share your local police stories...

[python]

here's one from yesterday. i didn't feel like bothering, but my daughter convinced me otherwise.

the long story short...we were returning from a recital of her juilliard school friend. while i was getting into a drivers seat i noticed a shiny plastic near my car. i picked it up. turned out, it was a valid credit card. most likely a lost one by someone who was parked in the same spot before us. my inbred intention (and a message to my daughter) was: 'we'll stop at the nearest precinct to turn it in.' she pointed to a police car parked half a block up. i walked up to them. the police car window went down. the following unreal dialog took place:

'jezus, i've been stuck here for ever, what's your matter' the cop inside harked before i even opened my mouth.
'i found this credit card on the street, perhaps the person who lost it could still recover it'.
... i've been here since 10pm last night', do you understand ??
' i didn't mean to interrupt your mission, officer, it'd be nice to log it into the 'lost and found' whenever you get the chance'
'why did you get it off the floor. may be the person wanted it being there ?!'
'officer, are you serious ? aren't you the new york's finest ?
'the sleepiest...'

at this point i got a little irritated not only by the lack of the elementary professional duty, but also by a complete disregard of what seemed to me an abuse of a natural societal duty. i am a stubborn person...

'officer, i will report you and this conversation' he speedily grabbed the card and shut the window almost chopping my hand.

i have observed or been a party to many more such examples of the nyc police basically ignoring their duties or abusing those who are/were the easiest to abuse...

 

[Amsterhammer]

Dude, this is such a ridiculous non-starter.

 

[python]

..then, you simply don't need to bother, dude.

 

[jmdirt]

here's one from yesterday. i didn't feel like bothering, but my daughter convinced me otherwise.

the long story short...we were returning from a recital of her juilliard school friend. while i was getting into a drivers seat i noticed a shiny plastic near my car. i picked it up. turned out, it was a valid credit card. most likely a lost one by someone who was parked in the same spot before us. my inbred intention (and a message to my daughter) was: 'we'll stop at the nearest precinct to turn it in.' she pointed to a police car parked half a block up. i walked up to them. the police car window went down. the following unreal dialog took place:

'jezus, i've been stuck here for ever, what's your matter' the cop inside harked before i even opened my mouth.
'i found this credit card on the street, perhaps the person who lost it could still recover it'.
... i've been here since 10pm last night', do you understand ??
' i didn't mean to interrupt your mission, officer, it'd be nice to log it into the 'lost and found' whenever you get the chance'
'why did you get it off the floor. may be the person wanted it being there ?!'
'officer, are you serious ? aren't you the new york's finest ?
'the sleepiest...'

at this point i got a little irritated not only by the lack of the elementary professional duty, but also by a complete disregard of what seemed to me an abuse of a natural societal duty. i am a stubborn person...

'officer, i will report you and this conversation' he speedily grabbed the card and shut the window almost chopping my hand.

i have observed or been a party to many more such examples of the nyc police basically ignoring their duties or abusing those who are/were the easiest to abuse...

If you find a CC/DC:
1) Google the person, contact them, and tell them where they can find their card.
2) If its a local bank take it to the bank.
3) Mail if to the bank.

That PO could have handled that a lot better, but a lost CC isn't a police 'duty'.

 

[aphronesis]

"Many US cops are uneducated and apathetic." "Now for the weather."

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Not really much to say about my local cops...

Had a copper driving behind me just the other day, was worried maybe my brake lights might have gone out again on my '67 VW Bug. (This tends to happen on such an old model.)

But he was just busy doing something with his dashboard, so, once the light turned green we just went on our own, separate, and merry ways.

PS- I do like having the cops around on the trail where I bicycle ride, though, it makes me feel a little bit safer.

PPS - Aren't bicycle cops just the sexiest? (Will not try to actually approach them, but sometimes I do wonder what kind of wheels they are riding.)

 

[the delgados]

