The Violent Cop Knock

[GadgetSolar]

Do you answer it? Or do you ignore it?

How do you deal with security guards aka "wannabe cops"?

 

[Seraphim]

What PlanetMoon said. &nbsp;<br /><br />Generally, the more aggressive officers are younger and inexperienced. They have a mental image of how a cop must behave based on TV and movies. &nbsp; It's something that can't be taught at the academy, but must be learned through experience and with good role models. I was once taught that an officer can start out nice, then play the harda$$ if the situation requires; &nbsp;but if an officer starts out playing the hardcase, he can't become the nice guy all of a sudden. Occasionally, some moron confuses 'polite' with 'pushover' and the difference needs to be explained to them in no uncertain terms. &nbsp;Once he understands, he generally becomes polite, and the officer can become polite again.<br /><br />If you act suspicious, the officer will be suspicious. If you come on with an attitude, the officer will respond in kind. If you're honest and offer some friendly cooperation, he'll quickly realize you're not problem and be on his way.<br /><br />There are occasional exceptions, and these must be educated or encouraged to move on to another profession by their peers.

 

[katelyn]

my dad was a police officer and when he retired was a security officer part time.. Basically my advice is to make sure they are who they say they are before you open your door, but don't be rude. They are just doing their job, and it's a stressful one. they don't know who or what you're doing.<br />be polite, show them your id and tell them the truth the worst they will do is give you a ticket for trespassing or tell you to leave, not all cops are crappy, follow your gut and don't park where you feel it is questionable<img src="../images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />

 

[thinker]

What PlanetMoon said. &nbsp;<br /><br />&nbsp;It's something that can't be taught at the academy, but must be learned through experience and with good role models. I was once taught that an officer can start out nice, then play the harda$$ if the situation requires; &nbsp;but if an officer starts out playing the hardcase, he can't become the nice guy all of a sudden. Occasionally, some moron confuses 'polite' with 'pushover' and the difference needs to be explained to them in no uncertain terms. &nbsp;Once he understands, he generally becomes polite, and the officer can become polite again.<br /><br />

in my experience [at least if we change 'hardcase' to 'hardboiled'] the opposite is true. it's easier to nicen up than to start out that way. it has to do with people who confuse polite with pushover. if you start out nice then get hard, the moron in question thinks he affected you. but if a cop seems aggressive in the beginning, it's more often than not an attempt to approach with an air of authority [evolutionary behavior]. be nice. the cop will almost always come down. but it will be their decision and has to be for them to effectively do their job.<br />if this is understood by the civilian, the situation almost always mellows. if the cop continues to pig you after you've been polite and cooperative, they're an A hole and there's nothing you can do but continue to be subservient and wait for it to shake out.<br />remember, you can't win. just try not to lose.

 

[sl1966]

Agreed with all those in favor of dealing favorably with LEO. Official or hired. The more you cooperate, the sooner they get to the bottom of whatever they need to, and the sooner you can get about your business. Worst they can tell you is to move when they learn that all you're doing is catching some Z's.<br /><br />

 

[Seraphim]

you start out nice then get hard, the moron in question thinks he affected you.

<br /><br />Not if the LEO smiles wickedly at the same time *grin*. &nbsp; 'Hard' does not mean to get angry. &nbsp;If he makes you angry, he wins. Act unexpectedly, and it generally throws people, so they change direction. &nbsp;Then the situation defuses and ends without violence. Most times. Occasionally, someone just wants to fight, no matter what.<br /><br />And different techniques work for different cops.

 

[She]

I still go back that if you can't hear the cop knocking what would they do? Towing? g god!!! I still&nbsp;plan&nbsp;at night to put a sign in the front&nbsp;windshield&nbsp;that a deaf person&nbsp;drives&nbsp;this van. Im also going to get a handicap card. I dont need one really but for this it may work. &nbsp;

 

[Seraphim]

She<br /><br />It really depends on department policy and the situation. Cops here don't tow off of private property unless it's a hazard, interfering with traffic/business, or evidence. &nbsp;The property owner can always have it towed, if they wished.<br /><br />For most everyday situations, if the police knock and no one answers, they'll do nothing - unless they have reason to believe there's a problem inside. &nbsp;Suppose a citizen saw you in the van, called, and said they tho

 

[Seraphim]

Thought you were ill or in trouble, then you didn't answer. &nbsp;They might assume you needed help and break into the van.

 

[She]

Ah thats what I thought. Well I'll have to make sure NOBODY sees me going into the van AND make sure I park legal. Mission Impossible NOT!!

 

[Pikachu711]

Gadgetsolar: I'll echo what Katelynn mentions. When dealing with&nbsp;a LEO/SO just have a "cooperative" attititude when you open the van door. The vast number of LEO's/SO's I've met are just trying to do their job. I'm a former security officer (SO) and have had to deal with people illegally parked. I would ask the offending person to just leave the property. If the person had a good attitude I had no problem with them. I treated people the way I wanted to be treated. I rarely had problems.<br />One thing I wouldn't do is put "deaf person drives this vehicle" in the front windshield. As a former SO, that's something I couldn't verify. I most likely would just issue your vehicle&nbsp;a warning and leave it at that. Now a LEO can run your registration. I once asked a local LEO here in Las Vegas that precise question about "deaf" car owners. He told me that when they run a vehicle owned by a deaf person there's a notation that appears somewhere that indicates that a vehicle is registered to a "hearing impaired" person.<br />It all comes down to your attitude in the way you deal with a LEO/SO.<br /><br />

 

[She]

Pikachu if the person is really deaf as I am (and yes its on my&nbsp;license)it wouldn't help with a sign? Is that what your saying? I have no problem opening the door ..its just not hearing them that gets me real nervous. I was planning just to put a sign in the&nbsp;windshield&nbsp;at night.

