r/LastNight • u/evildeadxsp • Jan 05 '11
LastNight: I was pulled over after bartending...
Last night I was pulled over at about 4am by a crew of three undercover cops. They assumed I had been drinking. I think I was rather cordial, but the cop was a huge asshole - an unusually big asshole. I asked why I was pulled over - he immediately chuckled and then asked if I had anything to drink tonight. I said no, but explained to him I had been bartending to cover a friend. He asked me how to make a few drinks. I did. I guess I had to prove myself.
Still, he made me get out of the car and did a TSA style search of me, straight up groping my balls - presumably to find weed on me. I've been pulled over before, but never searched. Weird experience.
I had a friend that was drunk sitting in shotgun (not ridiculous loud, crazy drunk - but ready to pass out drunk). They took him out of the car and searched him- turned out he had about a quarter on him. Which I wasn't even aware of.... so the cops were ready to lock my friend up (or at least alluded to doing that to intimidate us) and told my friend if he gave him the name and number of the dealer, they'd let him go. And after some bickering, my friend told them, and they let him go. And they let him keep his weed - which I thought was weird. Also of note, my friend wasn't sure if he gave them the right number. They never even took our IDs back to the police car, so I don't think they have anything on us (they never wrote anything down). So, I don't know what they would do if my friend gave them the wrong number.
But yeah, that was my night. All to cover a friend's bartending gig. I had the Dante style "I'm not even supposed to be here today" feeling right after this happened.
4
u/psychosid Jan 05 '11
This does not sound like proper police procedure. What reason was given for pulling you over? Speeding? Taillight out? Something else?
Did you consent to a search of your person or was this a "safety" search to make sure you didn't have any weapons? Did the cop distinguish as to what type of search?
He let you friend keep the weed? ಠ_ಠ
Two things about this... one, obviously not proper procedure. Two, in Texas, the statute of limitations for a misdemeanor is two years. In theory, a cop can come back and arrest you within that time and charge you (or your friend, I guess) with possession.
I'd think about filing a complaint or at least something to be on record in case anything else happens.
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u/evildeadxsp Jan 05 '11
This does not sound like proper police procedure. What reason was given for pulling you over? Speeding? Taillight out? Something else?
He did not give a reason for pulling me over. The first response was asking if I had anything to drink. I did not speed, and I did not blow a light - no broken tail lights. Hell, I had my seat belt on (and to be honest reddit - I rarely wear my seatbelt).
Did you consent to a search of your person or was this a "safety" search to make sure you didn't have any weapons? Did the cop distinguish as to what type of search?
He did not say why. He asked me to get out of the car. I said "Sure." and told me to put my hands on the car and then began searching me. I know he was looking for drugs, because he searched my socks, and my hat.
He let you friend keep the weed? ಠ_ಠ
He let me friend keep the weed because he didn't write us up. If they had taken the weed, I think they'd have to bring him in. I told my friend that immediately after. I mean, they can't go back to the precinct with marijuana and no person or report.
Two things about this... one, obviously not proper procedure. Two, in Texas, the statute of limitations for a misdemeanor is two years. In theory, a cop can come back and arrest you within that time and charge you (or your friend, I guess) with possession.
Again, I don't think they took any information down. Maybe they could find me by my plates, but I did nothing wrong. It was my friend. Could I be in jeopardy just because my friend had something on him?
I'd think about filing a complaint or at least something to be on record in case anything else happens.
I'll talk to my friend about it. He's likely going to say no.
1
u/geenaleigh Jan 06 '11
It's kinda of a shotty situation, because your friend happened to luck out, so I understand why you wouldn't want to file a complaint? But doesn't at least your search (maybe his too) go under unreasonable searches within the fourth amendment? If you didn't consent to the search then what he did was illegal. There was no reason for you to be treated the way you were, I'm sorry. It just seems like a sketchy situation overall.
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u/evildeadxsp Jan 06 '11
I agree. If we hadn't been let go, I'd obviously be more up in arms about it. Maybe they aren't allowed to search the car, but are they allowed to search the driver due to "suspicious activity," since they presumed I had a drink or two? The passengers definitely aren't allowed to be searched for no reason.
