Colorado Cops - Police Brutality (Denver: drivers license, car, office)

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by Pierce2011

Why is police brutality or crimes being commited by the police, making headlines so much these days here in Colorado? I see lots of threads about how great Denver is to live in, but people need to be aware of our dark side too. And I know crimes committed by the police is not unique to only Colorado. But this is OUR state. It's embarrasing and I would love to go a full month without hearing about a cop committing a crime. Heck, at this rate, give me a whole day!

When I was growing up, we were taught that the police could be trusted with our lives. They are there to help and protect us when we can't protect ourselves. I know they are just human, but they are held to a higher standard than most because we rely on them so much to do the right thing. I always thought of them as super heros without the capes. People who rely on them the most to be that super hero are showing up in headlines as victims of the police. The elderly, the women and children, and in some cases even animals.

Here's just a small example of police related incidents that made recent headlines:

This is not just a problem in Colorado. This is everywhere in this country. Colorado isn't even the worst.

The problem is that we spend almost all of our tax money in this country on law-enforcement and the military, and its like a black hole. Yeah, it may keep people safe (if you are not the victim of the police), but it doesn't do anything to improve or advance society.

We have just too damn many police, which is counterproductive to freedom. You really don't need three cops to show up to every traffic stop. Plus when you have to hire so damn many of them, the quality of the applicants is bound to go down. We need to hire fewer and better quality cops. I think a prerequisite to be hired as a cop should be that they have no criminal record what so ever. I don't care how minor, or how long ago a conviction was. How can you hire anyone to enforce laws that they have broken themselves? Would that really be expecting to much for them?

[chilicheesefries]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

My Littleton Police experience wasn't too pleasant

Why wasn't it pleasant?

I've only gotten 2 tickets and both were out of state - one in Wyoming and one in Iowa. They were both legit and didn't have any problems. Never been pulled over by any other agency.

I've had to call Arapahoe SO a few times for various problems and they've always been wonderful. I got hit once in Littleton and the officer was very short and not very friendly but still professional. My wife worked with Denver PD for a while and I saw many of them and they were always nice - I think it helps when you're on their team.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by chilicheesefries

Why wasn't it pleasant?

I've only gotten 2 tickets and both were out of state - one in Wyoming and one in Iowa. They were both legit and didn't have any problems. Never been pulled over by any other agency.

I've had to call Arapahoe SO a few times for various problems and they've always been wonderful. I got hit once in Littleton and the officer was very short and not very friendly but still professional. My wife worked with Denver PD for a while and I saw many of them and they were always nice - I think it helps when you're on their team.

Littleton:
It was a speed trap on Santa Fe on a holiday weekend (Thanksgiving IIRC), and he kind of arrogantly said something to the effect of "since it's a holiday weekend, and since I pulled you over, I have to give you a ticket". My bad, it'll teach me to go 5 over on Santa Fe in Littleton ever again.

It was my first ticket ever, and I managed to get out of getting any points on my record by paying $15 over the fine listed on the ticket.

Arapahoe Sheriff:
I got pulled over on S Peoria St just north of Centennial Airport.

Lady Cop: You were going 60 mph in a 45.
Me: Where exactly was I going 60 in a 45?
Cop: East of Havana on Arapahoe, I followed you the whole way.
Me: Well, right there (Havana/Arapahoe) by McDonald's, the speed limit goes to 55 at that point (it does).
Cop: No, it doesn't.
Me: Yes, it does.
Cop: Well, uh, I followed you from Dayton.
Me: No, you didn't (she didn't, she came off Havana).

Cop walks away. Another cop shows up behind her. I wait.

Lady cop comes back and apologizes and lets me go.

Disclaimer: I have been driving down Arapahoe Rd roughly 5 times a night for the past 4 years. I get pulled over by GV Police and Arapahoe Sheriff a few times/yr for things like broken head, tail, brake, and license plate lights. They are almost always nice, and almost always tell me they're simply looking for drunks.

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

Littleton:
It was a speed trap on Santa Fe on a holiday weekend (Thanksgiving IIRC), and he kind of arrogantly said something to the effect of "since it's a holiday weekend, and since I pulled you over, I have to give you a ticket". My bad, it'll teach me to go 5 over on Santa Fe in Littleton ever again.

It was my first ticket ever, and I managed to get out of getting any points on my record by paying $15 over the fine listed on the ticket.

I hate that. Only the police, can figure out a way to use a holiday as an excuse for their revenue generation activities. Oh but they are only concerned that everbody has a safe holiday. Yeah right. It's OK to speed and drive recklessly every other week, but we have to slow down and drive safe on holidays.

If you don't want to get a ticket, just stay home during on holiday weekends. I've gotten so many tickets that way. I see them, and I do everything I can, not to get caught. I drive ridiculously slow, but I let my guard down for just a min. and see flashing lights in my mirrors. I end up with a ticket for driving for driving 5 or 10 over.

And there is no way to get out of it. All those cops are POed that they have to be working, so they are going to wreck as many other peoples holiday as possible.

