officer. When a driver exits the vehicle it tends to escalate the situation of the vehicle stop, as now the officer will have several concerns. One of those concerns will be distraction. The officer now has to place his/her attention span exclusively on the driver, when there may be additional occupants in the vehicle, who may be armed and dangerous. There may also be narcotics or weapons inside the vehicle, but the officer cannot investigate any of this while the driver is out of their vehicle. The officer may be fearful that the driver is armed, and without a pat-down search, the officer will never know. So the driver should stay in the vehicle at all times, unless asked by the officer to exit the vehicle.
9. Give the officer the information
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Don’t make the officer feel threatened. When an officer makes a vehicle stop and the driver of the car has their hands concealed, the officer will feel threatened. The officer does not know if the driver is trying to conceal drugs or a weapon, so instinctively if an officer cannot see your hands, they typically will ask you to slowly show them. The driver should realize this could be a pivotal moment, if a correction is not made on the driver’s behalf, in seconds the officer may draw their handgun for protection. The driver should also have a cordial attitude. When the driver has a bad attitude toward the law enforcement officer, this may also contribute to the officer feeling threatened and quickly, the officer will react. The reaction of the officer is all about their safety. The foundation of vehicle stops can be very fragile for the officers and citizens. Remember the officer is thinking, “safety first,” as they are concerned about being injured or killed. So instead of waiting until the officer utters the words, “place your hands where I can see them,” be one step ahead and accomplish that task on your own. The officer may not tell you this but they will be very appreciative of being able to see your hands. The same goes with having a positive attitude. It’s only obvious the officer is going to feel more cooperation when the driver has a positive attitude. This will make the officer feel less threatened during the
All agencies that equip their officers with Tasers properly train their personnel as well as have it in their use of force continuum. Mr. Bryan was stopped for a seatbelt violation and although he was being vulgar and acting irate, he was not directing it towards Officer McPherson. Even though Bryan exited his vehicle, Officer McPherson could have gave him commands to just stay at the vehicle and do not approach him unless directed to. I have been on traffic stops when the driver abruptly exited the vehicle without being directed to do so. My thought on this is even though they exited their vehicle, I do not want them to get back into their vehicle because they may have a weapon in the vehicle that they cannot now reach or drive off, and I can keep a better eye on their actions out of the vehicle. I believe that Officer McPherson could have handled this situation a lot better with more verbal judo and professionalism. Even though it is taught that a reactionary gap of 21 feet is recommended when dealing with an unknown suspect, Officer McPherson could tell that Bryan had nothing in his hands and did not pose a threat. I am not a fan of Taser guns for the simple fact that there have been too many lawsuits and injuries that stem from the usage of them. My department’s view on them is that they are not necessary and as long as the trooper is properly trained in
This study was created by Lt. Wells on behalf of the Florida Highway Patrol. Lt. Wells was a member of the Law Enforcement Stops and Safety Subcommittee. This committee is volunteer-based and works under the financial support of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and is affiliated with the International Association of Chiefs of Police. As a me...
I will help my employee to finish the job quickly. At the same time start polite conversation with her and apologize to the passenger. Depend on her response conveyance her we are doing inspection for every one safety. Appreciate her support and thanks her for her cooperation.
First, studies have to show how the officers apply the procedure of stop-and-frisk second, it should describe how the Fourth Amendment ties with how the police officer performs it. As further research has passed, the authors have seen some articles of steps on how stop-and-frisk being done. “Officers should conduct stops only when they are justified.” By this standard, officers should be required to file a report explaining the reason and context surrounding the stop, along with the ultimate outcome (arrest, weapons or drug confiscation, etc.). Police leaders, commanders, and managers should communicate a clear, uniform message about the purpose of the practice and lay out the expectations for police conduct. Officers should be trained to conduct stops legally and respectfully. In essence, they need to “sell the stop” to citizens by explaining the purpose behind it, how it links to the agency’s crime control efforts, and why it benefits the
“Yes, sir. I live here and make this turn every day. I’m not sure what I did wrong this time,” I responded in my most innocent voice. All three times I had been pulled over prior to that day, I managed to get out of getting a ticket. This police officer, however, was not
The understanding of police work is somewhat similar to the same way officers analyze and deal assholes. As we know understanding of police work deals with maintaining order, but at the same time they might come to counter certain individuals who will question the authority of the police. That’s called moral mandate. The officer has to decide in what way he is going to proceed the encounter with. The officer can get physical with the individual, he can just pretend he never heard anything and let it go, or he could find the simplest probable cause to make an arrest. It is similar to when police officers are dealing with assholes. They need to figure out if the individual is going to cooperate, question, or go against police authority. Territoriality is also an important key to understanding police work. It is an advantage if the officer knows his surroundings because then the officer will know when something is going on. Now when it comes to dealing with an asshole, the officer is familiar with the characteristics of someone that is going to be trouble. Once they approach the individual they can if they are dealing with an asshole. If it is an asshole they are dealing with they need to follow three stages to make sure what the circumstances are and how to deal with the individual. Those three stages are Affront, Clarification, and Remedy.