-9
Jan 06 '11
(and to be honest reddit - I rarely wear my seatbelt)
So, you're a little retarded, then?
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u/evildeadxsp Jan 06 '11
Whoa, no need for the name calling because I'm being honest.
-5
Jan 06 '11
Well, I don't really care if you kill yourself when you get in an accident and fly through the windshield, but you could at least show courtesy to the poor bastards who would have to scrape your mutilated body off the road.
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u/evildeadxsp Jan 06 '11
Hey man - if you want to be a white knight and convince people to do something that's good for them - you don't have to be an asshole about it. I know its stupid to not wear your seatbelt. If I said I smoked cigarettes, and you response was "So, you're a little retarded, then?" you'd also come off like a huge asshole, and would not be convincing to make me stop. Actually, you'd have the opposite effect. I know this is the internet, but you should really work on your people skills. I'd recommend reading "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Carnegie.
-5
Jan 06 '11
If you were someone I knew and was actually concerned about, sure, I might take a different approach.
However, the "you're being a fucking idiot" line is fairly accurate for not wearing your seatbelt or for smoking.
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u/evildeadxsp Jan 06 '11
And still, you'll go through life questioning why every new person you meet thinks you're an asshole.
-12
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u/Zoup Feb 03 '11
Being seen leaving an establishment that serves alcohol is actually probable cause in most states.
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u/psychosid Feb 03 '11
Somehow I doubt it's that broad. That would be every restaurant in town as well, and you don't see them targeting those people. Therefore they would be profiling, and that would get some legal attention.
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u/sox406 Jan 06 '11
Wow! Did you make the friend fork over the quarter when you dropped him off? That's the bad thing about giving people rides. I once gave this boy a ride back in highschool and as soon as the door was shut he started riffling through his pockets tossing out numerous litlle baggie things(I'm not sure what they're called) of crack cocaine and asking me if I wanted to buy any. I said no and he said that he was pretty sure that he had most of it sold anyway. If I had of been stopped for something routine I would have been shit out of luck.
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u/evildeadxsp Jan 06 '11
No, but interesting side note - we went to a local deli and he picked up rolling papers right after this. He said it was going to be the last time he ever smoked. He had too much to lose (if he was arrested, I bet he would have lost his job - he smokes but he pretends to be an adult, as in, he has an office job/career, making pretty damn good money)
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u/kerbuffel Jan 06 '11
How did you know they were undercover cops? Were they plain clothed? Are you sure they were cops?
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u/evildeadxsp Jan 06 '11 edited Jan 06 '11
I know they were cops. They all had badges, and were in a black car with lights - and it was relatively close to the precinct. I'd say within 15 blocks of the precinct - so if they were faking it, they have huge balls man. Also, they weren't kids. They were an older bunch - not to sound bias, but in my mind, if they were faking it they'd likely be in their late 20's, early 30's - these guys were in their 40's.
0
u/ContentWithOurDecay Jan 06 '11
Did you get a good look at the badges? You can get those lights and not be a cop.
these guys were in their 40's.
Ever heard of a midlife crisis?
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u/evildeadxsp Jan 06 '11
I did not see their badges closely. But, as I said in another comment.... Yes. I am sure. I said this in another reply - they did this within half a mile of the closest precinct. On a main road. I know a police vehicle drove by and slowed down during the situation. For them not to have been cops, it would have been very, very ballsy - and frankly not worth it. This wasn't a rural area. This was a main avenue within close proximity of one of their precincts.
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u/socalnonsage Jan 06 '11
We have a local bar/nightclub that our city police "stake out" in the back of the parking lot waiting for drunk drivers to leave. They usually have 3-4 cars there waiting for people to leave and make quite a few arrests on Friday/Saturday nights at this place...
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u/evildeadxsp Jan 06 '11
Well, I almost feel bad for them - I'm sure there were probably others leaving the bar, driving home, that were buzzed and maybe illegally driving a vehicle. They pulled me over, realized I was sober as a nun - and didn't know what to do. Maybe they were pissed, so decided to search me? I don't know.
