The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - DUI checkpoints: another example of how they can be abused

Conn. Trooper · July 16, 2013, 03:56 PM

The last time, I was "caught" with a burned out headlight. When I borrowed my wife's car. Didn't even know there was a problem. The really frustrating part of the stop was.... it wasn't night! It was getting into dusk but nobody else even had their headlights on. But my wife's VW Golf is the type that has the headlights on whenever it is driven. So I drove by the cop, he stopped me and told me I had a headlight out. It was hard to see how that was an infraction when it wasn't dark!!

And that was the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. A very professional organization. Not just some county's deputy. I told him I was armed, and told him I had removed the external carry and put it in the floorboard of the passenger side. (It was a Wilderness Safepacker, kind of like a fanny pack but made for guns.) He ordered me to exit the vehicle. I actually thought that was "OK" since it seemed like a way to separate me from the firearm.

I got out, he started to pat me down. Saw the knife clips on the side of my pockets, asked me to remove those and put them in my vehicle. I did that. He had me put my hands on the car while he patted me down some more. He got this strange look on his face when he felt a hard rectangle in my front pocket. Told me to remove it. I took it out... wow... big bust... it was the electronic key for the car. No drugs on this bust.

Then he told me to get in his car. In the front seat anyway! And he wrote me up a warning for the headlight. Then he let me go.

I asked around afterwards and told that sort of search was perfectly fine and it was at the officer's discretion. "For officer safety." He wasn't abusive and downright rude like the officer in the video but it still seemed way over the top. I expect to be treated _better_ than average when I produce my CCW. It shows I'm one of the good guys since I went through all that background stuff. You shouldn't get treated _more_ like a criminal when you tell them you have a CCW!

Gregg

Sooo, the guy wasn't abusive or rude, and only gave you a warning when you admittedly had a headlight out. But he is in the wrong how? For patting you down? For pulling you over and giving you a warning to take care of a headlight out? I am confused what you had an issue with.

July 16, 2013, 03:56 PM	#93
Conn. Trooper Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 530	The last time, I was "caught" with a burned out headlight. When I borrowed my wife's car. Didn't even know there was a problem. The really frustrating part of the stop was.... it wasn't night! It was getting into dusk but nobody else even had their headlights on. But my wife's VW Golf is the type that has the headlights on whenever it is driven. So I drove by the cop, he stopped me and told me I had a headlight out. It was hard to see how that was an infraction when it wasn't dark!! And that was the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. A very professional organization. Not just some county's deputy. I told him I was armed, and told him I had removed the external carry and put it in the floorboard of the passenger side. (It was a Wilderness Safepacker, kind of like a fanny pack but made for guns.) He ordered me to exit the vehicle. I actually thought that was "OK" since it seemed like a way to separate me from the firearm. I got out, he started to pat me down. Saw the knife clips on the side of my pockets, asked me to remove those and put them in my vehicle. I did that. He had me put my hands on the car while he patted me down some more. He got this strange look on his face when he felt a hard rectangle in my front pocket. Told me to remove it. I took it out... wow... big bust... it was the electronic key for the car. No drugs on this bust. Then he told me to get in his car. In the front seat anyway! And he wrote me up a warning for the headlight. Then he let me go. I asked around afterwards and told that sort of search was perfectly fine and it was at the officer's discretion. "For officer safety." He wasn't abusive and downright rude like the officer in the video but it still seemed way over the top. I expect to be treated _better_ than average when I produce my CCW. It shows I'm one of the good guys since I went through all that background stuff. You shouldn't get treated _more_ like a criminal when you tell them you have a CCW! Gregg Sooo, the guy wasn't abusive or rude, and only gave you a warning when you admittedly had a headlight out. But he is in the wrong how? For patting you down? For pulling you over and giving you a warning to take care of a headlight out? I am confused what you had an issue with.