I'm not sure I want to call myself a Texan anymore.

[JPINFV]

There is an old saying: if you are innocent, than you have nothing to hide, so why would you object to a search? and if you do object to a search, what are you hiding?

There's also the time, hassle, annoyance, and principle of being free from random searches or police fishing trips to consider.

and your right, refusing a search can be interpreted mean you committed the crime of contempt of cop. Cop asks you to do something, you refuse, now instead of getting a warning, you are getting as many tickets as he or she wants, often with no proof other than the cops word. It's your word against the cops, and who is the local judge (who knows the cop) going to believe?

...and the police wonder why so many normal citizens completely distrust them.

 

[medic417]

Just a word to the wise if you decide to tell the cops you refuse consent to search car or person, you will get searched. Once you refuse they will place you on hold while getting a search warrant. Probable cause for warrant will be suspicious behavior and most judges will approve warrant. Now not only will you be searched but instead of wasting 10 minutes of your life you may have wasted several hours and possibly even have to pay to get your car out of impound where it was towed pending approval to search.

 

[usalsfyre]

Just a word to the wise if you decide to tell the cops you refuse consent to search car or person, you will get searched. Once you refuse they will place you on hold while getting a search warrant. Probable cause for warrant will be suspicious behavior and most judges will approve warrant. Now not only will you be searched but instead of wasting 10 minutes of your life you may have wasted several hours and possibly even have to pay to get your car out of impound where it was towed pending approval to search.

After which they'll get to entertain a lawsuit for violation of 4th amendment rights. A police officer has no need to rifle through my belongings.

 

[medic417]

After which they'll get to entertain a lawsuit for violation of 4th amendment rights. A police officer has no need to rifle through my belongings.

Very easy to justify search. They do not have to find anything to be cleared. You winning a law suit is less likely.

 

[JPINFV]

Meh, it's Texas. The police thieves are just going to confiscate anything of value anyways under "asset forfeiture" laws. The best option is to simply avoid the police, and the state, at all costs.

 

[ffemt8978]

There's also the time, hassle, annoyance, and principle of being free from random searches or police fishing trips to consider.



...and the police wonder why so many normal citizens completely distrust them.

http://www.paragoulddailypress.com/articles/2012/12/15/top_story/doc50cbbb312e241511092932.txt
[sarcasm]Unless, of course, the police chief and mayor authorize it. [/sarcasm]

Just a word to the wise if you decide to tell the cops you refuse consent to search car or person, you will get searched. Once you refuse they will place you on hold while getting a search warrant. Probable cause for warrant will be suspicious behavior and most judges will approve warrant. Now not only will you be searched but instead of wasting 10 minutes of your life you may have wasted several hours and possibly even have to pay to get your car out of impound where it was towed pending approval to search.

If they get a search warrant, so be it. That's the way they are supposed to do it. Despite what some law enforcement members believe, making them do their job is NOT obstruction. I ave nothing to hide, but nor do I have anything to gain by waiving my rights for their convenience.

 

[foxfire]

I am sorry, but I refuse to have some stranger's hand feeling me up. The light pat down in ok, have had that happen may times going through airport security. But this is just wrong. And it is a crying shame that a victim of this would have to pay to get there car out of impound and waste a lot of time at the station. When they only stood up to being wrongfully searched.

 

[Imacho]

I'm 100% legal in every department. But I would not allow a search. It's the principle that it my right to refuse it.

 

[JPINFV]

http://www.paragoulddailypress.com/articles/2012/12/15/top_story/doc50cbbb312e241511092932.txt
[sarcasm]Unless, of course, the police chief and mayor authorize it. [/sarcasm]

When I first read that story a couple of days ago I wished I lived near by. I'd love to play the "4th Amendment Lottery" there. After all, jogging without ID at 2 am isn't a crime.

 

[DrParasite]

Now not only will you be searched but instead of wasting 10 minutes of your life you may have wasted several hours and possibly even have to pay to get your car out of impound where it was towed pending approval to search.

ever watch those towing shows on spike or truTV? even if the cops are wrong, or the towed the wrong vehicle, or the violation was not on the part of the owner (PD error, DOT error, found not guilty by the court, etc), the owner still needs to pay the towing and impound fees.

