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I wanted to get some opinions on this. I was talking to a police officer in Phoenix who was a patient. I mentioned to him the police in the South particularly in areas like Texas are really strict. I was suprised by his answer. He agreed with me. He said police officer attitudes vary according to their area of the country. He said in the west, police try to go after the hardened criminals, gang members etc and more or less leave the everyday citizens alone. He said in the South, police take a more aggressive approach. He said we tend to be more laid back in the west. He also mentioned the officers in the South try to intimidate locals and bully them. That was my experience in Dallas.
I noticed in the Dallas and OKC, a lot more cops hiding out and trying to bust people whether it was behind buildings, under bridges etc. When I lived in Dallas, I got pulled over for following another car too closely. I was pulled over alongside 5 other cars for supposedly running a stop sign in Dallas. I've never seen anything like that here. I was also pulled over for going 10 over the speed limit on a freeway (speed limit was 55, I went 65). Again, I know I would never get pulled over for something like that here. What has been your experience?
I wanted to get some opinions on this. I was talking to a police officer in Phoenix who was a patient. I mentioned to him the police in the South particularly in areas like Texas are really strict. I was suprised by his answer. He agreed with me. He said police officer attitudes vary according to their area of the country. He said in the west, police try to go after the hardened criminals, gang members etc and more or less leave the everyday citizens alone. He said in the South, police take a more aggressive approach. He said we tend to be more laid back in the west. He also mentioned the officers in the South try to intimidate locals and bully them. That was my experience in Dallas.
I noticed in the Dallas and OKC, a lot more cops hiding out and trying to bust people whether it was behind buildings, under bridges etc. When I lived in Dallas, I got pulled over for following another car too closely. I was pulled over alongside 5 other cars for supposedly running a stop sign in Dallas. I've never seen anything like that here. I was also pulled over for going 10 over the speed limit on a freeway (speed limit was 55, I went 65). Again, I know I would never get pulled over for something like that here. What has been your experience?
I lived in both California, and in Texas. Not my experience.
I would say it is a bit of a generalization to think so.
I would say it's a bit of an over statement, however in the Dallas and for most of Texas ticket revenue generation is a HUGE portion of their budget. Hence a tougher enforcement of of all the laws, of which you did break them, and their perceived 'bullying'.
Police officers in Texas tend to be a little more twitchy at times, simply because some of us here do CCW, and there are a lot here that do so illegally (and are most times criminals who don't want to be re-arrested). As long as you know your rights, exercise them with conviction and civility the attempt to bully a citizen only works to deepen the hole for an officer who is trying to bully someone.
A video camera and audio mike are also great, great deterrents and are usually met with more courtesy.
A friend and I recently went to Dallas for the first time on a spur of the moment road trip. We were there 5 days, and pretty much made it a drinking/go to the bar trip. Every night, and at nearly every bar, we saw cops patrol and enter the bar. All except once they (always a pair) walked around the bar for about 5 minutes and then left, but one time they actually ticketed and arrested a man for BEING DRUNK IN A BAR. I'd never seen or even heard of such a crazy thing. Here in Denver, the only time you ever see a cop in a bar is if he's hired help, or if someone has called the cops because of some disturbance. They don't patrol the inside of bars, and it certainly isn't a crime to be drunk in a bar.
That said, I had a fantastic trip to Dallas and plan on going back. It's a kick-ass town.
Texas is tough on crime compared to other states. Some counties here are tougher than others.
I've been here 14 years and haven't gotten pulled over as much as the OP has (1 ticket for over speed limit)
Guess if you obey the laws you won't get in trouble so much. Silly logic here.
I've never witnessed a spit worth of difference between southern cops and cops from anywhere else. In fact, one of my scariest discoveries is that I can't tell the difference in attitude between American cops and cops in other countries! I swear there must be some genetic marker for cops world over!
Cops are cops, some are strict, some are not, some are anal sphincters, some are great people, except for the same genetic characteristics they do show some degree of personality variances.
I was stopped in MS once cause I was driving an antique Volvo, and doing 63 in a 55 zone. No ticket, but the rookie HP was drooling at the chance to bust someone from TX for running drugs. Not. I was stopped in Vicksburg once cause my windows were "too dark" for MS. I'm from TX, so what? I've been stopped numerous times in TX, and in only one case was I ticketed for doing 70 in a 55. My mistake, my error. I've found none of the locals nor HPs grumpy, unfair, any way negative in the interactions. Nor do I consider the D/FW area, and surely not OKC, to be "South" in any distinction. I now reside south of Fort Worth.
Texas is tough on crime compared to other states. Some counties here are tougher than others.
I've been here 14 years and haven't gotten pulled over as much as the OP has (1 ticket for over speed limit)
Guess if you obey the laws you won't get in trouble so much. Silly logic here.
My wife was pulled over once, it was a little over a year after we moved here. We weren't used to the way smog registration works (have to pay attention to the date and take it in while in California it is attached to the registration, done every two years so it reminded you on the form).
Anyway, this officer pulls her over for that, and in the process she realized that she didn't have the new proof of insurance in the car. She was scared to death he was going to throw the book at her. She explained the situation, he laughed, told her to relax, that it wasn't a big deal. Gave her a ticket to show proof to the court, let her off on the smog tag telling her to just show proof of it when she dropped by the court house.
She showed up to court, 5 mins and a 10 dollar fee and it was all done.
As for myself, I have yet to be pulled over, but then I rarely speed, am a very defensive driver and live a lifestyle that is nowhere near "walking the line". The officers I have seen in public are friendly, smile or nod when you walk by and some I have shoot the breeze with at diners.
So I am not aware of these officers of the "thin blue line" to which the OP refers. Then again, I graduated the police academy in California and although I didn't end up working in the field (had better opportunities pop up), I guess I just don't view officers of the law as anything really mysterious or intimidating. They are just the average Joe to me doing their job. Maybe that comes off to them when I meet them? /shrug
Edit:
I remember one officer who lived at our apartments in Fort worth after we moved here. We got to talking, I asked him about the current laws for carrying and he filled me in on all the details, even told me I could carry concealed in the car and pointed out areas I should if I am going there. *chuckle*
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(1 ticket for over speed limit)