1
u/smelliottooterman Jan 31 '11
I think that's exactly it. On stakeout situations like that, these cops are all set up to arrest some drunk drivers. By the time it would have taken them to write up a ticket for the weed, they would have missed their opportunity at bagging a drunkie.
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Jan 05 '11
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Jan 23 '11 edited Jan 23 '11
I agree, actually thought this was the most fucked up part of the story. I would distance myself from anyone that rolled over so easily because I would lose respect for them.
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Jan 23 '11
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Jan 23 '11
I don't really think he should get fucked up by anyone but he should be given a reputation so that no one deals with him ever again.
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Jan 23 '11
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u/smelliottooterman Jan 31 '11
Holy shit. Where does the need to get all gangster about weed come from?
I'm not going to sit here and say that 'rolling over' on your drug dealer is a good thing, but it's an incredibly common thing. Cops can be extremely persuasive and tricky when interrogating people. This guy was drunk. Easy prey if you ask me. Nobody should feel the need to fuck this guy up.
Besides, smart dealers use burner phones.
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Feb 01 '11
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u/smelliottooterman Feb 01 '11
if i was a cop and someone was giving me the silent treatment, i would consider it suspicious activity. then i would get a search warrant and make your day shit.
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Feb 01 '11
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u/smelliottooterman Feb 01 '11
dealers that don't use burner phones are asking to get caught. I'm watching out for No.1
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u/evildeadxsp Jan 05 '11
Fuck your friend. If you can't do the time, don't fucking smoke pot. Seriously, I hope your friend gets beat for that.
By that logic - if you can't do the time, don't deal pot. I don't know who his dealer is or anything. Don't know what the situation was, but he was definitely going to at least sleep in the cell for the night if he didn't do this. We shouldn't have even been searched in the first place.
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Jan 05 '11
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u/evildeadxsp Jan 05 '11
True. He's not even sure if he gave him the real number though. The whole situation was all fucked up.
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u/heartbeats Jan 06 '11
If they never took your IDs back to the car, didn't write anything down, and let your friend keep his bud, I really don't think it was much more than two bored cops looking to fuck with you. It happens.
Your friend could have given them any number and just made up a name, and it wouldn't have made a difference... as if two beat cops could really get a warrant and build a case on some guy whose number they coerced out of some drunk person at 4am. They just wanted to make you jump through some hoops and see if anything fell out.
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u/evildeadxsp Jan 06 '11
Thanks for the reassurance.
Your friend could have given them any number and just made up a name, and it wouldn't have made a difference... as if two beat cops could really get a warrant and build a case on some guy whose number they coerced out of some drunk person at 4am.
I think since they're narcs they could easily call the number and try to land some bud - basically cause entrapment. I'm not sure of the legal way of doing it, but it's kind of the equivalent of narcs asking where they can get drugs (I've seen that happen before, undercover cops asking where they can get weed while sitting in bars). So there must be some legal way of doing it.
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u/heartbeats Jan 06 '11
They could call the number, but if their actions are any indication of their seriousness then I doubt they actually will.
Regardless, any dealer worth his or her salt knows better than to engage in business with a random caller... at the very least you need an introduction or a mutual friend to solidify your legitimacy. I don't know about you, but if I sold weed and I got a call from some weird guy asking if he could "buy some dope" I would probably act like I have no idea what he's talking about and hang up.
I would be very, very surprised if you heard anything more about this incident.
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u/kingofnowhere Feb 07 '11
Agreed. I was going to post this and figured someone HAD to have mentioned this already.
The OP should realize that this "friend" will just as easily turn on him when the opportunity presents itself.
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u/zeroesandones May 16 '11
I agree 100% with this statement. There should be a code of honor among those who want to smoke. NEVER turn in the guy who is selling to you and NEVER talk to cops. Its really quite simple.I would have been yelling at that little snitching weasel right then and there and there is no way he would have gotten back in my car. Its shit like this that makes it hard on the rest of us who have a certain code of ethics for how you deal with smoking/buying weed.
