6 Completely Legal Ways Cops Can Screw You (Warning: Language)

Thesemindz

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From one of the comments:

One time I got pulled over on the freeway, and this state patrolman with a '70s pornstache says I have a tail light out, then goes back and breaks it himself with his stick. Then he and the four other cops in his car ganged up on me and kept smacking my head against my car. Then they made a bunch of racist jokes and one tasered me in the face and I think another had a katana. Then they poured beer on me and tossed me the ticket for the broken light. I swear this is a totally true and factual story, and you have to believe it because it validates your pre-existing opinions.

Read more: http://www.cracked.com/article_1862...ways-cops-can-screw-you_p2.html#ixzz0tVH0DFih

LOL!! :lfao::lfao:
 
You do realize that most of those aren't quite as simple as made out, nor are they often used nearly as maliciously as the anecdotes included.

For example, asset forfeiture is not nearly such a simple matter as implied. The whole idea is to hit the bad guys where it hurts, since in many cases jail terms are no impediment... Even then, they need ... See Moreto show the nexus, and deal with several other legalities.

Citing speed by eye requires appropriate training and a track record -- and is really just going back to what most state codes say anyway. RADAR or other speed determinations devices simply verify and quantify the violation directly observed by the officer. That was discussed at length here on MT.

Public drunkenness and the condom laws both are attempts to deal with a problem; they may be as subtle as using a hammer in a china shop, but the problems aren't always easy to solve, either. Used with reasonable discretion (are you sure the article presents the WHOLE story? I note that they don't describe what if anything was done against the officers who appear to have abused their discretion.)

Videotaping is a thorny issue; it can reveal important tactical, evidentiary or otherwise restricted information. If it's a two party consent state... that's the law.

The use of real identities is another complex issue. Most agencies I'm familiar with would only do this in rare cases, where the benefits are worth the risks and potential problems.

I'm not suggesting all cops are perfect -- but they aren't the monsters being suggested by this article. The writer would have done himself a favor, in my mind, if he had avoided the extremist take on some of these.
 
All I can say is I don't worry about condoms, and I feel sorry for anyone who steals my identity. LOL!

Actually, while some of the concerns are valid ones, how reliable is Cracked? I mean, isn't that the magazine that was like a bad rehash of MAD?
 
All I can say is I don't worry about condoms, and I feel sorry for anyone who steals my identity. LOL!

Actually, while some of the concerns are valid ones, how reliable is Cracked? I mean, isn't that the magazine that was like a bad rehash of MAD?

I think so. I remember reading the magazine back in the '70s. And yes, it was a bad rehash. Some of their lists have been pretty informative, though. They seem to research their stuff pretty well. I Google Map'ed some of their lists of weird geological formations and the sites were just as described.
 
It's a typical internet based fluff piece. Create any title as a "6 ways...10 examples of" to generate more hits. Take a list of controversial and superficially covered examples and put together an article to keep your "blog based" publication stocked with current articles. Its about generating hits for that ad revenue over any journalistic exploration of an issue.
 
It's a typical internet based fluff piece. Create any title as a "6 ways...10 examples of" to generate more hits. Take a list of controversial and superficially covered examples and put together an article to keep your "blog based" publication stocked with current articles. Its about generating hits for that ad revenue over any journalistic exploration of an issue.
**Makes notes**
 
"Journalistic exploration"? It's a comedy and satire magazine!

Indeed, and as much as it used to be a sad parody of "MAD", it's internet version at least has changed, and things like it'sTop 10 lists are often rather amusing, but also tend to contain more than a small amount of the truth.

Take this particular article. It does paint many of these in what I'd consider "worst case" scenario's, and is of course written toungue in cheek but at the same time it cites real cases, often of things we have spoken about here on this board... such as the no-radar required traffic tickets, and the ongoing discussions of photographing/videotaping of police in public. If this article appeared in say any *ahem* reputable *ahem* newspaper, it wouldn't need to change the meat of the article to still be factual... only perhaps the presentation itself.
 
I'm not sure I understand. Was there a problem in the OP? I'm sure the scenarios there would be the same in many countries ... Iran, Nth Korea, Zimbabwe just to name a few. :rofl:
 
All I can say is I don't worry about condoms, and I feel sorry for anyone who steals my identity. LOL!

Actually, while some of the concerns are valid ones, how reliable is Cracked? I mean, isn't that the magazine that was like a bad rehash of MAD?
If you steal my identity, all you get is practice.
Sean
 
How I got screwed:
"Well, as I do every day your honor, I took my radar unit in for calibration and fine tuning. I also got the hot wax treatment on it so it shines right purty."

Because every cop doing traffic enforcement is required to daily take his unit in and ensure that it is 100% perfect. That's why they can clock those old ladies in their walkers doing 100mph. /sarcasm.

Cop when he got out of the car looked like a reject from Mario Brothers. In court, you'd swear he was getting married. Shoes shined, hair combed, hell he even tucked his gold chain away and buttoned up his shirt and had a gosh darn tie on.

His word vs mine + pissed off judge = I paid the fine and went home.

A long time ago, in a town far far away.

Of course, just because they -can- doesn't mean they -do-. Otherwise, how else can you explain how an opinionated schmuck like me can drive 50k miles and not be bothered? :D
 
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