer gets spooked based on someone's behaviour and he spots a gun..... you are very likely to be coming out through the window. HENCE be nice: disclose. Cause guess what... he wants to go home at night.......... Btw, I traveled through many states..... I get to talk to many folks based on the line of work I'm in.... and I do get to talk to quite a few cops too. Most of them say: let me know. It'll put me at ease once I see it and it wont be a surprise to me........

[Gladiator]

Originally Posted by WKC

By the way, what do you do for a living? I love to tell you how to do your job.

He represents the people on the right side of the V.
People V.

[Gladiator]

Some of you need to go on a ride along or take a local citizens academy.

[WKC]

Originally Posted by Gladiator

He represents the people on the right side of the V.
People V.

You mean the wrong side.

[dwlatham]

Originally Posted by Gladiator

Some of you need to go on a ride along or take a local citizens academy.

Where do you get info on that?

[The Black Knight]

Originally Posted by crash5150

On my way home, witnessed someone going the wrong way down a one way street. He was going the same why I was going

Why were you driving the wrong way down that street?

You did very well. You got a drunk driver off the street before he hurt or killed someone. You had a good positive experience with a LEO, so you were a good ambassador for CCW. And you and the CHP got to home that night. Perfect!

[The Black Knight]

Originally Posted by dwlatham

Where do you get info on that?

Check with your Sheriff's department, and/or your local PD. It's usually on their website. If not, give them a call and ask.

[SOLDIERSCOTT]

HOLY CRAP!! I have heard the old moniker "screw my .45 into his ear" a thousand and a half times in my life, and NEVER ONCE did I actually think a Cop was going physically attempt to shove his pistol into someone else's ear. Sheesh...

Rycerz said it best: That Cop only needs to "believe" you are a threat in order to justify his actions. As long as another officer would act the same way, he is ok. Officer Safety, and Officer Discretion are pretty vague explanations for a reason. They allow a LEO to react as he/she best sees fit in the given situation.

Like Gladiator said, the folks who believe a Cop would actually try to give someone a lead earing should go on a ride along and/or gather some accurate information prior to making ignorant statements.

[derringer]

As long as its understood that the feeling of being threatened doesn't only work one way. I would think an officer who wanted to make it home every day would be stupid to escalate a peaceful encounter by applying close physical contact only because he sees a "lump".

[crash5150]

Originally Posted by The Black Knight

Why were you driving the wrong way down that street?

You did very well. You got a drunk driver off the street before he hurt or killed someone. You had a good positive experience with a LEO, so you were a good ambassador for CCW. And you and the CHP got to home that night. Perfect!

I've pondered a few questions before. There is justifiable homicide, as well as other justifications of committing crimes. Like battery.. if you are defending yourself or someone else.

So if you saw someone drunk as *****, get into a car and drive down the wrong way on a one way, could you follow it down the wrong way to make a report. Could you speed to keep up with it? after all, you are breaking infractions to assist law enforcement in stopping a misdemeanor that is occurring in your presence, and the potential of a felony. If you were cited, wonder how the judge would rule on the infractions. I guess you would have to be able to articulate very well on why you did.. what you did.


For the record... i happen to see it turn onto the road i was driving on... from the one way. Drunk Drivers are scary. Whats more scary is they know what could happen and they don't care.

[SOLDIERSCOTT]

Originally Posted by crash5150

I've pondered a few questions before. There is justifiable homicide, as well as other justifications of committing crimes. Like battery.. if you are defending yourself or someone else.

So if you saw someone drunk as *****, get into a car and drive down the wrong way on a one way, could you follow it down the wrong way to make a report. Could you speed to keep up with it? after all, you are breaking infractions to assist law enforcement in stopping a misdemeanor that is occurring in your presence, and the potential of a felony. If you were cited, wonder how the judge would rule on the infractions. I guess you would have to be able to articulate very well on why you did.. what you did.


For the record... i happen to see it turn onto the road i was driving on... from the one way. Drunk Drivers are scary. Whats more scary is they know what could happen and they don't care.

Do not follow. Vigilantism is a felony. I called in an erratic trucker who was literally ALL OVER the 405 South a few weeks ago. CHP dispatch told me flat out: Do not follow him, CHP will handle it.

Granted, he was driving a bright yellow tractor trailer, and doing about 80 at 1AM, and was easy to spot.

If, while in pursuit, you cause a TC, or damage property, or worse, you will NOT be covered. Your intentions are noble, but you would be placing yourself in danger unnecessarily. Be a good witness.

And, FWIW, a tip for everyone: Get the direct line to your local PD Dispatch for non-emerency and put it in your phone under POLICE. Voice recognition is easier and (IMHO) safer to use if you have a BG at gun point.

[derringer]

If you just saw him driving the wrong way and wanted to follow him to get his license number. No way. But, if he just grabbed your son and proceeded to drive the wrong way up a one-way street, I know what I'd do.

I once witnesses the turning point of a long distance freeway high speed chase while I was eating outside a pizza joint. The fleeing vehicle ran up the freeway offramp with a police car in close pursuit. The suspect's vehicle then spun a 180 and the passenger fell out of the door and had to run alongside the car to jump back in as it sped back down the offramp into oncoming traffic. The pursuing officer stopped his car, got out and fired several rounds at the suspect's vehicle. He then got back in his patrol car and resumed his chase. Driving a vehicle at freeway speeds against the flow of traffic is definitely life threatening, and an officer will treat it as such.

[derringer]

Originally Posted by SOLDIERSCOTT

And, FWIW, a tip for everyone: Get the direct line to your local PD Dispatch for non-emerency and put it in your phone under POLICE. Voice recognition is easier and (IMHO) safer to use if you have a BG at gun point.

Do you mean voice recognition built into the phone for auto-dialing? Excellent suggestion. Couldn't you also program 9-1-1 as the phone number dialed?