When the cop calls for backup, it is not a consensual conversation.
Fundamental rule: Do not -- EVER -- give a Philadelphia police officer the benefit of the doubt.
If you think I'm being overly harsh in that assessment, lurk on the Pennsylvania Firearms Owners Association (PAFOA) forum for awhile and read some of the discussions about how the Philadelphia police illegally harass people who dare to wear firearms within city limits. If a "citizen" doesn't know the difference between a Terry stop and a consensual encounter, that's understandable. If a police officer doesn't know the difference, he or she needs to be off the streets, because that difference is crucial and can mean the difference between a casual conversation and a false arrest.
Terry v. Ohio was in 1968. That means the principle of what constitutes a legitimate "Terry stop" has been firmly established for 44 YEARS. That's essentially two entire GENERATIONS of police officers. It is taught (AFAIK) in every police academy in the country. If a particular officer (or a particular department) hasn't "gotten it," it's because they don't want to get it. And that's intolerable in a self-styled nation of laws.
Last edited by Aguila Blanca; November 23, 2012 at 10:08 PM.
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