Bronx, 2010: (True story)
I went to NYC to visit my buddy who lived in the Bronx during the summer of 2010. the morning after arriving I wanted to go for a ride, so i put on my 'kit' and proceeded to my car to get the bike out of my trunk.
Five or six neighbourhood kids happened to be standing by my car and they had a suspicious look on their faces. Nothing to do with the fact I was a white guy wearing stockings in the Bronx, no doubt.
Anyway, to break the ice, I asked if anyone had any suggestions where to go for a ride. One guy immediately lit up and said so-and-so place would be great for a ride. I thanked them and moved on.
Cue to later that afternoon.
My friend was on a work-related conference call. Rather than interrupt him I said I'm going to sit in my car and listen to tunes until the call ended.
So I go to my car, turn on the tunes and crack a beer.
Twenty minutes later a police van pulls up, and the cops immediately demand i exit the car and put my hands on the hood. Needless to say, I complied.
They then put me in handcuffs and spent five minutes interrogating me about why i was there.
My explanation wasn't good enough, and they put me in the back of the van (still in handcuffs) and drove me around for close to an hour while interrogating me the entire time.
e.g. "What the Fcuk are you doing here'
Why are you in a neighbourhood with a bunch of fcuking n-----s?
The questions went on and on. The scene was so surreal that I just went numb.
I was absolutely dumbfounded.
All the while my phone was in my pocket, and my friend kept calling, wondering where the hell I went.
The cops ignored my request to answer the phone and tell my friend I was arrested by NYC's finest.
Anyway, after close to an hour of mobile interrogation, I was thrown into a jail cell without being charged for a single crime.
Guess who was in the cell:
The kid who gave me directions in the morning. Apparently he'd been caught smoking a joint in the park.
His response to seeing me in jail was as follows:
"Man, I never thought I'd see you here."

 

[python]

Re:

Bronx, 2010: (True story)
I went to NYC to visit my buddy who lived in the Bronx during the summer of 2010. the morning after arriving I wanted to go for a ride, so i put on my 'kit' and proceeded to my car to get the bike out of my trunk.
Five or six neighbourhood kids happened to be standing by my car and they had a suspicious look on their faces. Nothing to do with the fact I was a white guy wearing stockings in the Bronx, no doubt.
Anyway, to break the ice, I asked if anyone had any suggestions where to go for a ride. One guy immediately lit up and said so-and-so place would be great for a ride. I thanked them and moved on.
Cue to later that afternoon.
My friend was on a work-related conference call. Rather than interrupt him I said I'm going to sit in my car and listen to tunes until the call ended.
So I go to my car, turn on the tunes and crack a beer.
Twenty minutes later a police van pulls up, and the cops immediately demand i exit the car and put my hands on the hood. Needless to say, I complied.
They then put me in handcuffs and spent five minutes interrogating me about why i was there.
My explanation wasn't good enough, and they put me in the back of the van (still in handcuffs) and drove me around for close to an hour while interrogating me the entire time.
e.g. "What the Fcuk are you doing here'
Why are you in a neighbourhood with a bunch of fcuking n-----s?
The questions went on and on. The scene was so surreal that I just went numb.
I was absolutely dumbfounded.
All the while my phone was in my pocket, and my friend kept calling, wondering where the hell I went.
The cops ignored my request to answer the phone and tell my friend I was arrested by NYC's finest.
Anyway, after close to an hour of mobile interrogation, I was thrown into a jail cell without being charged for a single crime.
Guess who was in the cell:
The kid who gave me directions in the morning. Apparently he'd been caught smoking a joint in the park.
His response to seeing me in jail was as follows:
"Man, I never thought I'd see you here."

did they at least tell you why you were arrested ? was it for drinking beer in a public setting ?

if so, i have witnessed more than once how the nyc cops abused the rather controversial law...like arresting a random harmless homeless.

 

[twothirds]

Re:

My friend was on a work-related conference call. Rather than interrupt him I said I'm going to sit in my car and listen to tunes until the call ended.
So I go to my car, turn on the tunes and crack a beer.

You were lucky. Could've busted you for having an open alcohol container in a vehicle at minimum. Drinking and driving more likely.

 

[the delgados]

Re: Re:

My friend was on a work-related conference call. Rather than interrupt him I said I'm going to sit in my car and listen to tunes until the call ended.
So I go to my car, turn on the tunes and crack a beer.

You were lucky. Could've busted you for having an open alcohol container in a vehicle at minimum. Drinking and driving more likely.

I wouldn't exactly characterize getting cuffed and thrown in jail without charge as being lucky, but sure, I see what you mean.

@python No, they didn't. during my initial interrogation before throwing me in the van, they asked me to name the address of where I was staying. Given that a) I arrived the night before, and b) I was having a slight panic attack, I completely blanked on that one. They then said the were going to charge me with trespassing.
During my tour of the Bronx, my lovely tour guides said they were going to charge me with drinking and driving. That seemed more logical than the trespassing thing, but by then I realized I was under surveillance for twenty minutes before they arrived, and breathed a huge sigh of relief realizing that charge wasn't gonna stick.
Finally, after spending three hours in the clink with my new buddy, the cops let me go after giving me a $25 dollar fine. I don't even remember what for.

