I thought about putting this in the existing thread Bazza started but didn't want to hijack it. Yesterday we were having my parents and my wife's parents over to celebrate Mother's Day for each of our mothers and mother in laws. My in laws had long arrived yet my parents still hadn't made it. I started calling their cell phones yet no one answered. They had my oldest son with them, who is under the age of 12. They FINALLY made it and both of my parents were visibly "shaken" and upset. My son looked like he'd seen a ghost.
On the way to our house they were pulled over by a LEO for an expired inspection sticker. Initially it was one officer. She approached the car, retrieved drivers license, insurance and registration. Everything checked out, she came back to the car and stated the citation was due to an expired inspection sticker. So my dad complied in every way and simply thought she was going to write the ticket and everybody be on their way. NOPE. All of a sudden, she told my dad that she was calling "back up". Keep in mind, the LEO has long had time to assess the situation, as to whether or not it seems like a potentially dangerous situation in which she needs backup. She has stopped a man and woman who are 66 years old with their grandson in the back seat. They have complied in every way, shown no signs of a threat or anything. Yet she feels the need to call back up? My dad asked the officer twice why she needed to call for "back up". She ignored him, walked off to sit in her vehicle. Three more cop cars come speeding up, surrounded my parents car, lights on as if this was some sort of hostile situation. My parents had no idea what was going on. All four LEO's huddled together behind my parents car for over five minutes talking. Then broke the huddle (no football pun intended) and one officer positioned himself in the back of their car, the other on the passenger side, the female LEO who initially pulled them over in the front of the car, and the fourth officer (male) at my dad's window. He basically repeated exactly what the initial officer who pulled them over told them, that they were being pulled over due to an expired inspection sticker and for some reason thought he had to lecture my dad in a condescending, aggressive tone. My dad sensing that this was potentially one response away from this escalating, simply "yes sir'ed" until the officer ended his vent session. All the while my son is taking in all of this and is completely petrified and crying in the backseat. He has no idea what is about to happen.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. For all the "respect" and "back the badge" LEO's want from people. They certainly do themselves no favors in situations like these. Also, someone doesn't have to get physically assaulted for a LEO to abuse his/her position of power. This in my opinion was complete over kill and did nothing but reinforce the negative public perception they've gotten over the last several years. :mad2:
On the way to our house they were pulled over by a LEO for an expired inspection sticker. Initially it was one officer. She approached the car, retrieved drivers license, insurance and registration. Everything checked out, she came back to the car and stated the citation was due to an expired inspection sticker. So my dad complied in every way and simply thought she was going to write the ticket and everybody be on their way. NOPE. All of a sudden, she told my dad that she was calling "back up". Keep in mind, the LEO has long had time to assess the situation, as to whether or not it seems like a potentially dangerous situation in which she needs backup. She has stopped a man and woman who are 66 years old with their grandson in the back seat. They have complied in every way, shown no signs of a threat or anything. Yet she feels the need to call back up? My dad asked the officer twice why she needed to call for "back up". She ignored him, walked off to sit in her vehicle. Three more cop cars come speeding up, surrounded my parents car, lights on as if this was some sort of hostile situation. My parents had no idea what was going on. All four LEO's huddled together behind my parents car for over five minutes talking. Then broke the huddle (no football pun intended) and one officer positioned himself in the back of their car, the other on the passenger side, the female LEO who initially pulled them over in the front of the car, and the fourth officer (male) at my dad's window. He basically repeated exactly what the initial officer who pulled them over told them, that they were being pulled over due to an expired inspection sticker and for some reason thought he had to lecture my dad in a condescending, aggressive tone. My dad sensing that this was potentially one response away from this escalating, simply "yes sir'ed" until the officer ended his vent session. All the while my son is taking in all of this and is completely petrified and crying in the backseat. He has no idea what is about to happen.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. For all the "respect" and "back the badge" LEO's want from people. They certainly do themselves no favors in situations like these. Also, someone doesn't have to get physically assaulted for a LEO to abuse his/her position of power. This in my opinion was complete over kill and did nothing but reinforce the negative public perception they've gotten over the last several years. :mad2:
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