Officer Was Rude to Passenger During a Traffic Stop

[Sweetpbaby]

You don't get to decide who can post here, darling. See to your entitlement complex, yes?

This is a publicly accessible place. If you want control over input, pay an attorney and meet with him privately. The correct course of action is to file a complaint. You don't want to follow the procedure necessary to do so. Do it, or let it go. Those are your options.

No, I don't. But my opinion is: you are not welcome by me. I just figured if I said it often enough you would realize that you are unnecessary. You are not important to this thread as all you have done is attack me and post info that others have already submitted. You want to keep showing in that light, it's your choice. Just thought you might want to save a scrap of dignity and bow out.

[PTPD22]

Ok, like I said in my first response...I wasn't there. So, I can only go on info that you provide. However, based on your behavior here, I'm severely questioning your credibility. The posters here volunteer their opinions, based on their own knowledge, experience, and viewpoint. They are not here to give you the answer you want to hear or coddle your feelings...they simply give their opinions to you straight. Your openly dismissive, defensive, and hostile demeanor toward missy gives me strong suspicion regarding your demeanor toward the cop. Having a passenger interfere with a traffic stop, especially with the type of demeanor you have displayed here, will (rightfully) get a pretty stern response. What I'm picturing now is something along the lines of, "Why are you harassing us? We didn't do anything wrong. So, why don't you go do your job and bother some real criminals?" I won't accept that demeanor from a driver I've stopped without making it very clear who is in charge. If a passenger interferes with a cop's conversation with a driver, with that demeanor, arrest is not an idol threat but a real possibility.

In spite of your arrogant responses, Missy has given you some very good advice. As a passenger, you shouldn't be interrupting the interaction between the cop and the driver (regardless of your relationship to the driver). And, your post does come across as melodramatic whining. Nothing in your post justifies the accusations of misconduct or corruption. The cop may have made some remarks that were unnecessarily rude...or your conduct in interfering with the stop may have made his demeanor entirely appropriate.

You repeatedly claim "I FEAR THIS OFFICER." But, you decline to provide details, for "privacy purposes," that in any way justify your proclaimed fear. I have no idea how describing in detail both your behavior and the cop's could possibly violate your privacy...but, whatever. If you choose not to provide the details, we are left to provide opinions based solely on what you do provide. And, what you do provide makes it sound like you got overly demanding, interfered with the officer while he was conducting a traffic stop, and (justifiably) got verbally slapped down for it...and now want to whine about it.

You have been told what your options are: 1. file a complaint with the department, 2. file a complaint with the city/county government (mayor, city/county council, etc.), or 3. file a complaint with the state attorney general's office. I suppose, if you feel there is some civil rights violation, you could also file a complaint with the FBI or the US Department of Justice.

Knock yourself out and good luck with that.

[indybail]

The situation is actionable, especially in a small town. Make sure friends, neighbors and political candidates are aware of what happened and you and they can then vote and act accordingly.

[cdwjava]

The situation is actionable, especially in a small town. Make sure friends, neighbors and political candidates are aware of what happened and you and they can then vote and act accordingly.

Of course, nothing really happened other than the supervisor is not getting back to them about their complaint. At most, they have a personnel complaint based upon their opinion that the officer was rude. Nothing unlawful happened here, and only arguably improper.

[LawResearcherMissy]

Just thought you might want to save a scrap of dignity and bow out.

*snort*

I'm not the one having a crybaby fit because a cop didn't bow and scrape to me when I stuck my nose into a situation it didn't belong.

When the guy with the gun tells you to shut your mouth? You STFU. Be grateful he didn't cuff you and haul you in for interfering with a lawful stop. From your pissiness and immediately insulting 'tude to Flyingron and your whinybritches, snotty responses, maybe a night in jail will get you over your entitlement issues and teach you to show the Boys in Blue a bit of respect.

Of course, nothing really happened other than the supervisor is not getting back to them about their complaint.

...and if she'd leave her contact info, as instructed, she might actually get a response. Geez, Carl, you boys don't get paid enough.

[souperdave]

...........the fact that you felt the need to refer to me as "sugar" which is a known derogatory address...........

Holy crapanola! All the times I called my wife "sugar britches", "sugar dumpling", or any other "sugar ........" I've been insulting?

I feel soooooooo ashamed!!!