 

[aphronesis]

Police van shakedowns can be training exercises.

The reality is that under Bloomberg (and the rise of Homeland Security) NY police did not need to formally charge or mirandize you. It could and did happen at whim, with militarized backup. Detain first, prosecute as a given was the rule of the day.

 

[the delgados]

Re:

Police van shakedowns can be training exercises.

The reality is that under Bloomberg (and the rise of Homeland Security) NY police did not need to formally charge or mirandize you. It could and did happen at whim, with militarized backup. Detain first, prosecute as a given was the rule of the day.

Which is the main reason I have no plans to visit that city ever again.

 

[python]

Which is the main reason I have no plans to visit that city ever again.

i understand. i thought the same many years ago, but for various personal reasons got stuck here now for over 15 years. i am not born nor raised in america, but i have to say, i love nyc. i used to also hold the local cops in healthy regard, until a number of incidents (perhaps due to my expectations) changed me..here's another strange one.

i was walking by one of the numerous midtown play grounds laden by a natural urge. seeing a rest room inside, i walked in, did what i had to do and before walking out, i sat down on a bench (inches from the exit gate) to check my phone messages. within seconds ( just like in your case i was probably observed all along) 3 police women approached me and asked where are my children. 'both are in their colleges' , i said. i kinda knew the rules, but never expected to be charged with a potential abuse of children for spending less than 5 minutes in a playground.

the long story short, i don't know if it was a case of a reverse racism, but technically they had a point. the 3 african-american police ladies charged me with a criminal offense and a summons to a criminal court. i have a golden rule - never-ever argue with the police. but that day something bit me. i tried to refer to my bladder, to my proximity to the exit to harbor any ill intentions, to a number of other adults w/o children...it must have looked funny to onlookers. 3 uniformed black ladies that barely reached to my chest screaming at a blond white man. i was told to shut up or i'd be jailed. i took my lumps, went to court but never got over the incident.

 

[the delgados]

Re:

Which is the main reason I have no plans to visit that city ever again.

i understand. i thought the same many years ago, but for various personal reasons got stuck here now for over 15 years. i am not born nor raised in america, but i have to say, i love nyc. i used to also hold the local cops in healthy regard, until a number of incidents (perhaps due to my expectations) changed me..here's another strange one.

i was walking by one of the numerous midtown play grounds laden by a natural urge. seeing a rest room inside, i walked in, did what i had to do and before walking out, i sat down on a bench (inches from the exit gate) to check my phone messages. within seconds ( just like in your case i was probably observed all along) 3 police women approached me and asked where are my children. 'both are in their colleges' , i said. i kinda knew the rules, but never expected to be charged with a potential abuse of children for spending less than 5 minutes in a playground.

the long story short, i don't know if it was a case of a reverse racism, but technically they had a point. the 3 african-american police ladies charged me with a criminal offense and a summons to a criminal court. i have a golden rule - never-ever argue with the police. but that day something bit me. i tried to refer to my bladder, to my proximity to the exit to harbor any ill intentions, to a number of other adults w/o children...it must have looked funny to onlookers. 3 uniformed black ladies that barely reached to my chest screaming at a blond white man. i was told to shut up or i'd be jailed. i took my lumps, went to court but never got over the incident.

You see? That sort of stuff is chilling. And by that I mean police-state-chilling.
I know we're veering toward pm territory here, but I don't agree with the "yeah, whatever" attitude displayed here. Not to sound all sanctimonious (well, I guess I am--sorry), but it's that type of attitude that allows persons in authority to abuse their power.
Neither of our stories come close to what happened to people in, say, Argentina; but both are a reflection of what can happen when the general public just shrugs off random acts of violence committed in the name of the State.
I wouldn't call the scenario you described as reverse racism. Rather, it seems to me an abuse of power, plain and simple.
p.s. @Tricycle Rider: Different strokes for different folks. To me, cops on bikes are far from sexy. They ride bikes that aren't suited for the terrain, and I have yet to see one who seems fit. Thing I like best about cops on bikes is it allows me to pass them at twice the rate of speed without getting a speeding ticket.

Edited to include the everyday experience of black people in North America. Their experience is real, and shouldn't be shrugged off.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Re: Re:

p.s. @Tricycle Rider: Different strokes for different folks. To me, cops on bikes are far from sexy. They ride bikes that aren't suited for the terrain, and I have yet to see one who seems fit. Thing I like best about cops on bikes is it allows me to pass them at twice the rate of speed without getting a speeding ticket.