Law enforcement officers need a reason to stop you. Remember, it cannot be just a hunch the police officer had. Their action has to be backed up with facts that led him to believe you, or someone else had committed a crime. Like the Supreme Court cases we went over, all dealt with reasonable suspicion in some way. Reasonable suspicion is the standard police officers need to stop and frisk someone. They will need probable cause, a higher standard, to search and arrest a person. Remember, officers need reasonable suspicion to stop, question, and
Police officers encounter many chases throughout their careers. High speed chases are the most common. They risk their lives in order to stop the criminals before they endanger someone else’s life. Road blocks are used to crack down on drunk driving, drug users, and also driving without a license or insurance. It is a police officer’s job to insure that each victim, witness, and criminals deserve to be treated with respect and compassion.
Police Behavior during Traffic and Street Stops. 2011 . Retrieved November 18, 2013 from: http://www.bjs.gov/index.
If the police reasonably suspect the person is armed and dangerous, they may conduct a frisk, a quick pat-down of the person’s outer clothing. Moreover, Terry stop is conducted within the fourth amendment of the U.S. Constitution which, “is the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures…”
Everyday law enforcement personal have the possibility to face dangerous events in their daily duties. In performing such duties a police officer could come by a seemingly ordinary task, and in a blink of an eye the event can turn threatening and possible deadly. When or if this happens to an officer they won’t have
Officers are able to use discretion in many situations that their morals would guide them in. They have the right to pull a person over with probable cause or a violation and they can choose whether to give them a ticket, a warning, or nothing, depending on the situation.
As we cruised around the community, he pointed out countless minor traffic violations, both moving and non-moving, but opted not to make any stops. At this point he stated his main concern was to spot any impaired drivers and get them off the road. Eventually, as we came up behind an older civic (the Civic had a broken brake light) on Centreville Road, the officer stated that he detected the scent of marijuana coming from the Civic. The driver of the Civic noticed Crutchman’s police cruiser behind him and dropped his speed to 5 mph under the posted limit. Officer Crutchman began tailing the vehicle which immediately turned off on the next available road. We proceeded to follow the Civic for a couple of miles. I could tell that Officer Crutchman wanted to make the stop, and I inquired why he hadn’t done so already on account of the Civic’s faulty brake light. He responded that he is cautious about making such stops because he does not want a “new law named after him” on account of the controversy surrounding pretextual stops. It is possible that this careful attitude has developed as a result of the rising public outcry against police and
Defensive driving is the act of driving safely while being alert and aware of your surroundings and other drivers. It is the act of driving for yourself and others as well. You cannot be a defensive driver if you have distractions. Whether it be people, music or even objects, you should keep all of these things at bay.. By doing this you will become a better, more defensive driver. When driving it is important to stay focused by keeping your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. You should never take your eyes off the road to do anything while the car is in motion, even if it is only for a split second because you could cause a very serious accident. It is also important to check your mirrors before you pull off and use them as you are driving. The only time that you should take your eyes off the road in front of you, is to check the road on the sides of you and in the rear of you by using your mirrors. This is an important factor for defensive driving because it allows you to make safe lane changes and be aware of your surroundings.
This research is guided by two major theories. First, Transactional Theory, which is a widely accepted theory of coping developed by Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman. Second, the Control Theory developed by Charles Carver and Michael Scheier.