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Old 11-26-2008, 12:25 PM
 
26,585 posts, read 61,912,300 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tungsten_Udder View Post
Right. Man, my weltanschauung is about 180 degrees different than most City-Data users.

I would never call the police simply because anyone--teen or not, is walking on pubilc property (or even private property in a lot of instances--there it would depend on the situation) at any time of the day. I also do not think that the police should be able to stop and question teens (or anyone else) at 3 in the morning (or any other time) just because they're walking around, AND I do not think that any municipality should be able to impose curfews--I really can't think of any possible situation where I'd believe that a curfew would be warranted.

Just in case you're wondering if I ever would call the police, here are a couple reasons why I would: If I saw someone breaking into a car. If I saw someone breaking into a house. If I saw someone walking on a neighbor's private property, where I know the neighbor well and where I have no reason to believe that that person would be at their house, and especially where I see them doing something like walking up to and looking in various windows, etc. In that latter case, I think it's justified to call for trespassing. However, if it was a couple kids on the neighbor's property at 3:00 a.m., AND I know that there's a popular neighborhood shortcut through their property, and that's all I see evidence of, then I wouldn't call, even though they're technically trespassing.

And when I was a teen--13, 14, 15--I occasionally walked with friends in the middle of the night, occasionally took shortcuts across private property, and I lived in a small town at the time (in Florida). I also had friends who occasionally sneaked into or out of windows (their own or other friends)--although I didn't have to do that, because my parents knew that I would do those kinds of things if I wanted to whether they allowed me to or not, and they preferred to be forthright about stuff rather than having me do things subversively, and I feel the same way as a parent.
I called the police recently because a car with two rather unsavory looking characters in it were cruising very, very slowly around my neighborhood after dark. Gated community, and no decal to show they lived there. Driving far too slow to be looking for someone's house that they had been invited too. I'm on a cul de sac and know every car that belongs to someone that lives here, and their regular guests. I later learned that they had no valid reason to be in the neighborhood, and had "piggybacked" in through the rear (unguarded) gate after another resident.

The police kicked them out of the community, unfortunately there was no reason to hold them, and trespass charges--even though it's private property--would have been hard to make stick. The police do think that they might have been behind two burglaries in the neighborhood a couple of weeks prior, but couldn't prove it. They also told me that they were fairly certain that they were looking for another home to burglarize.

If people would become more proactive about preventing crime, it would help EVERYONE. The police are more than happy to respond to a call like mine and encouraged me to continue to be vigilant. It's easier to stop crime before it happens than to investigate and prosecute after the fact.
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Old 11-26-2008, 12:28 PM
 
26,585 posts, read 61,912,300 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by njkate View Post
well in this day and age I wish you the best and hope it doesn't come back to bite you.

I for one don't think there is any reason for young teens to be wandering about at 3 AM...jmo
I couldn't agree more. My son is 22 and I still wouldn't want him out just wandering around at that time of the night. At the movies, out at a club or Denny's, not a problem. Wandering the streets? Give me one good reason for that...
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Old 11-26-2008, 12:51 PM
 
Location: Savannah GA/Lk Hopatcong NJ
13,382 posts, read 28,648,553 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by annerk View Post
I couldn't agree more. My son is 22 and I still wouldn't want him out just wandering around at that time of the night. At the movies, out at a club or Denny's, not a problem. Wandering the streets? Give me one good reason for that...

As someone who had teens at one time I really don't know how a parent can sleep if their kid is off wandering the streets after a certain hour, not talking about sports events, movies etc but just wandering around, I would bet my last thin dime that most 15-16-17 year olds wandering at 3 in the morning are up to no good....
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Old 11-26-2008, 01:07 PM
 
Location: twin cities
42 posts, read 132,704 times
Reputation: 45
"really don't know how a parent can sleep if their kid is off wandering the streets after a certain hour"
what exactly do you mean by wandering?
i know where i live now that if your son/daughter/even you were out at 11:30pm jus walking down the block the cops are gonna run you stop you and ask you a million question!, if you dont live in th area you could end up in detox for the night!!
police here are super bad! i've gotten tickets for doing 4 miles over the speed limit. the worst ticket i got was running a stop sign in a grocery store parking lot!! cost me 75$. my heart drops everytime i see the police here!!
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Old 11-26-2008, 01:09 PM
 
Location: Exit 14C
1,555 posts, read 4,141,559 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by annerk View Post
It's easier to stop crime before it happens than to investigate and prosecute after the fact.
More evidence that "my weltanschauung is about 180 degrees different than most City-Data users".
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Old 11-26-2008, 01:11 PM
 
Location: Savannah GA/Lk Hopatcong NJ
13,382 posts, read 28,648,553 times
Reputation: 12024
Quote:
Originally Posted by blakduc View Post
"really don't know how a parent can sleep if their kid is off wandering the streets after a certain hour"
what exactly do you mean by wandering?
i know where i live now that if your son/daughter/even you were out at 11:30pm jus walking down the block the cops are gonna run you stop you and ask you a million question!, if you dont live in th area you could end up in detox for the night!!
police here are super bad! i've gotten tickets for doing 4 miles over the speed limit. the worst ticket i got was running a stop sign in a grocery store parking lot!! cost me 75$. my heart drops everytime i see the police here!!

just aimlessy roaming around the neighborhood at 3AM and as I said in an earlier post my town had many car & home breakins over the summer
The homes during the day and the cars at night...we have a band of teens sitting in detention center right now connected to the break ins....

