Traffic Stop - what do they know about you?
 

here is a supplement to the numerous threads on the potential for abuse by cops, LEO, deputies, state troopers, law enforcement officers, police, and - as one poster recently put it - Gestapo (!)

Let's say you are driving along and a cop decides to pull you over. They usually run your plates before the traffic stop - at that point (1) what do they know about you?

(2) Now, the cop has your driver's license (or maybe it is a drivers' license, I dunno...). He takes it back to his cruiser and plugs in the #. At this point, what does he know about you?

I assume they know if you own the car, are a wanted felon, and etc.

But do they know your entire driving record?

But it appears that the local city cops also see your entire in-state driving record. I once got pulled over and was not given a ticket b/c: "Have you EVER had a ticket?" So I then started with the 1960s (I had a GTO and yeh it was a freakin' magnet), then I recalled going down a mountain pass about 2 hours from here right after the 55 limit went into effect, and... he interrupted me then and said "it would be a shame to mess up that record, wouldn't it?" I agreed and apologized again if I was speeding, etc. etc. So, I think the guy was impressed and decided to keep my record clean.

Do they know if you were ever arrested - say for a misdemeanor? Even if you were not convicted?

Do they know if you have filed complaints about the police dept.?

Do they know if you have filed complaints about other people WITH the police dept.?

Do they know if some other police dept. stopped you while driving and did not issue a ticket, just a written warning?

Do they know if some other police dept. stopped you while driving and did not issue a ticket or a warning - just ran your info, had a talk and let you go?

They know everything.... They have S.C.M.O.D.S.

They know the last time you flicked a booger out the window..

Etc..

Our local cops know...

1. Who owns the car.
2. If the owner has a criminal record, including traffic infringements.
3. Outstanding warrants. (obviously)
4. Also... If the car is registered and deemed legal for street use... And that the owner has a current drivers license. (again obviously)

And that's it. No real details of criminal history or traffic infringements... Just a yes or no.
The outstanding warrant information is more detailed.

Of course all that information is useless if the owner isn't driving the car. :rolleyes:

They also know if you have any firearms registered to you.

Very few states require 'registration' of firearms. Kalifornia requires regisrtation of handguns but not rifles or shotguns.

Thank God, I've never lived anywhere I had to register my guns.

Some infractions are not available to cops in states other than the one my license is from because I certainly would have been in trouble during stops in other states. In VA and AZ they can see if you have a CCW, but then only your license in that state. Doesn't mean you're carrying and I've never been asked before I volunteered it. Most of my tickets I've either beaten in court or gotten expunged by some other means. So I'm not sure how I'd answer if a cop asked me about my record. I just called a lawyer in NV today who's getting a 90 in a 70 ticker knocked down to a parking ticket for me. How should I answer if I get nailed in NV again and the cop asks about my record?

see my post above for what I do - I answer truthfully but ONLY those things I am certain I can remember. I also start 45 years ago and slowly move forward in time. I've never been able to finish...

BTW - in Oregon a cop is not allowed to ask you a bunch of questions, but must give you the ticket they stopped you for and let you go on your way -- BUT that state law is ROUTINELY violated by the cops

the SMARTEST THING I EVER DID was get my AZCCW license years and years ago!


every damn time i have been pulled over for anything.........................they let me slide on by CUZ THEY KNOW IM A GOOD GUY IN THE WHITE HAT!


99.9% times they wanna know what i carry. 99.9 % they want to see it. and if its a .380 pip squeak or a 9mm they kind of go "thats nice". when its ANY of the .45's ESPECIALLY the HK USP COMPACT TACTICAL........................the DROOL SESSION BEGINS!


the cop outside of gila bend was a fallujah, iraq marine vet, wayyyyyyyyyyy cool guy.


no cop likes mouseguns.............too lil horsepower. kind of like having a needle dick in a whore house!

The OSP guy who addressed our CCW class said standard procedure when they stop a car, run the plates, and the owner comes up as a CCW permit holder is to call for a backup car and make the driver wait until it gets there. They are very worried about where the weapon is. He said something to the effect that, "We don't naively assume that every person with a CCW permit is level headed or sober, but we do assume he is armed." This was in 2007. Things may have changed.

