So long as that money goes to the city/county/state bottom line, this problem will only get worse. The money should go to charity or some other entity where it does not directly benefit the local agency. As long as they get the cash, it's revenue generation, nothing more.

Nice letter Jeff, but I'll be shocked if anything comes of it. Guilty until proven innocent when it comes to traffic violations.

I understand your frustrations, and I'm on your side, but if you don't know your own expatiations, how is the sheriff suppose to know how to respond?

DSR 100.3G. ~$300 for a full package including bullet camera, mini DVR (w/ screen) that's also an MP3 player, headphones, mounts (helmet & flat), etc.

Literally just bought one for these kinds of contingencies.

Good luck with the letter, etc.

Can't believe I'm typing this... but have you contacted the ACLU?

JP

i have been waiting to see this letter for a few days. and there is a lot of the "conversation" with the officers that he has left out. if you all knew the "full story", its amazing jeff isnt writing this from the pokey. i'm sure i will hear it a few more times over the next few days, but will enjoy it more everytime.

Incredibly well-written letter, particularly given the circumstances. I am sure I would still be plenty mad at the situation. I certainly know that I would not have hesitated to forward this letter on to my elected officials, TV station, newspaper, etc. Your approach of giving the Sheriff a chance to respond first, is probably the better one. But, heck, if they don't think this issue is important enough to get back to you on within two weeks, then they clearly don't give a $#!* about your complaint.

Funny how things like civil liberties and what we perceive as our American rights/justice system don't seem like big deals until we start losing them, huh?

Very impressive letter. Good luck Jeff.

No one I know writes as well as you do, Jeff.

Can I buy your Ducati when you go to the Pokie:cool:

And just because you do not have any in the car right now, you very well may have some found there while you are hand cuffed and sitting in the back of the police car. Its been done in the past and WILL be done in the future.

You need to find out their names and badge numbers and see if you can find out if this is a recurring issue with them.

Joe A

The letter is too long to get anyone to read it completely. I scanned for the facts seeing way too many "To be (whatevers)." Your local op-ed page wants 100 words. so if you want to spread the word, pare it down.

It's funny you posted this. I had a similar situation a couple of years ago. Driving my 944 down I-20 through South Carolina and got pulled over by a State Trooper in the middle of nowhere. He claimed I was doing a speed well in excess of what I know I was doing. He claimed something like 98mph and there is no way I was doing more than 80mph but I didn't argue as I figured A) what good will it do, and B) I was speeding anyway.
Instead of paying the fine I turned up in court on the assigned day. A really odd little shed of a court building in One-Horse-Town, Po-Dunk county (you get the idea). As I pulled into town I wondered where they got there money from, but wondered no more when I saw three or four State Trooper's cars parked outside the court shed.
Anyhow, I went in and explained the situation to the Judge that I don't believe I was going as fast as the trooper claimed. Without even pausing he reduced it to 75 in a 70 and cut the fine in half. That struck me as odd, but I just paid and cleared out. I wonder to this day how many 'out-of-towners' get pulled over and just pay up as I'm sure it wasn't just me.

I'm pretty sure there is more of this goes on than you really want to know, and the problem is there is not a whole lot you can do about it on an individual basis - your word against the cops and who is the Judge going to believe?

well seeing as my dd is a maroon subaru station wagon it blends in extremely well but when i drive the 924s all hell breaks loose with the police. i had one pull me over for what he said was speeding and not stopping for a stop sign but i had three witnesses with me that saw me stop and knew i wasnt speeding but he pulled me over and IMMEDIATLEY pulled me out of the car and searched me. and questioned me. then questioned my passengers. his excuse was he believed i had drugs and illegal weapons in the car. This is what cought me as weird cause i was in my work outfit and i had my girlfriend and her 15 yo brother and i was heading to work. BUT i had a camcorder in the car and i told them to secretley turn it on because he was not doing a CIVIC duty he was looking to make money and he was being a huge ass. another one in the 924s was i was in bumper to bumper traffic and there was a free lane next to me and it was on a slight turn but didnt see anyone coming so i went to merge now i looked in the mirror as i was merging and there was noone but no sooner did i look back to the road there was a cop with NO lights on doing atleast 65-75 coming up on my ass next to stopped traffic. well he pulled me over and his first words to me were hey ******* give me your drivers liscence and registration?? i thought police werent supposed to curse at people?

but heres the kicker on bolth accounts the cop failed to show up and all tickets were dissmissed. karma works

Well-written professional letter.

Which will yield absolutely no results.

It's all about the money. Period. End of discussion.

I would have asked right then and there for those cops to call their supervisor to the scene. Had they refused, I'd have ridden straight to their station and filed a complaint. Get IAD in on it and they'll back down. Call your local tv station about it.

One of my favorite quotes:

Justice is only an occasional byproduct of the legal system.

LOL, reminds of the old joke:

Or this one (I'm on a roll):
A fellow bought a new Porsche and was out on the interstate for a nice evening drive.
The top was down, the breeze was blowing through what was left of his hair and he decided to open her up. As the needle jumped up to 80 mph, he suddenly saw flashing red and blue lights behind him. "There's no way they can catch a Porsche," he thought to himself and opened her up further. The needle hit 90, 100.... Then the reality of the situation hit him. "What am I doing?" he thought and pulled over.
The cop came up to him, took his license without a word and examined it and the car. "It's been a long day, this is the end of my shift and it's Friday the 13th. I don't feel like more paperwork, so if you can give me an excuse for your driving that I haven't heard before, you can go."
The guy thinks for a second and says, "Last week my wife ran off with a cop. I was afraid you were trying to give her back!"
"Have a nice weekend," said the officer.

Rots a Ruck.... I'm learning it PAYS to be a gray hair driving a Ford Ranger....with my V-1 plugged in. I-5 this afternoon, myself in Ranger & a couple with Washington plates in a BMW M3...V-1 went frantic. We both slowed. Give you two guesses who got pulled over, and the first one doesn't count...;)

Hmmmm.

Were you there?

How did everyone miss this post but me? Sounds like the cops been having some jokes at your expense around town Jeff. Also sounds like you're being called a liar.

I saw it, but it was so poorly written, I didn't pay much attention to it. Drunk post?

Plus, every time I see the screen name "teenerted1" the first 4 letters subconsciously make me think "teenager."

But I'm sure that's not the case.

no ***** Dan

Mr Higgins, keep your eyes open, and get one of those little digital cameras, with a plenty big memory card, perhaps park the scoot for a bit, shame if you were to have an "accident"