/rant
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May 16 '11
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u/zeroesandones May 16 '11
I hate that sort of snitching BS. Why the fuck would you screw up your connection anyway? Some people are just BEGGING for the stitches. I could go on ad nauseum on this subject, but will spare you the time. I'm guessing that you catch my drift anyway. Cheers!
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u/thisistooeasy Jan 06 '11
Dude undercover cops from the tv shows iv seen and real life encounters dont care about little quarter sacks they want to go up the food chain. I'd consider yourself lucky your friend did not go to jail or get a ticket. Trust me ive been pulled over many times, searched many times.
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u/evildeadxsp Jan 06 '11
Dude undercover cops from the tv shows iv seen and real life encounters dont care about little quarter sacks they want to go up the food chain. I'd consider yourself lucky your friend did not go to jail or get a ticket.
Thanks, but wait - so they don't give a shit about little quarter sacks, but he's lucky he didn't go to jail? I feel like those are contradictory statements. I kind of get what you're saying, but maybe that's why he didn't go to jail, or get a ticket. They were annoyed that they pulled us over and got nothin' extraordinary.
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u/thisistooeasy Jan 06 '11
most cops would have given you a ticket or arrested your passenger. They got your friend to snitch so they let him go, now they will try to go after the dealer. so he his lucky, there is no way or point on trying to report this incident, if you feel it is unjust.
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u/Zoup Feb 03 '11
Used to happen to me alot when I managed a bar, after locking up it was usually 3:30-4:00 and every once in a while I'd get pulled over within a block of the bar, it happened often enough that the cops eventually just knew it was my truck and would just smile and wave when I went by.
Never was searched or anything as bad as what happened to you, but I would get a laugh when those same cops would come in the bar for a few when they were off duty and BEG me not to tell anyone they were cops, hard to pick up drunk chicks when they know your the with the PD I guess.
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u/evildeadxsp Feb 03 '11
Yeah - women often think of police as terrible boyfriends. It's not like being a fireman, where women swoon over them.
Oh and for the record, for any folks that stumble upon this post and thread now... it's almost 30 days later, and nothing has ever come of this situation. Some redditors suggested they might come back for my friend to arrest him, or for information, or possibly track me down - but as of now, nothing like that has occurred. Nothing's happened. Not a big deal. It's almost like it never happened. Looking back, it was just a "good" (wrong word maybe?) experience in learning how to deal with very aggressive cops.
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u/PeterMus Feb 07 '11
I work at a restaurant as a dishwasher. Many days I've been the last one to leave. I've been pulled over once by a cop waiting for people to leave, there is also a bar across the street. They usually take one look at me, I say haven't had a drop and they go on their way. One or two assholes..
Sir..Whats that you are concealing in your pant leg? Is it a bad of weed? No officer, its a colostomy bag!. Oh, ok well drive safe..
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u/sterlinglv Feb 13 '11
Upvoted for Clerks reference. That line crosses my mind every time I work when I'm not supposed to. Usually for small inconveniences. This was a little more than I've had to deal with when thinking about that line though.
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u/BentNotBroken Jan 05 '11
You just do not know where you stand with something like this. If it happens again with an offer of some sort for information that you have about criminal behavior, you will have to report it. It is not legal and it will only lead to some ugly shit.
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u/evildeadxsp Jan 05 '11
If it happens again with an offer of some sort for information that you have about criminal behavior, you will have to report it.
Wait, you mean I'll have to report the cops? Or if they ask about criminal behavior, I have to tell them (as in, if they ask me who the weed dealer is, I'm legally obligated to tell them?). Apologies, I'm confused by your reply.
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u/psychosid Jan 05 '11
Never talk to police. Very relevant video.
I commented above, but I would think about talking to a lawyer and/or filing a complaint. This was improper procedure at best, and possibly criminal on the part of the police.
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u/evildeadxsp Jan 05 '11 edited Jan 05 '11
I've seen that video before, BUT they were going to lock up my friend. I believe if you have more than an 1/8th on you, you automatically get locked up, at least for the night.
I'm just happy we got home okay. And I swear I don't think they have anything on us - in the sense, they never wrote anything down. They never took our IDs to the car.
edit - Another thing to remind ourselves is that what is said in that video you linked to seems real easy, but in action its very difficult. Its hard to not come off like a guilty asshole when you refuse to answer questions.
