Police Report Procedure

[Chuckanut]

If they did not run the guy who called and it later turned out he was a felon who slipped through their fingers, people would be screaming about the police not running every contact.


Sent from somewhere in the world with whatever device I can get my hands on

 

[REWahoo]

If they did not run the guy who called and it later turned out he was a felon who's lipped through their fingers...

+1

Nothing says shoddy police work like lipping felons...

 

[razztazz]

While I have never been a fan of the ACLU this thread makes me want to consider supporting them.

Hey, even G Gordon Liddy sang their praises when they came to his defense. And didn't they help Oliver North too?

Ya never can tell what the cops are up to. Here it would seem there was no reason to "jack up" a citizen who asked a question. However what they were likely doing is, as some have said, just verifying who they were talking to "for the record". We talked to a Mister Jones. Or hell I don't now, that's who he said he was.
Or maybe they are under some stupid-assed dictate from HQ (we all know those) to grab as many driver's licenses as you can. "Toody and Muldoon" are just filling the squares

I grew up with police. My father and uncle were policemen. My father always warned us "don't talk to the police." I guess because he knew what they get up to.

 

[razztazz]

If they did not run the guy who called and it later turned out he was a felon who's (s)lipped through their fingers, people would be screaming about the police not running every contact.

Yeah, that's a good reason. Everybody's a criminal. I guess all cops are criminals too. Why wouldn't they be by that logic? Us vs them. It's the American Way. Like all those cops I knew growing up used to say when joking about this kind of thing: Don't like it? Wadaya gonna do? Call the police?

 

[anethum]

I see a successful ACLU lawsuit on the horizon.

 

[HawkeyeNFO]

I can't believe this hasn't been posted yet!

No offense, Walt!

 

[davemartin88]

I can't believe this hasn't been posted yet!

No offense, Walt!

Actually isn't relevant to my original question but an interesting video.

 

[HawkeyeNFO]

I probably would have called police too if there were unexpected shots fired, but if they come knocking on my door, they don't need my DL for anything, nor do they need to come inside for any reason. I understand that it is their "routine procedure," but keep in mind that making an arrest is also a "routine procedure," as is lying to suspects or persons of interest.

 

[utrecht]

He obviously wanted to check you for warrants. The easiest way to do that is to slide your DL thru a DL reader on their computer in the car just like you do with a debit card at the grocery store. That's most likely why he wanted your DL. Now, why he wanted to check you for warrants is a whole different question. Seems ridiculous to me unless you were acting strangely.

 

[Bestwifeever]

I am sure I would have handed over my DL right away, too, but the OP's situation where the deputies said they wanted to check his record still makes me uneasy. No evidence of any criminal activity on his part to prompt the database searches (unlike having a broken tail-light or failing to signal a turn in the case of a driver), right? So really the deputies are indirectly encouraging people not to report any suspicious activity lest they become their focus.

 

[eytonxav]

Now, why he wanted to check you for warrants is a whole different question. Seems ridiculous to me unless you were acting strangely.

Exactly, next are they going to start going door to door to run other homeowners DLs without probable cause.

 

[LOL!]

As a parent on a Cub Scout visit to the County Jail, we were shown a squad car which all the kids got to sit in. I gave the officer my DL so that he could show the kids what the computer did with it. I found out that ….

 

[Mulligan]

All I know is since 1987 when I received my one and only ticket, I have been pulled over at least a dozen times and never have received a ticket or official warning ticket. So they certainly have treated me well over the years. Even in the big city, a police officer noticed my car had been broken into and left a note for me to call him. I thought it humorous he noted that the thief wasn't very good because he didn't find the $50 in car that the officer did. And no the officer didn't steal it either!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[38Chevy454]

.....just come to Albuquerque and it *will* be the police who did the shooting......

Even after the DOJ investigation results released about 2 months ago, we have had 4 police kills in the past 2 months.

 

[John Galt III]

With any luck you will not have your name in the local paper as a result of this. I would imagine half of folks won't report anything to the cops, because they don't want their names in the paper.

 

[Leonidas]

I worked patrol in the early 80's when mobile data terminals were just being introduced (I never had one). We could check people for wants or warrants either via telephone or radio, but that took time and we only did that if the person was a suspect but not going to jail (we always checked prisoners using fingerprints and computers per policy as part of the booking process). But my personal policy was to check everyone whose name made it's way onto the pages of my notebook. I usually did that at the end of the shift using a terminal at the substation. If I was training a probationary that was his/her chore each night.

If the contact with someone was as a suspect, I always got their DL or ID. Often suspects didn't have ID on them, and in those cases I would use my own judgement on letting them give me their information, or loading them up and taking them downtown to check their prints.

If the person was a non-suspect, but they were going to be mentioned in an investigation as a complainant or witness, I usually asked for their DL or ID because it was required in our offense report format.

In situations like in the OP's case, in which no report is going to be filed because no crime occurred, I would still record his name in my notebook because I was dispatched to the residence on official business. Every good cop is going to make a note of the details of when he got the call, where he went, who he talked to, and what he did. And like I said before, if your name went in my notebook, you got checked sooner or later.

