Bad Cop Stories

Okay, who wants to trade bad cop stories? Let's hear 'em.
I've got a few:

It was two a.m., just a few miles east of Ft. Stockton in the dark Texas desert. Section of I-10 out in the middle of nowhere. I'm headed to Bama from Cally. Trooper pulls me over for doing 74 in a 65.

We're at the rear bumper, he's writing down info from my license. He looks at the picture, then up at my more-than-shoulder-length hair. "I see your hair's grow'd a bit since this 'pitcher' was took," he commented.

Not wanting to give this Bubba any excuse for shenanigans, I just nodded. "Yes, sir."

"How come?" he snorted.

I didn't know what exactly to say because any honest answer ("Because that's what happens when you don't cut it") would sound very smartass. I mumbled something about being a musician, and people in my hometown not taking you seriously unless you looked the part.

All I know is the winds over the lonely sands sounded ominous while he wrote out that ticket.

The next incident, I was walking home one night at around one in the morning. As I cut across a strip mall parking lot, a police cruiser wheeled up next to me. A pair of cops got out and demanded to know who I was and what I was doing. I had no driver's license at the time, and the only form of ID in my wallet was a library card, swear to God. They took that, got on the radio for a few minutes, then approached me again.

They proceeded to make me strip right there in the lot so they could "search me for identifying marks." They okayed me and gave me my library card back. As they were climbing into the cruiser, one cop emphatically ordered me, "You better get you some ID."

So, I guess not having "travelling papers" is a minor offense of some sort in this country?

Another time, two cops came to write out an accident report when a driver hit-and-run a friend I was following. My friend stood by the cruiser and answered questions. I leaned on the hood of her car, a few yards a way, and listened to the second cop chatter.

After finding out she wasn't my girlfriend, this cop proceeds to start telling me about all the lascivious things he would like to do to her. His descriptions were not vague. I just stared at the other car and minded my business. Eventually, he utters the phrase "Yeah, I've been dating white girls for about five years now."

All I can do is stare because if I open my mouth, all that's going to come out is "Why should I give a fuck WHO you're goin' out with?"

Then, the guy looks me dead in the eye and says "Some folks around here don't like that," and just maintains eye contact. I don't know what this guy's trip was, but I wondered if he thought he was provoking me in some way. About then, my friend strolls over and the cop walks off.

I never told her about it as all it would do is get her upset over something she couldn't change anyway.

I'm seriously considering quitting my job, going thru a lot of anxiety about it. It was my first job in the drafting industry. Wasn't sure if I could get another one really quickly or not. So I'm out taking a walk at 1AM. Literally two blocks from my house a police cruiser rolls up. Guy stops me, gets my ID, then proceeds to ask me literally 50 times, are you on meth. How much meth are you on. Why is your pulse so fast how much meth have you done tonight. If I take you down to the station and give you a test how much meth will I find?

None, none. none. none. I haven't done any meth tonight. FINE YOU KNOW WHAT, TAKE ME DOWN TO THE STATION SO THAT I CAN COME UP CLEAN. At which point I got my DL back and they left.

I was stopped later that night on the way back, but it wasn't nearly as interesting, he just checked my ID and then left.

I'm not defending their actions in any way, but here in Ohio, it's a law that you carry your driver's licence when you're driving. Most police won't write a ticket if you don't have it, but they can if they choose. So, in effect, we ARE required to carry "travelling papers". (the laws vary by state)

I worked for a Sherrif's Department in dispatch about a million years ago (ok, maybe 15 years ago). There was a Captain that prided himself on being able to make a traffic stop, insult the driver until he got angry, charge him with disorderly conduct and then demand he get out of the car and abose him verbally. When the driver was worked up enough, this Captain would say "You're under arrest" and grab him. If the driver pulled away at all, he'd charce him with resisting arrest (esentially "pimping" the driver into a DC and Resisting for a simple traffic stop). The Captain would come back on-ststion and laugh about it.

...yes, there are some bad cops out thereu

Constitutionally, you're not required to carry ID (although you are required to give a cop your real name if he asks). In practice, in many areas the cops want you to carry ID.

I stand corrected :)

About 1994-95? Driving in my car, stopped at the traffic light at the corner of Geary and Kerney. WHAM! I get rear ended from behind. I looked back, the driver of the car reversed back away from me, zoomed pass my left then cut across my front to make a right turn from the middle lane. I happened so fast I was stunned. I looked back again and woah and behold there was a pair of San Francisco's finest sitting in their police cruiser that was directly behind the car that hit me. I jestured to them what just had happen. They looked at me, shrugged and continued on down Greary at a leisurely pace. WTF! I got out of my car to inspect the damage. Nothing much, just some scratches and small transfer of paint. I was just a few days away from my summer break with international plane tickets booked so I didn't bother with it. Not worth it. One of a few incidents that really lowered my opinion of the SFPD.

"...Nothing much, just some scratches and small transfer of paint."

WHAM!?????

that sounds more like a "tap!"....let me tell you about "WHAM!"

I was sitting at at a red traffic light, second in line behind a station wagon, when WHAM! my car lurched forward when I got hit from behind- the hood of my car buckled as the front end of my 94 jetta was pushed backward by the back end of the solidly built 60's station wagon...the driver's seat i was sitting in was now the driver's seat i was laying in, as the force of the collision from behind caused my body to break the seat.
the driver of the offending vehicle a mexican busboy with (surprise, surprise...) No Insurance. despite the fact that it's against the law to drive w/o insurance in this state.

my car should have been totalled, but because of a crooked arrangement between the state farm adjuster and the body shop, it wasn't, and my car was not fixed correctly. when the shoddy work was discovered by a vw dealer a year later, the body shop had to re-do the work correctly, and i was contacted by police to be a witness in a case they were building against the shop...i never heard back from the cops, but the shop is now gone.

having a great time, joking with my friends....cop car pulls along side. I glance over briefly, smile, and continue focusing on my driving (not speeding, not intoxicated, nothing). Then the cop shines his high-powered spotlight right on me, practically blinding me, but still, no red/blue lights flashing, so I keep focusing on my driving. Then the red/blue lights start flashing. I pull over, roll down window, retrieve my license & registration. Cop comes to my window and proceeds to BERATE me for not "looking over at them when they put the spotlight on me, so what do I have to hide?". If I had done so, I would not only be rendered blind but also would not be able to drive safefully. Stupidest reason I have ever been pulled over. The cop checked my car's VIN number and let me go. stupid cop.

my 80 year old gradmother was stopped by a cop for driving 30 mph instead of the posted 25 mph. Gram had a fit, "how dare you ticket an 80 year old woman, I'm old and I don't even like to drive over the speed limit". She got a ticket for 5 miles over the speed limit. This was 15 years ago and she's still pissed : )

That's right.