I don't mean to defend all cops, like at any job some are good and some are bad.

The unfortunate part about cops here in the States, anyway, is if they're having a bad day they can pull the gun or taser out, and then you're basically *** no matter what you did. (Criminal or not.)

Still, I like seeing them on the trail I ride - at least three times now (in as many years) I've seen them chasing some crook who had just freshly robbed the very nearby mall - one time was at gun-point, K-9 unit was included in this chase.

(Naturally then you just hit the tarmac with your bike and wait till the "action" is all over with.)

My local cops are very good about letting me know when something like this is transpiring, at any rate - they'll block the trail off, and for that I thank them.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

To be quite honest (and if we have any cops here), what would a cop consider to be a "good day" on the job?

Just curious, mind, went on a few ride-alongs with the Tacoma PD many years back - I suppose when you're young Friday nights are always a bit of a rush.

Btw., to my knowledge you all (at least in the States) are always entitled to go on ride-alongs with your local PDs. That's just in case you are curious as to what your local police actually does all day and night.

 

[gregod]

I used to live in a small, affluent suburb. I knew one of the local police. He was pretty famous for being a hard a$$. He once gave me a ticket for 36 miles per hour in a 35 zone. Even though I was driving in a line of cars, I was singled out. Lest you think I was driving a car that screamed, "Ticket me!", I was not. It was an old greenish Toyota that looked like a grandmother's car because it was very well taken care of. On top of everything the policeman was generally rude. When I went before the judge to contest the ticket, the judge's first question was what I did to get such a petty ticket. Then I mentioned the officer's name in the course of telling the above story and the judge simply said, "Oh, case dismissed."

Not too long after that I met an older police officer for the same town. I asked him about the officer above. He said the problem is with police training. Police training used to be about how to defuse a situation. Now it is about escalation and subjugation. Following this revelation, I met the officer (the one who gave me the ticket) in a social situation. He was friendly and open and we actually became friends. Out of uniform, he was a different person.

Not too long after that, I was coming home from work and was pulled over again in the same nondescript Toyota. I was teaching at a junior college in a different quiet suburb. My car was clearly marked with a teacher's parking sticker. The officer came to the window of my car and I asked what I did, he ignored my question asked to see my license, registration, and proof of insurance, then added, "if you have a license" in a tone that clearly was expressing skepticism as to my being in possession of a valid license. I gave him the documents and he came back and told me my license was suspended. I was stunned because as far as I knew my license was clear. He told me they were going to tow my car away. I got really lucky. I had a passenger. A student had missed the bus and I had offered to give him a ride. I asked if my student could drive my car. He didn't seem to like that, so he asked to see my student's license! When my student showed his license, the cop begrudgingly let us drive away. The next day I went to the DMV to get a print out of my license. It was clear. I called the police to get my license back and they made up some excuse, so I had to pay to get another one made.

tl;dr - but bear with me. Two more anecdotes.

One time I was driving my girlfriend's mother's nondescript Toyota on the freeway. My girlfriend was driving in front of me in my Mustang. We were going to stop at my house before driving on to her house for the weekend. I realized that it wasn't necessary to stop at my house so I sped up and pulled in front of my girlfriend to signal that she should follow me. I broke the law by speeding to overtake and pulling in front of my girlfriend the way I did could have looked like I was deliberately cutting someone off. I didn't realize that a highway patrol car was behind me. He flashed his lights and pulled me over. At the same time my girlfriend pulled over too. He drew his weapon and ordered me out of the car with my hands raised. Then he ordered me to put my hands on the trunk of the car. I complied. He then approached me, kicked my legs apart, while pushing my head down with his right hand on the back of my head while grabbing my left wrist and pulling it behind my back. The force of his hand pushed my nose on to the trunk and it exploded in a spray of blood. He cuffs me and puts me in the back of the car. My five foot tall girlfriend starts arguing with him, trying to explain the situation. I am still in the dark as to what I did. In the car with me was another officer. He was calm and quiet, basically ignoring me and the whole situation. He seemed to be the other officer's senior. I asked him why he arrested me. His only words were, "I didn't. He did." From then on I just kept quiet until we arrived at the jail. At the jail, the officers in there were astounded at my condition. They gave me a couple of documents to sign and I was released immediately. (Own Recognizance). The hand cuffs were put on so tight that the marks remained on my wrists for two weeks. About a month later, I received a document in the mail saying I wasn't being charged with anything. So, I let the matter rest, thankful not to have to deal with it any longer or to be in any trouble.

Finally.

