Last time I was stopped, I started with an apology. I couldn't very well hide the fact that I was a cop; I was on my way to work, in uniform. I was wrong. I told the officer that stopped me that I was, and that I was sorry that I had put him in this position, and said "do what you need to do, sir."
Yes, it was an officer who's backed me up, and whom I've backed up before. Yes, he wrote me a written warning. I was immensely embarassed. And ashamed.
I cannot comprehend arguing with an officer on the side of the road over "professional courtesy." Real professional courtesy is not making his job harder, and taking any issues you have up with his supervisors, or the court, later. (Just like any citizen.)
FWIW, I've heard of that kind of attitude among urban NJ and NY police, quite a bit. Us/Them is allegedly rampant up there. (I can't speak personally, because I've never been further north up the east coast than Maryland. Also, my experiences would be anecdotal.)
Reported to me by a shocked old Texas cop who was riding with a NYPD cop about ten years ago: The officer made a highly-illegal U-turn in the middle of the block, across several lanes of traffic. "You know why did dat? Because I can."
Last time I was stopped, I started with an apology. I couldn't very well hide the fact that I was a cop; I was on my way to work, in uniform. I was wrong. I told the officer that stopped me that I was, and that I was sorry that I had put him in this position, and said "do what you need to do, sir."
ReplyDeleteYes, it was an officer who's backed me up, and whom I've backed up before. Yes, he wrote me a written warning. I was immensely embarassed. And ashamed.
I cannot comprehend arguing with an officer on the side of the road over "professional courtesy." Real professional courtesy is not making his job harder, and taking any issues you have up with his supervisors, or the court, later. (Just like any citizen.)
FWIW, I've heard of that kind of attitude among urban NJ and NY police, quite a bit. Us/Them is allegedly rampant up there. (I can't speak personally, because I've never been further north up the east coast than Maryland. Also, my experiences would be anecdotal.)
Reported to me by a shocked old Texas cop who was riding with a NYPD cop about ten years ago: The officer made a highly-illegal U-turn in the middle of the block, across several lanes of traffic. "You know why did dat? Because I can."