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I have to say it depends. If they're being friendly, then meh. Why not. If they're doing the tough guy routine, then hey, lets waste some time. No.
So far I've consented once, and refused once. Got searched when consented....didn't when I refused (I think he wanted to fish for something, but without any actual reason to think I was someone with illegal items.)
My opinion of it all though? I think its important to say no. Not always, but on occasion. Its a important right that makes it so they have to have a valid reason to search you. They can't do it to intimidate a populace. (why I'm against stop and frisk ala NY.). And if you EVER think they're asking without cause, say no.
They said they just wanted to make sure they were doing things safely and said we were free to go.
99 percent of the time that is how things go
I have never had a problem with officers either
There is just that few that make the media and cause us all problems
If you shoot a guy running from you in the back as I have seen, thug or not, then I have a problem with that and so does the Constitution
This is not Nazi Germany
What gets me so angered by some of the police abuses in this country is the responses from people that supposedly support the Constitution and the Rule of Law and then support these abuses.
There have been too many abuses where innocent people have lost their lives for no reason at all
A person riding a bicycle - shot and killed
A person incoherent after a gas tank exploded in their car - shot and killed
A person running from the cops for a broken tail light - shot and killed
A kid playing with a toy gun - shot and killed
These people would be alive today if the cops had not "helped" them
Also refusing to consent to a search will make cops think you're trying to hide drugs from them, whether you got a drug charge on your record, or not. At least if the cops search against your consent and find drugs, your lawyer will have something to go by in your defense.
You should talk to a lawyer. They will tell you how wrong you are.
With electronic warrants today getting one only means articulating good probable cause...something which is ingrained in any policeman... I developed it before I stopped someone and it continued to be strengthened throughout the contact
Shakey or out of compliance officers immediatey lose any credibility in court and are subject to founded personnel complaints... Credibility is all you have and each case has to stand on its merits.
There's plenty of crooks to go around .... If I "lose" today tomorrow is another day... And crooks are never virgins... And rarely only commit one crime...
Say no to anything... It doesn't affect the end result
I think he was asking what would you suggest to improve the problem of LE abusing their power like the LE in the two links provided by the OP.
The topic is LE abuse of power. So what's the solution?
Know your rights......I was on my way to help my son move. Some friends were helping them. Three in the truck and my son and his girlfriend sitting in the back with some of their stuff.
He calls me. "The police just pulled us over". I asked why. He didn't know. I get there right when they are gathering I.D's. I asked why they were stopped. "Riding in the back of the truck". They proceed to run the I.D's.
I knew riding in the back of a truck was legal. I pull it up on my phone. They come back and start asking questions about whos stuff was in the truck.
I stopped them and showed them I knew the law, that they had no cause to stop them, that we were going to leave and not answer another question.
They said they just wanted to make sure they were doing things safely and said we were free to go.
Hah-that reminds me of a while ago I was on vacation down the Jersey Shore with my family and we had our Dad pick us up from the bar. My younger sister had to fit in the back of the station wagon and soon enough we were pulled over by an overly aggressive Cop that asked if "we were coming from the station" like we had just broken out of a jail cell LOL. He said it was illegal to have someone in the back like that.
The Cop took forever in his car (as usual in my experience) but when he came back it was apparent he was going to let us go. My Dad almost blew it though by being visibly angry with him LOL.
It's sad but the safe and serene Jersey Shore towns are now overrun by Thug Cops that really do nothing but harass people and bring in revenue for the town. Property taxes on homes that are $500,000+ have inflated the budgets in these towns so they have militarized police forces and nothing to do. Disgusting!
Another time down the shore I had a Cop follow me for miles in the next town over-I knew he was waiting for any reason at all to pull me over. Well just as I got 2 blocks from my family's beach house they found their "reason". A jogger that was not even at the corner yet that I did not yield to-mind you I had been stopping at every intersection with pedestrians but this jogger was not yet at the crosswalk-and the Cops did not yield to her either as they sped with their lights to pull me over causing more hazard than would otherwise be. I made a mistake that day and consented to a search-I thought I had a good report with the Cop and he was reasonable. I definitely learned my lesson that day.
, that we were going to leave and not answer another question.
having altitudes like that and alot of the advise here is what getting people shot today.
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