 

[Pikachu711]

She,<br />I was posting that reply for the benefit of any members who weren't deaf. If you're actually deaf it makes&nbsp;perfect sense to post a sign advising a LEO/SO that you are deaf.

 

[She]

Thats what I thought. Im reading this when its 4 am and the brain is still foggy, Thanks.&nbsp;<img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />

 

[offroad]

cooperate fully with Mr. Officer.&nbsp; Do you know why we are knocking on your door?&nbsp; always answer no, I do not know.&nbsp; (just like speeding). &nbsp; Then say I am sorry I did not realize that,&nbsp; no matter what they say (regardless if you did or not).&nbsp; Move it, or be ticketed&nbsp; or towed.&nbsp; Okay I will try to drive to a place to get coffee, but I am very tired officer and I am concerned I will be a hazard to drive, but okay.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br />Likely officer will now be on your side, and suggest a walmart parking lot to go to, or some commuter lot on the highway<br /><br />Hopefully officer will not call a bluff and say you can sleep in the jail cell if you are tired, and have the vehicle towed.&nbsp; which could happen with a poorly experienced cop.&nbsp; Always say you are not that tired, still being polite.<br /><br />Above all cooperate.&nbsp; EXCEPT do not allow searches, with out warrants.&nbsp; <br /><br />is this hard to do? &nbsp;

 

[Pikachu711]

Offroad, when it comes to vehicle searches, I totally agree! I once asked&nbsp;a retired LEO if he allows LEO's to search his vehicle if requested. His response was,&nbsp;"HELL NO!" The only cooperation you should give is to who you are and why you are parked at that specific location.

 

[peacetara]

I still go back that if you can't hear the cop knocking what would they do? Towing? g god!!! I still&nbsp;plan&nbsp;at night to put a sign in the front&nbsp;windshield&nbsp;that a deaf person&nbsp;drives&nbsp;this van. Im also going to get a handicap card. I dont need one really but for this it may work. &nbsp;

<br /><br />She, YAY for another deafie! <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br /><br />I had a cop poke at me once when I was sleeping in my car at some overlook, I didn't have any curtains or anything, I saw him drive up. &nbsp;He was really nice, wrote everything down for me. I just told him I didn't feel safe driving anymore, just trying to get home and I pulled over to sleep. &nbsp;He said well you can't sleep here, and helped me find (with directions!) a place I could sleep.<br /><br />I would think I would definitely notice and wake up if a cop wanted attention. &nbsp;First, their headlights are ON your vehicle, and they stay there for a good long time, so they can run plates and make sure you aren't going to try and kill them or something (I don't really know what they do, but they sit in their car a while before approaching). &nbsp;Once they approach, they have a giant flashlight that's super bright, and they shine it everywhere. &nbsp;a flashlight like that in your face would wake me up, no problem I think.<br /><br />I don't plan on doing 'black out' curtains or the reflectix stuff for exactly this reason. I want curtains for sure, but I think just normal curtains that block most light would be good for me, so that I have more connection with my surroundings.<br /><br />-Tara<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

 

[She]

Thanks Tara I forgot about that. Yes they would do that with their headlights. I guess they HAVE to ..to protect themselves. They have to see what they are getting into. Makes so much sense!! Also if they check your&nbsp;license&nbsp;BEFORE they approach they would see the restrictions(either hearing aids/extra large mirror.) One more thing you make a good point about curtains but you need to put clothes on and off. I guess in this case it would make sense to have 2 sets of&nbsp;curtains&nbsp;or something you could throw over them when dressing.<br /><br /> Yes this is nice a deafie to share with!! HIP HIP Haray!!&nbsp;<img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />

 

[angeli]

Dave and I stayed in a park in Santa Fe, NM when we first got there. &nbsp;One night at about 3:30a we got the hard knock. &nbsp;Dave went out and I could hear that the cops were hard voiced, and that even tho Dave was being polite things were headed south. &nbsp;I put on my cooking apron, pulled my glasses down to the end of my nose, and stepped out of the back of the cabover with a ball of yarn in my hand.<br /><br />"Hi officers, is everything alright?"<br /><br />"Good evening, ma'am! &nbsp;Oh... uh... we're sorry to bother you..." &nbsp;Instant situational defusing.<br /><br />"Oh no problem! &nbsp;I've just made some brownies. &nbsp;Would you like some?" &nbsp;sweetly smiling.<br /><br />Turns out there had been a break in the evening before in the gov't building across the street. &nbsp;The cops and my husband were so busy being males and establishing dominance that things could have been ugly pretty fast. &nbsp;Santa Fe is a wealthy town and doesn't like folks living in Cabover campers, which is what we were in at the time. &nbsp;But they were just trying to do their jobs, and cutting to the heart of the matter helped them and us.<br /><br />That was pre-911, however. &nbsp;Seems things have changed a great deal. &nbsp;Here in FL, the small town police are really scary. &nbsp;Much worse than the L.A. city police EVER were. &nbsp;It almost seems like now it's a crap shoot when you have to deal with LEO's. &nbsp;You could get a human, or you could get something else.

 

[SirJoey]

It almost seems like now it's a crap shoot when you have to deal with LEO's. &nbsp;You could get a human, or you could get something else.

<br /><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><strong>Unfortunately, this seems to be MY experience EVERYWHERE!</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><strong>I continue to support them with annual donations, even though </strong></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><strong>I've been victimized by them SEVERAL times. :-(<br /><br />Maybe my eyes freak 'em out...<br /><br /></strong></span>