Posted: 5/27/2004 7:13:21 PM EDT
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Some questions I have from my trip down there last month. Why did I usually see two cops (and two cars) in one traffic stop? Why does everybody get out of the vehicle during a traffic stop? Just curious. This is NOT the way its handled here in WA. If you get out of the car here, it will be at gunpoint, right before the cuffs go on. |
| If you saw two cars and two officers and everone out of the vehicle then stands to reason that a consent search was in progress. We have a lot of drugs and cash flowing through the state. There was just a million dollar cash seizure on I-40 about 4 weeks ago. Stopped for a traffic infraction, driver acting weird, driver came back with a felony warrant, search incident to arrest came up with 1 million in cold cash. IF an officer is going to search a vehicle we'll get back up, because the occupants of the vehicle are not under arrest, they have given premission to search, and so another officer will watch them while the vehicle is searched. |
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That was my first thought, but it looked like families, and they were huddled around the patrol car and one of the officers had a clip board. Two of the three traffic stops were like this. Then there was all the college age kids cuffed and sitting on the ground at another scene, but that looked like MIP or drugs or something. Lots of cops down there, thats for sure. Saw a wrecked cruiser in Green Valley one night. Big investigation going on around it too. |
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In my moms hometown a cop pulled over the mayor. For one reason or another he got out of the vehicle (beside a city street, its not like it was a freeway). Anyway, the Officer drew on him and yelled and had him do the whole hands on the car routine. The officer in question is known for being heavy handed. Its anecdotes like these (and my own experience) that make me keep my hands on the wheel until the officer gets to the window. |
thats funny cause umm thats not how we do it and last time I checked I'm in WA, nothing like that ever mentioned in the academy either. Now if someone hops out of their car and charges the officer, then sure.. guns are out. It's officer discretion, and as long as he can justify why he needed to draw his firearm then its ok. Two cars = officer presence, if theres an officer available nearby why not have some backup. |
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Hands on the steering wheel, interior lights on after dark, driver window open, and if you have power windows/tinted windows, lower all of your windows so he knows what he is walking up on. Then again he might think you are trying to ventilate your car of any odor. TX DPS troopers make the driver step out and back to the rear of the car. Maybe so he can get him in front of the camera. Ive seen a couple of videos where a trooper walks up the window and gets a couple of rounds fired at him at the getgo. Traffic stops are pretty wild. Stay safe. |