[maciesmom]

If you don't want to get a ticket, just stay home during on holiday weekends. I've gotten so many tickets that way. I see them, and I do everything I can, not to get caught. I drive ridiculously slow, but I let my guard down for just a min. and see flashing lights in my mirrors. I end up with a ticket for driving for driving 5 or 10 over.

You know, you could just......drive the speed limit....

I've lived in CO now for.....going in 17 years....speeding tickets? Nada. I did have one or two in Iowa years and years ago....when I was younger and in much more of a hurry. Now I realize that it's really not that important to get somewhere 5 minutes before I would have without speeding....I do however, use the right hand lane so you can zip by me. I'll just see you when I pass you while you're pulled over though

[suzco]

Originally Posted by maciesmom

You know, you could just......drive the speed limit....

I've lived in CO now for.....going in 17 years....speeding tickets? Nada. . .

But then you'll get the complaints from those who rant and rave about all those awful Denver/Colorado drivers who *gasp* go the speed limit, and persist in leaving safe distances between cars. . .

[maciesmom]

Originally Posted by suzco

But then you'll get the complaints from those who rant and rave about all those awful Denver/Colorado drivers who *gasp* go the speed limit, and persist in leaving safe distances between cars. . .

Yeah....they can go to Iowa and drive behind all the old farmers for awhile. They'll be happy with Colorado in just a little while

[Pierce2011]

I've only had one questionable experience with a Denver cop. I was just coming off of Federal (45 mph) onto a little side street by the new Mile High stadium. On both sides of that little street are vacant parking lots. It is not a residential area at all, no houses or pedestrians around. No cars in either lot and no posted speed limit signs anywhere. The cop told me I was going about 35 in a 25. Anyway, he didn't ask me for my proof of insurance or registration. After he talked to me for a couple minutes he told me to bring my drivers license and come back to his patrol car. He sat in his car for about 10 min's waiting for me. Until he realized I wasn't going to leave my car for anything or anyone. I've never heard of cops making that kind of request before, so I wasn't about to put myself in that kind of situation that I couldn't control. He stomped back to my car and threw a ticket at me for $185.00 for speeding. I didn't care, I promptly paid it when I got home, but at least I was safe. I have 3 police officers in my extended family. Each one told me I did the right thing, because that cop was up to no good.

[bikinmikein]

It was a speed trap on Santa Fe on a holiday weekend (Thanksgiving IIRC), and he kind of arrogantly said something to the effect of "since it's a holiday weekend, and since I pulled you over, I have to give you a ticket". My bad, it'll teach me to go 5 over on Santa Fe in Littleton ever again

Same stretch I suspect, pulled over 4th of July 8 over headed south (I never try to speed, 30 is 30 or 32 etc, but Santa Fe is a highway at that point and I feel for you. Wife next to me, kid in the back, 911 Turbo so you expect zero mercy and I am fine with that and yet the cop let us off. 15 years with no tickets ever and I am now more certain than ever to keep it on the track in terms of speeding. Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you respect that and it puts things into perspective.

Other times they seem to just be out for money like with the photo vans just after the speed limit changes to a slower number.

[zenkonami]

Originally Posted by KaaBoom

This is not just a problem in Colorado. This is everywhere in this country. Colorado isn't even the worst.

The problem is that we spend almost all of our tax money in this country on law-enforcement and the military, and its like a black hole. Yeah, it may keep people safe (if you are not the victim of the police), but it doesn't do anything to improve or advance society.

We have just too damn many police, which is counterproductive to freedom. You really don't need three cops to show up to every traffic stop. Plus when you have to hire so damn many of them, the quality of the applicants is bound to go down. We need to hire fewer and better quality cops. I think a prerequisite to be hired as a cop should be that they have no criminal record what so ever. I don't care how minor, or how long ago a conviction was. How can you hire anyone to enforce laws that they have broken themselves? Would that really be expecting to much for them?

I think KaaBoom is partially correct, here. Instead of concentrating more of this money on civic projects and education, proactively cutting off crime, we spend on reacting to crime. But then, this is a general problem of the American experience anyway...we tend to react, rather than trying to cut things off before they become a problem.

The thing is, though, the Police could be (and in many communities, they are) a great tool for proactively dealing with crime. Deeper civic involvement in communities...particularly the communities that feel antagonized by police forces, could bring quite the benefit by showing that most cops are just like any of us - except that they have to deal with some really rough characters for much of their day. Their entire occupation is about suspicion and caution. I've known cops (good ones) that have talked about how this creates a very insular community among police officers and their families, as it gives them a sense of safety and security. After all, they are people, too, with the same fears and concerns as the rest of us.

Maybe we all just need to do a better job engaging our police forces (and they a better job engaging our communities) so that we can break down some of these psychological barriers that get built up between some cops and some people...after all, even in spite of the good cops that are out there, I know a LOT of people who think of the police as the enemy...people that aren't even doing anything wrong, and I suspect that there are a lot of cops that have the same impression of a lot of people.

We can only change ourselves, not other people...but by changing ourselves, maybe we can set a good example for other people.