The only cops I've ever shown my gun to were personal friends or they saw my sidearm while I was open carrying on the bike. No need to play show and tell on the side of the road.

We know if you are registered to vote as a Republican (Please slow down, Sir. Have a nice day) or as a democrat (Please sign here. This is not an admission of guilt, only a promise to appear. Please drive safely). :D

I think that the last TWO officers that have pulled me over voted the other way:(

1st when pulled over they automatically know i have a AZCCW permit.

hell most times they dont even bother bringing their clipboard. since i am open and dont have a damn thing to worry about, and quite possibly if not fer sure will be traveling thru there again i have no reason NOT to be personable. hell im a freeking NATIVE and i am pro cop for the most part, why piss them off.


if i was a cop and had some whippersnapper mouth off about rights/warrants blah blah, id gawd damn make his life miserable, and make a 5 minute stop into an hour just for feeking with me. why be a DICK???



cant understand this B.S. with some off you about cops. yeah they make some boneheaded moves evidenced on here by some of their stunts. but hey we are human also and prone to mistakes.


i learned a long time ago as an outlaw dirty biker,/off road racer that staying off their radar, not pissing them off, being nice to them goes a hell of alot furthur than being a DICK! ask me about the time i was driving my SCORE 1/2 1600 at 2am down my road with (6) 385,000 KC daylighters going when the cherries came on and he let me go without even a warning!!!!!!!!!!!!!



the 1st rule of engagement is KNOWING the law. because there is NO EXCUSE FOR IGNORANCE!


and doing 150MPH on a public road is just plain INGNORANT!



HUGE DIFFERENCE btwn those of us who have an AZCCW permit and just those that carry concealed or have a weapon.


you lie to me or a cop and YER SCREWED plain and simple.


also if yer a CLASS III owner, that will show on the cops computer.



its much easier living when ya got nothing to hide.


now excuse me while i prep my sons brand NEW SPRINGFIELD M1A "loaded" stainless barrel/synthetic black evil stock, he bought yesterday, with all of my leftover super duper match parts from when i did my UBER super duper match build last year.


we dont just talk about spoons..................we LIVE THEM! accuracy speaks!

Yep, they will know that you have a CPL (concealed pistol license). If the license is in your name and the car is registered to you, it will be "tagged" that you carry, even if you're not driving the car. I told my son this because he drives a car that's registered to me in case he's ever pulled over. I told him to keep his hands where the LEO can see them and wait until the LEO tells him what to do.

I'm almost positive my CCW has gotten me out of a few tickets or at least made the traffic stop a lot shorter. I remember a few times where it took a while for the cop to approach me after we had stopped. He was running my plates. One of those was after 2am after I had blown through a yellow light. Once he saw I wasn't drunk and I had explained that yellow left turn arrow goes to solid green and not red, he said, "You're correct. Be careful out there. Have a good night." A week later they changed the light so that the yellow arrow went briefly to red before going solid green.

All,
If I'm understanding everyone correctly here, if I get pulled over in NY the cop will see I have a CCW permit in CT?

James

I don't know if any states share that info. If you have a CT CCW, CT cops will surely see that. Doubtful other states' cops can see it.

When I got pulled over in the Porsche on Father's Day last year, the cop asked what I carry, when I said "Sig P239", he said "good gun, I really like mine". No ticket... it helps that he knows my father (retired LEO in the same town).

Yes, it's a tough predicament since if I get pulled over I want to be honest to the cop but at the same time not give them any more info than is necessary.

Some of this falls under the category too of not being able to find out if you have any points on your license. LE can get that information about you but one can't get any information about yourself.

James

It's not illegal to have a CCW in your wallet in any state. NY probably doesn't care about the law, but I don't know how having a perfectly legal document in your wallet or in a police database constitutes probable cause for searching your car for a gun in a state where your CCW is no good. I wouldn't answer anything not related to the stop or your DL/regist./insur. docs. There's nothing he needs to know beyond those documents.