I must be one mean mama as my kids would never of been out roaming around after 9pm unless there was a specific place they were going to, not just wander the streets
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Old 11-26-2008, 01:13 PM
 
Location: Savannah GA/Lk Hopatcong NJ
13,382 posts, read 28,648,553 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tungsten_Udder View Post
More evidence that "my weltanschauung is about 180 degrees different than most City-Data users".
Thank goodness for that!!
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Old 11-26-2008, 01:16 PM
 
26,585 posts, read 61,912,300 times
Reputation: 13161
Quote:
Originally Posted by blakduc View Post
"really don't know how a parent can sleep if their kid is off wandering the streets after a certain hour"
what exactly do you mean by wandering?
i know where i live now that if your son/daughter/even you were out at 11:30pm jus walking down the block the cops are gonna run you stop you and ask you a million question!, if you dont live in th area you could end up in detox for the night!!
police here are super bad! i've gotten tickets for doing 4 miles over the speed limit. the worst ticket i got was running a stop sign in a grocery store parking lot!! cost me 75$. my heart drops everytime i see the police here!!
I lived in NJ for 11 years and never once was I stopped or ticketed. Sometimes I think people need to take a good long look in the mirror.
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Old 11-26-2008, 05:58 PM
 
4 posts, read 5,238 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by annerk View Post
I lived in NJ for 11 years and never once was I stopped or ticketed. Sometimes I think people need to take a good long look in the mirror.
I felt compelled to reply to this. I am a hard-working 40 year old married mom of three. I drive an expensive and somewhat flashy SUV. My husband's choice, which I must drive because I pick up the children as he works late. He drives an Accord which won't really work for me and the kids. I have been followed by police several times while I assume they are running my plates or whatever they do, at which point they turn off. Once I was waiting for my mom to come out of a building and saw an officer in their vehicle behind me doing something similar. He then drove off, I guess to do more of the same. I recently had a similar experience, a police officer followed me, turn by turn for approximately 10 minutes, or about 15 city blocks. As I neared my office I went to make a turn and he turned his lights on, I couldn't have imagined what I had done wrong. I thought he received a call and immediately went to the right shoulder. He told me that what I had done was improper passing. A lie. If I'm wrong I'm willing to take the penalty. However I only moved to the shoulder to let him pass. As I explained that to him he just said "you're getting a summons". I will have to spend money on an attorney and I will also file a complaint against the officer, who I know had determined 12 blocks ago that I deserved a ticket for whatever trumped charge he could find. Look in the mirror, I did that. I see a hard-working, middle age african american woman who is raising three little boys to be honest and hard-working. Funny, last night we saw two officers in an elevator, and I told my 4 year old, (who only noticed the "blaster" and was staring intently) to say hello, as they saw him very curiously getting closer and looking at them, but said nothing - They then said hello after he said hello. When he asked me what they were doing - I said probably going to help someone..... I felt totally violated and angry by what happened to me and what probably happens to many others with no recourse. There are good and bad people in all walks of life. Including policemen. It seems that there are some rogue officers that for whatever reason feel good about harrassing people and trumping up charges. Never happened to you? I pray it never does, because it is something you will never forget and never stop asking yourself, why me. I work in a somewhat seedy area, so, I guess that is why upon seeing my truck it might raise eyebrows, but my husband and I work hard for our possessions and should be able to drive wherever we want without fear off the police. So, just because you are stopped, doesn't necessarily mean you deserve it. For what it's worth, I told my husband I don't want the truck anymore. I'll save gas, the environment and hopefully will go under the radar. I guess I'm not supposed to drive a nice vehicle - and I worry that this will happen with my kids in the car and I was so upset afterwards that I had to just sit by the side of the road and compose myself. I felt physically ill.
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Old 11-27-2008, 08:12 AM
 
Location: Mid-Atlantic
32,833 posts, read 36,118,798 times
Reputation: 43589
Quote:
Originally Posted by annerk View Post
As a law abiding citizen I have nothing to hide, therefor I have no problem with the police stopping me to ask routine questions."
As a law abiding citizen with nothing to hide, I take exception to being stopped by the police who offer no valid reason.
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