I think the deputy was telling it like it was when he said.

...it would be easier to run my information through several databases that exist to make sure I wasn't wanted or otherwise needed for questioning by using the license. They could do it without it but just a bit more work for them.

It's nothing personal, it's just routine record keeping and due diligence. It's part of what the police get paid to do, and what people expect them to do. Just remember, if you call the cops you have invited the scrutiny of a nosy person with a lot of authority to take an official interest in you.

 

[OAG]

Prior to being allowed to vote yesterday and was asked for my DL. No big deal.

 

[davemartin88]

Was that so they could run you through the criminal database, lol?

 

[Rustward]

I guess I don't mind having to identify myself -- in just about any situation.

It would even be OK with me if gas pumps had systems that checked to see if your car is insured before allowing you to fill the tank.

 

[fh2000]

9 years ago, one night while I was sleeping, my window glass shattered with a loud noise. I thought someone shut a bullet at my house. I called 911. Two cops came to investigate and saw no holes in my screen outside the window glass. They decided it was probably a passing vehicle that hit a small rock bouncing off my window without penetrating.

They asked for my DL and wrote a detail report to me. I can see all my personal data on my copy. I did not hesitate showing them my DL.

 

[Senin]

I am retired LE in a bigger city. It is easier just to get the info off of the DL. However, I wouldn't pressure someone to go get his license. It is a noise complaint, not a homicide. On minor calls with no further investigation, there won't even be a police report (depending on jurisdiction). In that case I would be surprised if they ran your name (but some places have nothing better to do). If the case warranted a police report, I could see why they would want to verify your ID. But, you are the complaintant. You are under no obligation to provide ID.

But as with most things, it is the approach that counts.

By the way, around here, firing off rounds are a big thing. Those bullets have to land somewhere. I've see strays land in kids heads. I would want to know who is firing off those rounds, where they are firing off those rounds and why. Shots fired are not just a routine noise complaint.

 

[Nodak]

In the circumstances described by the OP I would not give my drivers license to an officer. The complainant is under no obligation to supply an ID. I am concerned that we are surrendering our Constitutional freedoms much too easily.

 

[razztazz]

The complainant is under no obligation to supply an ID. I am concerned that we are surrendering our Constitutional freedoms much too easily.

Yes, now you're guilty of "obstruction" or "refusing to obey".... And don't "reach for your waistband" to hitch up your pants unless you want to get shot.

 

[davemartin88]

When I asked what would happen if I didn't supply my ID, the deputy said they would run my information anyway the harder way and as part of their report, I would be noted as "uncooperative" so other deputies would be aware of this in the future. I responded that this sounded like a threat and he explained, "no, it's a promise". At that point, I went inside, got my DL and asked them to take the information and to please leave. Another cruiser showed up while I was inside. As they were leaving, I told the deputy that I was sorry for the way this had gone and that I hadn't intended to get them mad, his reply was, "but you did, didn't you". I went inside at that point.

During the earlier discussion, it was also explained to me that when I had made my call to them in the first place, I had "invited" them to come on to my property. Since they were there, they were obligated to check me out as well as I would be surprised how many times they had done this and found out that the person calling had outstanding warrants. He further mentioned that people would rightfully be complaining if they hadn't checked me out and I later turned out to be a serious criminal that ended up not being caught when they had the chance. I told them I didn't think it made sense that I was being investigated just because I had called their office but they were obviously seeing this situation differently.

I talked about this event with some long timers in the area and they thought it was out of character for the officer/department involved so will leave it at that. I was a bit surprised when they even showed up and said as much when they pulled in. This may have bothered them and when I wasn't immediately forthcoming with all the information they were asking for about me rather than what I had called about, I had become the issue.

This deputy had what looked to be another, younger officer with him so maybe it was a training event for them to deal with "uncooperative" citizens. In the future, I won't bother to to call them again for anything short of a serious event. My original call had been to ask if the department was aware of any new, commercial ranges that had opened in my area, didn't realize the call had been considered a complaint that would prompt a visit.

Senin, I'm in a very rural area where shots aren't uncommon, I called this time because there were thousands of rounds being fired. I've since found out that some people from the northern Virginia area bought some property and set up a range to use on weekends. I think the newness is wearing off and along with the leaves coming in to deaden the sound, we're not hearing as much shooting. Usually a lot of rounds but only for an hour or two at a time- some weekends have been shooting free.

Already learned to live with it and one good side effect, one of our dogs that is very scared of gunfire, is less bothered now. Won't walk when he hears it but doesn't skulk to the basement inside anymore.

Thanks to all that commented, I think the tones/responses used by the deputies could have been better but doesn't look like any long term ill will and maybe it had been a long day for them. With luck, I'll have no reason to deal with anyone from LE going forward. This only presents one side of the situation and maybe the deputy had other reasons to be more concerned about my responses than I thought was warranted or there was another trigger/observation that made him feel threatened by my lack of instant obedience.

 

[utrecht]

There are rude people in every profession. The deputy was more or less correct in what he was doing, but was rude and handled the explanation of why he was doing it badly.