Posted: 8/29/2004 7:38:59 AM EDT
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What is "standard policy" for drawing your weapon on some one? Surely policys differ from dept. to dept., but the question is not asked idly. This happened to me a couple weeks ago after I failed to stop for a couple bike cops. Unbeknownst to me, I had a headlight out on my vehicle. So when I get home, these guys are waiting for me with guns drawn. Is this typical? Is it just me, or does this seem a little extreme? Yes, they had a legitimate beef with me, paid my ticket et al, but having a pistol pointed at me in front of my own house, when I have made no overt (or covert) threat, kinda rubs me the wrong way. Discuss. The next thread might be for our resident attorneys. |
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In general, there are specifically no written guidlines. Common sense dictates that one would draw their weapon and have it in hand when one feels that there is some realistic possibility of a threat present. Many will draw and hold it in hand and position themselves so the pistol is just out of view when there is a more nebulous threat. Then reholster when it is reasonably found that no threat is now present. Now, would I draw on someone for a headlight out??? Not generally, but, that is not likely the reason they drew on you. However, it is entirely possible that since you didn't stop, they thought that something quite more was amiss here and were being extra cautious. You see, most people stop for the police when they activate lights and sirens. Its generally the law's requirement to do so. When someone does not do so, it is one of those things we call clues. Clues are those little bits of information that lead cops to think that something is wrong and that someone is up to no good. My guess is that it was because you didn't stop and they didn't know why. Therefore the only safe presumption to make is that you were up to more than a traffic violation. |
Yes, and apparently this pisses them off mightily. Hoowever, even in the Peoples Republic of Illinois, Random stops without cause are not allowed, unless an annouced "safety inspection" is being conducted. Had I known my vehicle was not up to spec, I would have stopped. The reaction just seems a little extreme, but then again, I have never been on the other side of the badge. FWIW Shotar, the Glock was pointed at my head. |
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Well, first off, it was not a random stop. Next, here are no written guidelines for drawing your weapon, it's really left up to the officer on the spot. Something is missing from your story. Did you run from the police and they came to your house thru the info on your license plate? By "bike cops" do you mean motorcycle or regular bicycle? |
Am I correct in understanding that youknew the police were attempting to stop you, but you believed that you had committed no violation, ergo you did not have to stop? The quote above makes it seem this is the case, please provide more details. 
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Your reasoning is about as stupid as sierra hombre. You didn't stop because you didn't know anything was wrong therefore you felt like there was no reason to stop? Is your name Darwin by chance? |
| Respectfully, you are stupid. If you run from the police or even fail to stop when they stop you, then you DESERVE to get a gun shoved very firmly to your head because you are dumber than a box of hair. It's just one of those things that you just don't do. You're lucky they didn't beat you into a retarded lump of goo. Which you would have deserved. Sounds like you got what you asked for. |
Dido |
you win the "Dumb arfcommer of the week award!" Congrats! 
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Did you give them the classic line, "Officer, is there a problem?" Here in NJ, knowingly failing to stop for a LE officer is called "ELUDING" which is a second degree crime (mucho jail time). LE officers are allowed to point a firearm at someone as an element of "CONSTRUCTIVE AUTHORITY" even if it's not a deadly force situation. I'm surprised you didn't get to wear bracelets for this.... |
Whatta maroon.... next time, do the cops a favor, leave your wallet under the seat and grab for it as you are failing to stop... then jump out of the car and quickly hand it to the closest cop who has his gun drawn..... they like it when you do that. |
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you are kidding right please tell me you are 
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I'm still unclear on the exact circumstances of this incident. Please elaborate. If you did not stop, please explain why you think the police were not justified in ratcheting up their response to your actions, i.e. introducing you to Mr. Glock's creation. I fail to see where you have a legal course of action, but I've been sued for less and with less merit before; so do what you gotts to do! There's always some down on his luck ambulance chaser willing to take such cases. Thanks. |
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So, did this occur at one of those "safety inspection" stops or not? I don't like them at all and they are blatently unconstitutional, though some courts have suprisingly still allowed them as long as they are publicly announced. Their main mission was originally to get drunk drivers off the road, but they have become more than that if they ask you to display id and don't just chat it up with you for a minute. If the police wanted to get a lot of drunk drivers off the road, they would sit outside the bars, but then that wouldn't go over too good in much of the community. You made a mistake by not stopping though, unless you had reason to run  BTW, just which police force in IL was this? 
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I've seen that video of the female cop that had the ND right nest to the guy's head. I'll bet his ears rang for months. I have a hard time believing she's been paying attention to firearms handling because she had a Beretta and in DA mode it isn't REAL easy to fire the gun (mine came from the factory with an 11# DA pull) so she must have had the hammer cocked-then it's only 5#. I've had TWO instances of LEOs approaching my vehicle with guns drawn. Both times I was wearing camoflage-on my way to hunt-and both times were after LEOs had been shot by "militia types" wearing camo. SO, I guess they had cause to be a little twitchy. I hade DAMN SURE I didn't give them any reasons to get twitchier. |