Positive LEO Experience

[Ibleedblue13]

I just wanted to share a positive experience with all the hate thats been going on lately towards LEO's. On my way back from class about an hour ago I decided to take a different route to grab a coffee. I wasn't really paying attention and by the time I saw him in the median he had already clocked me well above the limit. I immediately pulled over, turned the car off and got my papers ready.

He walked up and asked if I knew how fast I was going. I said pretty much word for word, "Honestly officer i'm not sure but I was definitely speeding, my mistake. No excuses." He just told me he clocked me at 63 in a 45, to slow it down and have a nice day. He never even took my license/papers let alone ran them. The whole stop probably lasted less than two minutes and both of us were respectful to one another. And like I said it was my mistake and no excuses, so me getting a ticket wouldn't have changed my opinion on how the stop went.

Props to a cool and respectful cop with the Palm Beach Gardens PD, we need more out there like that. And as a college student not getting that ticket means my beer fund remains unharmed lol. :beer:

 

[crfrider16]

Nice to hear. This kind of thing happens every day, all over the country. You just don't hear about it.

 

[silver03svt]

The general public will never understand exactly how much respect and personal accountability for their own actions will go for them on stops for minor violations. I won't say that I give each a warning, as some do get a summons for the offense. That being said, I will encourage that person to come to court and see if the judge will help them out on the charge. In court, I at least get the chance to let the judge know that they were courteous, respectful, and didn't make any BS excuses on the roadside. Those words go a long way in a judge's eye.


Glad you had a positive experience and thanks for sharing!

 

[Troponin]

I was pulled over a few months ago by a local officer. He was so damn polite, even told me he thought I had a really nice truck. He smiled and told me to have a good day at the end of the interaction. Even though he still ticketed me, the entire experience was very pleasant, so I thanked him and went on my way.

Now, there are a couple officers here on motorcycles that drive me crazy. They act completely emotionless and their only job is to write as many tickets as possible. Luckily, the quota for tickets has gone from 14 to 3 recently, so I am hoping this becomes a non-issue from here on out.

 

[cobraless]

I wanted to start a new thread about my experience last night, but figured attaching it here seemed more appropriate. I was coming home from urgent care with my 3 year old last night after midnight and got pulled over about 5 miles from home. I wasn't speeding, or doing anything illegal as far as I could tell. I did the same thing as the OP, pulled over put on my hazards, kept my hands on the wheel and addressed the officer nicely when he asked me to roll my window down. After I greeted him he said I pulled you over because your license plate light is either out or too dim... Then he shined his flashlight in my sons face in the back seat and said "OH, you have a little guy with you..." I explained we were coming home from urgent care and I would fix the light right away. We ended up having a little chat about our kids and it was a nice exchange. He handed me my license back and said "get the little guy home." I've had good and bad experiences with LEO's, this was a good one. I agree with the sentiment in this thread, just be nice, honest and forthcoming and your chances of driving home without a ticket go up significantly.

 

[Quik Z06]

It's simple really and you've all heard it a million times. Treat them like you'd like to be treated. When I was younger I used to be an ass all the time to them, and you guessed it, it never helped. As I got older I gained a lot more respect for what they do and have to deal with daily. It helps a lot to be courteous, doesn't mean you won't get a ticket but it may help.

 

[Cabikejumper]

I was pulled over for the first time in a long time a few days ago. I seen a cop driving the other way on a divided highway, I wasn't speeding so I just blew it off. A few minutes later I see lights in my mirror. I was suprised and thought he was just trying to get by me. I pulled to the left lane and he followed so I knew then he wanted me for something. He walks up and asks hows it going. I honestly had no idea why I was being pulled over. He asked, 'where is your front plate?" I told him, "either in the trunk or back at the house." He just asks for the insurance and license and just says ill be back with a warning.

I do not understand why people try to give cops grief and do the whole 'YouTube' thing trying to get a rise out of them. Just be polite and honest and you'll be on your way in a few minutes. Their job is stressful enough. I have nothing against cops and support them for what they do.

 

[RedRocketMike]

I've had many good and sometimes funny experiences. Great communication skills go a long way, so do manners. I cut an officer off really badly once making a left turn, I almost got blasted. He turned around and chased me down but I had pulled over already, I knew there was no way of getting out of that. He walked up and I said something about all I remember are headlights and he thought it was funny and started laughing. Then we were both laughing. Next thing I know he told me to be safe and just walked back to his car without checking any of my paperwork. Sticks with me because it was so odd that we both found something funny about what was almost a pretty bad accident.

It's simple really and you've all heard it a million times. Treat them like you'd like to be treated. When I was younger I used to be an ass all the time to them, and you guessed it, it never helped. As I got older I gained a lot more respect for what they do and have to deal with daily. It helps a lot to be courteous, doesn't mean you won't get a ticket but it may help.

It's not a guarantee you will have a better experience, but is one that you will not.

 

[gamatt]

I had one recently where I was behind 3 cars that were behind a semi with no trailer and his hazards on, and he was going literally 15-20 mph in a 45, semi back road double yellow line. The other cars passed him and I did as well when I could safely do so, except as I did a police car was pulling into the road a quarter mile ahead in my direction. So he whipped a u turn after passing by me and pulled me over. He was fairly pissed initially but after I politely explained the whole situation he cooled down and didn't even take any of my info and let me go.