[David K]

My question involves police conduct in the State of: Virginia

My husband was pulled over for a traffic stop. This has happened a few times in our sporty car. I was the passenger. The officer was very abrupt when he approached the vehicle. He did not state his name, ask if we knew why we were being pulled over or say anything beyond "I need to see your license and registration." Having been through this a few times, I was confounded. I asked the officer why we were being pulled over. He lit into me with a rant that included, "it would behoove you to keep your nose in your own business.", "Shut your mouth." and "keep quiet if you know what's good for you."

Needless to say, this officers demeanor was frighteningly aggressive. I was beyond terrified that he was going to make a physical move toward my husband or myself.

I have tried to contact the PD and requested to speak with the sergeant, who is the chief also. (this is a small town of less than 1000 residents). He did not return my phone call from this past Monday. I tried calling multiple times Tuesday and once today. Finally, I sent an email. Trying to be fair to the officer, as I know they have a very dangerous job that is high stress, I was requesting a copy of the dash cam to see if there was something either my husband or I did that put him on guard or raised his stress level to believe that he needed to be tough or aggressive to "control the situation". In response to my email the sergeant simply said, "it is for court room use only."

Seems to me that I am being brushed off, especially as in my email I told the sergeant "I do not feel safe leaving my contact info on his answering machine."

If I was an officer and someone said they didn't feel safe leaving the PD information I would wonder why that is the case. Now, I'm wondering if it is a case of the PD trying to cover up for this officer.

I want to be fair and see the video first. That being said, I do not believe that either of us did anything to cause this aggressive and threatening behavior. However, at this point, I feel this may be a case of rotten from the top on down. I fear that filing a report about this officer's behavior will just get thrown into the trash. What can I do to assure this situation is addressed? What options are there for retrieving that dash cam audio/visual?

The officer is not required to state his name or identify himself in any way, UNLESS YOU SPECIFICALLY ASK HIM TO. Whereafter, he must. If he still refuses to identify himself, then he is probably not a police officer ... call 911 or local dispatch and request that a traffic stop be validated on suspicion of a subject impersonating a police officer.

Likewise, a police officer is not required to verbalize his reason for stopping you, unless you inquire accordingly. Trust me, he most likely had a valid reason.

The question then becomes did he assault you and unlawfully detain you?

You said:

I was beyond terrified that he was going to make a physical move toward my husband or myself.

You may have a legal cause of action for assault. One does not necessarily have to inflict injury by force on another to commit assault. A keen gesture or aggressive demeanor that would create in a reasonably objective person a heightened sense of imminent danger or foreboding is assault.

If he said "Shut your mouth" he just asked you to USE your constitutional right to remain silent. There's no harm in leaving things unsaid, potentially things that could be self-incriminatory. I would advise you to use that right in all traffic stops.

Suing the officer for unlawfully detaining you is another route, one that you must speak to your attorney about.

My question involves police conduct in the State of: Virginia

My husband was pulled over for a traffic stop. This has happened a few times in our sporty car. I was the passenger. The officer was very abrupt when he approached the vehicle. He did not state his name, ask if we knew why we were being pulled over or say anything beyond "I need to see your license and registration." Having been through this a few times, I was confounded. I asked the officer why we were being pulled over. He lit into me with a rant that included, "it would behoove you to keep your nose in your own business.", "Shut your mouth." and "keep quiet if you know what's good for you."

Needless to say, this officers demeanor was frighteningly aggressive. I was beyond terrified that he was going to make a physical move toward my husband or myself.

I have tried to contact the PD and requested to speak with the sergeant, who is the chief also. (this is a small town of less than 1000 residents). He did not return my phone call from this past Monday. I tried calling multiple times Tuesday and once today. Finally, I sent an email. Trying to be fair to the officer, as I know they have a very dangerous job that is high stress, I was requesting a copy of the dash cam to see if there was something either my husband or I did that put him on guard or raised his stress level to believe that he needed to be tough or aggressive to "control the situation". In response to my email the sergeant simply said, "it is for court room use only."

Seems to me that I am being brushed off, especially as in my email I told the sergeant "I do not feel safe leaving my contact info on his answering machine."

If I was an officer and someone said they didn't feel safe leaving the PD information I would wonder why that is the case. Now, I'm wondering if it is a case of the PD trying to cover up for this officer.

I want to be fair and see the video first. That being said, I do not believe that either of us did anything to cause this aggressive and threatening behavior. However, at this point, I feel this may be a case of rotten from the top on down. I fear that filing a report about this officer's behavior will just get thrown into the trash. What can I do to assure this situation is addressed? What options are there for retrieving that dash cam audio/visual?