Police pt 2
- Thread starter *singingtheblues*
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MCFCinUSA
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ok, back on topic... I went out with this American girl once to see the Full Monty (she asked me to specifically because it was a British film on release in the USA)...
we never held hands, we never kissed, we never did anything untoward - I was married at the time too; it was totally platonic. No discussion of anything except the film - as you would sitting in the dark for an hour and a half and five or ten minutes after in the car park before you leave.
she mistook everything to think I was there because I fancied her (which I didn't) I was there to see a film with a girl I knew from a local association we were both members of.
she took offense (when she found out and I had to categorically explain I'm married and have no interest in her - but I did it in a nice way, why would I want to rub her nose in it?)
a short while after this I bumped her car in a dark car park (with several other people around) as I reversed out... I didn't know it was her car. I examined the bumper, no damage, it was a tiny nudge, nothing more. Other people there agreed with me, and I just got back in my vehicle, and drove off. My car was very distinctive, it was a black turbo and it had an identifying sticker on the bumper.
here's where the police got involved:-
I got a letter asking me to drive into some other county to help them investigate a case; so I complied. I met with a female police officer who very nonchalantly wanted to 'rule' me out of the investigation. Having nothing to hide and fearing nothing I signed all my rights away... I'm in an internal room inside the station, alone with her... big mistake.
this police officer then proceeds to threaten me with being locked up in jail for a 'hit and run' offense - ie. a car collision where I left the scene of the 'crime' without reporting it. I had no recourse to speak to anyone else, and she had full control and 'authority' over me, including to detain and charge me with whatever ludicrous trumped-up fictitious story she felt like making up. I had no idea what was going on.
to cut a long story short, I ended up getting out of the station after some negotiation, and finally ended up heading to court - but before it even got into court I managed to get myself into judge's chambers and the judge in his infinite wisdom held his hand up and said (verbatim) "Son, stop right there - I've heard enough" - and I wanted to keep on going because I was really pissed-off about the whole thing... he threw the 'case' right out there and then without wasting any official court time on it.
the lesson I learned from this is to never, ever (especially in the USA) sign away your rights, even if you know you've done nothing wrong or have nothing to hide.
I never spoke to that insane woman 'friend' ever again, even though I saw her from time to time at various places and meetings.... I just acted like she wasn't there; apparently she had previous form with stuff like this with another guy at our association, and after talking with others the picture revealed itself.
all police aren't bad (I have friends in the UK & US who are 'on the job') and I've been in other countries where I've gone up to machine-gun armed cops and casually initiated conversations and got stuff I needed help with done. I've also 'dealt' with phoney cops and people impersonating them (you never give them an inch or comply with anything or else your wallet is going to get emptied without you knowing it) but if anything it's the traffic cops who perturb me the most but that's a whole other set of stories...
there are definitely those (as these videos show) who abuse their power, and it's worth remembering wherever you are, to be vigilant so as to minimise your chances of becoming a victim to an over zealous officer.
police are just like everyone else; there are some good ones and some not so good ones; they also make mistakes and break the laws they are supposed to uphold.
we never held hands, we never kissed, we never did anything untoward - I was married at the time too; it was totally platonic. No discussion of anything except the film - as you would sitting in the dark for an hour and a half and five or ten minutes after in the car park before you leave.
she mistook everything to think I was there because I fancied her (which I didn't) I was there to see a film with a girl I knew from a local association we were both members of.
she took offense (when she found out and I had to categorically explain I'm married and have no interest in her - but I did it in a nice way, why would I want to rub her nose in it?)
a short while after this I bumped her car in a dark car park (with several other people around) as I reversed out... I didn't know it was her car. I examined the bumper, no damage, it was a tiny nudge, nothing more. Other people there agreed with me, and I just got back in my vehicle, and drove off. My car was very distinctive, it was a black turbo and it had an identifying sticker on the bumper.
here's where the police got involved:-
I got a letter asking me to drive into some other county to help them investigate a case; so I complied. I met with a female police officer who very nonchalantly wanted to 'rule' me out of the investigation. Having nothing to hide and fearing nothing I signed all my rights away... I'm in an internal room inside the station, alone with her... big mistake.
this police officer then proceeds to threaten me with being locked up in jail for a 'hit and run' offense - ie. a car collision where I left the scene of the 'crime' without reporting it. I had no recourse to speak to anyone else, and she had full control and 'authority' over me, including to detain and charge me with whatever ludicrous trumped-up fictitious story she felt like making up. I had no idea what was going on.
to cut a long story short, I ended up getting out of the station after some negotiation, and finally ended up heading to court - but before it even got into court I managed to get myself into judge's chambers and the judge in his infinite wisdom held his hand up and said (verbatim) "Son, stop right there - I've heard enough" - and I wanted to keep on going because I was really pissed-off about the whole thing... he threw the 'case' right out there and then without wasting any official court time on it.
the lesson I learned from this is to never, ever (especially in the USA) sign away your rights, even if you know you've done nothing wrong or have nothing to hide.
I never spoke to that insane woman 'friend' ever again, even though I saw her from time to time at various places and meetings.... I just acted like she wasn't there; apparently she had previous form with stuff like this with another guy at our association, and after talking with others the picture revealed itself.
all police aren't bad (I have friends in the UK & US who are 'on the job') and I've been in other countries where I've gone up to machine-gun armed cops and casually initiated conversations and got stuff I needed help with done. I've also 'dealt' with phoney cops and people impersonating them (you never give them an inch or comply with anything or else your wallet is going to get emptied without you knowing it) but if anything it's the traffic cops who perturb me the most but that's a whole other set of stories...
there are definitely those (as these videos show) who abuse their power, and it's worth remembering wherever you are, to be vigilant so as to minimise your chances of becoming a victim to an over zealous officer.
police are just like everyone else; there are some good ones and some not so good ones; they also make mistakes and break the laws they are supposed to uphold.
tueartsboots
Well-Known Member
bluecop said:
brooklandsblue2.0
Well-Known Member
Bigga said:
Priceless.
Swales lives
Well-Known Member
MCFCinUSA said:
A cautionary tale, indeed... "signing away your rights" is too dangerous to behold. If I were to ever find myself in a police station I wouldn't say a word without representation.
In my younger days, I got pulled over by French police whilst riding my scooter without a crash helmet. The cop asked me for 50F (£50 at the time) as an on the spot fine, I thought this was a bit steep (my weekly wage was £95), so I thought "well I've seen enough films and episodes of "The Saint" to know that all foreign coppers are bent", so I offered him a tenner, winked and said in my best French, "Go and have a few drinks."
Big fuckin' mistake, I left the police station 5 hours later and nearly lost my job... and I had to pay the 50 francs fine. French cops aren't bent they just dress that way.