Officer-Violator Relationships

e [Music] [Music] saw your car parked outside thought I'd come in and have lunch and check up with you and how you're getting along in your firstand Patrol hi sir how's it going oh pretty good gave a fellow citation this morning oh fact is I was just checking up on myself to see if I handle the situation right oh what was the violation speeding I clocked him doing 37 mph in a 25 M Zone over near the playground well that sounds positive enough uh what were you're checking up on yourself about well frankly I got a little excited at the time you see I had to chase him for a couple of blocks before he pulled over and I thought I might have a really hot one on my hands well you never can tell what did you do well when he finally did pull over I pulled in behind him according to the department rules and I here's the thing I felt like hopping right on that guy and giving him a piece of my mind well you remember that kid that got it there just a few months ago but I'm glad to say I remembered to cool down before I approached him and while I was composing my myself I took the time to make a routine check of my hot sheet and jot down the make of the car and the license number well this also gave me some time to think about the offense in terms of Department enforcement program this was a serious offense definitely calling for a citation since the traffic wasn't too heavy I approached from the driver's side I was calm enough to remember my training to approach any car with caution and I avoided leaning on the car or sticking my head or arm inside I took uh my time looking over the car and there was no one else in it and nothing looked suspicious but I'd like to have known what was going through that driver's mind right about then well he looked like he might try to put up an argument when I finally realized that I was the one the officer was signaling to stop I sure felt sick I'll tell you why he might have thought I was trying to get away I was all set for him to give me a real bad time you know stick his face in mine or get tough or start that old sarcastic bit and even though I knew I was in the wrong I could feel my blood pressure going up just expecting him to give me the full treatment he didn't even say a word for a while just kept me in a sweat while he looked the car over and made some notes but then he took me completely by surprise when he came over to the car he was polite and almost friendly not buddy buddy but I could see he wasn't sore or about to bite my head off he actually seemed sorry that I'd made this mistake when he told me that he clocked me at 37 in a 25m Zone but as he asked for my driver's license I could tell by his manner that that boy couldn't be talked out of a ticket he was polite but he meant business well as it turned out he was as Meek as a lamb well he started to hand me his identification folder but I remembered to have him remove the license himself then I kept the license until the job was completed now this question may sound a little silly but sometimes it's an item that's overlooked did you actually checked the description of the driver on the license yes I did and I checked on the expiration date too you know a lot of people let their licenses run out and it might never come to light except at a time like that well just to be sure I covered all the bases I checked his registration card for ownership too and even though I felt sure he wasn't going to give me any trouble I went to the rear of of the car when I double checked the plate number might as well establish safe habits and that's where I stood to make out the citation well incidentally I made sure the carbons were coming through nice and clear you I did think I'd have a little trouble with him when it came to having him sign the citation he didn't like that idea a bit at least until I explained things to him I didn't like the idea of having to sign the ticket but he explained that this was a requirement in this area to show that I had personally received the citation and that signing it was not an admission of guilt only my promise to appear as directed well that sounded okay but I still didn't like it but I signed fast enough when he told me that my refusal would automatically require him to take me directly to the station it wasn't a threat just an impersonal statement of what he was required to do under such circumstances now here here's what interested me if he'd been tough or had started showing off a lot of authority I'd have felt a lot of resentment about getting that ticket I'd probably have left there hating all police officers in general but I just couldn't feel mad at that guy instead I felt mad at myself for having pulled such a dumb stunt he left me convinced that he was as interested in my safety as in anyone's to tap it off he even went out on the road and held traffic so that it would be EAS easier for me to get going again and it may be a small point but somehow I appreciated it he didn't add insult to injury by tagging along behind me once I got underway again he apparently felt that I had learned my lesson so there you have the story of my running with the law so there you have the story of my first encounter with a traffic violator while on patrol Duty well it seems to me like he handled it just right in this particular situation you obviously remembered a lot from the manual first you took all reasonable precautions for your safety and that of the Violator you made observations and double checked items that could have disclosed a more serious offense you determined the course of action to be taken and followed through with polite firmness and you conducted yourself in such a way as to minimize the natural complex of the enforcement situation I'd say that that kind of performance does a lot to develop individual compliance with the law and that's one of the basic purposes of enforcement right right well I got to get going see you sge okay friend of yours yeah yeah I really think he is in spite of the fine I'm going to pay [Applause] [Music] la [Music]