When I first read that story a couple of days ago I wished I lived near by. I'd love to play the "4th Amendment Lottery" there. After all, jogging without ID at 2 am isn't a crime.

Oddly enough, two nights ago, I went jogging at 3am, in black pants, black long sleeve shirt (designed for running), a black hat, and black and blue running shoes (designed for running). No ID, no cell phone, only my house keys and a water bottle.

If a cop asked me for ID, or why I was running around suburbia dressed all in black, I don't know how I would respond without arousing suspicion.

most parents teach their kids to follow any directions of a police officer. and now it seems that what our parents taught us when we were young doesn't apply, as more and more stories of officers overstepping their authority are occurring. And we need to go against what our parents told us to do, and tell the cops no, we won't do what the officer says just because he's the cop.

 

[Jambi]

After which they'll get to entertain a lawsuit for violation of 4th amendment rights. A police officer has no need to rifle through my belongings.

One of the few decent things the ACLU has produced

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqMjMPlXzdA[/YOUTUBE]

 

[usalsfyre]

Very easy to justify search. They do not have to find anything to be cleared. You winning a law suit is less likely.

One of the more upsetting things about Texas (and I dearly love this state) is that there are certain corners of it where those who enforce the law believe it doesn't apply to them. I've suspected and heard of some small and not-so-small town cops doing some positively thuggish things. I've worked closely with law enforcement for a decade now. Sadly I'm more suspicious of them than I was 10 years ago.

 

[Veneficus]

One of the more upsetting things about Texas (and I dearly love this state) is that there are certain corners of it where those who enforce the law believe it doesn't apply to them. I've suspected and heard of some small and not-so-small town cops doing some positively thuggish things. I've worked closely with law enforcement for a decade now. Sadly I'm more suspicious of them than I was 10 years ago.

A couple of my old school LE friends have an opinion on this I would like to share as food for thought.

The purpose of a police force is to insure order in society. That doesn't always mean arresting people, getting the "bad guy" etc.

US Police forces have evolved into law "enforcement" as a way not to maintan order, but to preemptively protect society from disorder.

While this may seem beneficial, the more laaws you have and the more you enforce them, the higher overall rates of crime you have.

Some people, in and out of law enforcement see this Police state as beneficial, providing safety and security.

Personally I don't like the idea of police states. I'd rather accept some insecurity and danger. Because no matter how law obiding of a citizen you think you are, sooner or later, the sheer volumes of laws created to "protect" you are make you a criminal for some minor deviation.

 

[JPINFV]

most parents teach their kids to follow any directions of a police officer. and now it seems that what our parents taught us when we were young doesn't apply, as more and more stories of officers overstepping their authority are occurring. And we need to go against what our parents told us to do, and tell the cops no, we won't do what the officer says just because he's the cop.

Issues become more nuanced as we grow up. There's a huge difference between a 7 year old blindly following authority and a 25 year old or 40 year old blindly following authority.

 

[medic417]

One of the more upsetting things about Texas (and I dearly love this state) is that there are certain corners of it where those who enforce the law believe it doesn't apply to them. I've suspected and heard of some small and not-so-small town cops doing some positively thuggish things. I've worked closely with law enforcement for a decade now. Sadly I'm more suspicious of them than I was 10 years ago.

There are some like that in every state. Sadly the bad cops are the ones that everyone talks about.

 

[bigbaldguy]

There are some like that in every state. Sadly the bad cops are the ones that everyone talks about.

I'm seeing it more and more here. Not just in LE but also EMS, FD, politics, you name it. Corruption, graft, nepotism, incompetence, racism, sexism, xenophobia. It's becoming a lot like Venezuela under chavez. Nobody bucks the system because the economy is doing so well and it's easy living for everyone but in the meantime the people in charge are tearing the place down from the inside. Maybe Enron would be a better example. Oh wait Enron was a Texas company how ironic. I've been a Texan my whole life and it kills me to see this happening to it but I point it out to people and they just shrug and say "Yeah but look at the great economy" :/

 

[titmouse]

The video of the whole thing is up online. I hope the ST gets reprimanded accordingly!