A few years after the above I was driving on the freeway again. I was driving my beat up Volkswagen Rabbit. (I loved that car). I was speeding. I was driving about 75 in a 65 mile per hour zone. Again, I was pulled over by a young highway patrol officer. He was still wearing braces on his teeth! However, this officer was so polite it was disarming. He wrote me a ticket for 69 instead of 75 and his manner was so gentle that I thanked him for the ticket.

That was the last time I was ever pulled over.

 

[the delgados]

Out of uniform, he was a different person.

Police have never been human, and the day they become human they'll no longer be police--Jean Genet, The Rites of Passage of Jean Genet.

 

[aphronesis]

When I was hit by a car last fall in Manhattan, it was presumed the police impounded my bicycle. After a month or so when I was conscious and could speak, my ex-wife went to the precinct for details and an accident report. They gave her an officer's name and a case number but no impound voucher. Over the next month or two, I tried calling, left voicemails, sometimes received "number not in service" recordings but never a live person. Eventually, when discharged, Iwent there myself and was told the officer was out but there was no record--no bike.

I mainly wanted to see the remains for forensic purposes because my recollection of events and the driver's are, ah, divergent. Naturally the police didn't really muster any witnesses.

Several more weeks passed, I built another bike and mostly forgot about it. At some friends' insistence a couple of months ago I called the precinct again, got a live person and was told "no bike; that officer doesn't exist". I gave the guy on the phone more details: my name, date etc. and he ran a different search.

"Oh yes" I was told "we auctioned it awhile ago because you never picked it up."

 

[ferryman]

A normal Friday in Edinburgh a good few years ago. Finished work and was walking back the half mile to the train station as per usual. As per usual stopped at the newsagents next to the station to pick up the evening paper. Then all hell breaks loose as I came out. Before I knew anything I was manhandled against a wall and told to spread. Saw cops running across the road towards me and the giant in combats who was doing the manhandling and also from both sides. Totally confused and now surrounded on all sides. Rush hour and this was all happening beside a packed bus stop.

Then comes the good bit, the giant informs me there's just been an armed robbery at a nearby Post Office and I fit the description!! WTF, I'm now thinking they think I may be armed! The shakes started!. What you got in your pockets, where have you just been etc..stutter splutter by me. A good run down followed by a nice WPC informing everyone it's not me as my clothing doesn't fit the description! They then just left as fast as they appeared without an apology or anything, leaving me and a rather bemused bus stop queue staring at each other. Not surprisingly I was in such a state of shock I got on the wrong train and to cap off a great day had to call Mrs F to come and collect me (and you won't be surprised to hear she found it extremely amusing!!).

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Don't have too many bad stories to tell about the cops, but let's talk about the TSAs now...

As a normal athlete I do not want to eat all the food the airlines give me the minute they serve it. So...

I had saved the banana that KLM had given me while on my way from Europe, so what comes next when I land in the US? Some *** TSA telling me I can't bring fruit from Europe, he then hand-searched my backpack even though it had already gone through the x-ray, and then he threatened me by saying he could have me arrested and that there would be a fine.

Being I was too tired from the 9-hour flight I was being really nice and complied saying I understood why we can't bring fruit from out-of-country, so he just left it at that. But man...

I remember when flying used to be fun!

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

The New Zealand Police: - http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11632874

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

NYPD accepts New Zealand 'running man' challenge

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11633446

 

[the delgados]

Re:

NYPD accepts New Zealand 'running man' challenge

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11633446

Cute!
More time dancing means less time killing homeless people.
Keep it up!

 

[aphronesis]

All comedy and richness of layers notwithstanding, police intervention at public schools is not a disappearing problem.

"But poor Danesiah Neal, an eighth grader at the Christa McAuliffe Middle School, just outside of Houston, may have had the most traumatic lunch lady experience ever. That’s because she tried to pay for some chicken tenders at her school cafeteria with a $2 bill—a legit but not-very-familiar form of US currency—and seriously had the cops called on her. Cops who apparently also didn’t recognize the bill and decided to question Daesiah.

“I went to the lunch line, and they said my $2 bill was fake,” the eighth-grader told KTRK-TV. “They gave it to the police. Then they sent me to the police office. A police officer said I could be in big trouble.”

The student claimed she got the bill as change from a purchase at a convenience store. A team of Houston detectives took the $2 bill to a nearby bank, which said, yup, it’s legit."

Maybe Cruz could start printing Texas money again.

https://munchies.vice.com/en/articles/school-calls-cops-on-student-who-paid-for-chicken-tenders-with-two-dollar-bill