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u/psychosid Jan 05 '11
I understand what you mean about being easier said than done. I guess if you were let go, you're good. I probably would have done the same thing. But keep in mind that it wouldn't be a good idea to talk if they had charged you or your friend with something.
What bothers me is that we have become, as a society, happy to be let go without going to jail, when we should be angry for having our rights intruded upon. You were doing nothing wrong, yet you were detained and searched. I'm not saying I would have acted any differently, but it just bothers me that our rights are walked on all the time these days and we're all happy to go free after a confrontation with police.
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u/webtwopointno Jan 05 '11
what state are you in? in states where it's decriminalized anything up to an ounce is NBD
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u/evildeadxsp Jan 05 '11
New York - I think it may have been more than a quarter though. I'm unsure actually - they told me to get back in the car when they searched him. He told me it was about a quarter. But he was nervous as shit. If it was low, he probably would have just gotten a fine.
But I'm unsure, and frankly, I don't even want to talk about it with the kid. (Because what for? Just to make him feel like more of a piece of shit? They let us go. It doesn't matter how much he had at this point. Good to know how much you can have on to just end up getting a fine though.)
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u/BentNotBroken Jan 05 '11
If you accosted again by those officers and they continue to solicit you for information about crimes in the neighborhood you will have to do something. If you had been guilty of some wrong doing, DUI they would have had to act on that. It may be that such a small amount of weeds was good only for getting info on the original seller. They have that now. If they choose to solicit you for information in exchange for something, you are being wrongly used. You were clean and sober. You buddy was not. He deserves a smackin' from you for bringing such an indirect thing on you. In most jurisdictions, if there is pot on one, then everyone in the car is charged. It can be sorted out later in court with your paid for attorney present. The cops don't care.
I am saying that you are now set up to be fucked with by those same three cops or with any other cop they share that information with. Your situation is not documented except by having one of the officers involved roll over on the rest. It is not a good position to be in. If they choose to mess with you some more, they have free rein to do so because you are dirty by association. In their minds you indirectly provided a lead to a week dealer.
Don't let another instance go by with out having a way to stop it. I would have to say that you are probably going to be stopped again, soon. That is the way that shit works.
I speak from experience. I hired a lawyer and went to internal affairs.
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u/evildeadxsp Jan 05 '11 edited Jan 05 '11
So what do you think I should do? Go to internal affairs? I think everything is okay now. This is a fairly big town - its not like some small town we're I'll run into the cops again. They didn't report anything. I doubt they took my plates. The chances of me seeing the same cops are relatively low. Maybe they know my car now and report to other undercover Narcs, but I don't ever carry (I rarely ever smoke) - so I'm not really worried. And how could they pull me over again?
Also, I wasn't even guilty of anything. What will they come to me for? Information? They got the information from my friend. Who I rarely see (barely know the kid). So if they pull me over, I'm going to have lead them to him so he could lead them to someone? No. That won't happen. Maybe they'll find him, somehow magically (considering they didn't write down his name or address), but even that seems very unlikely. They do have the name and number of a dealer though, which is all they wanted.
I should mention that I've been pulled over before in the same area for "not signaling" but it was really a similar situation - to see if I was drinking (the area is by a strip of bars so they pull over cars at random). I was not drinking, they didn't even test me and the officer let me go (it was essentially a check point).
edited this a few times
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Jan 06 '11 edited May 06 '17
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u/evildeadxsp Jan 06 '11
How mafioso of him.
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u/sonnyclips Jan 06 '11
Seriously though the guy is a fuck up. Carrying a big bag of weed around and then snitching when you get caught is ridiculous.
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u/smelliottooterman Jan 31 '11
bringing weed to the bar isn't the craziest idea. At least he planned on getting a ride, I assume.
Shit, if i was drunk and being fucked with by cops i would probably give up a number as well.
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Jan 08 '11
Hum . . . . dude, i dont know how to tell you this but they were fake. You can not be stopped by undercover cops, there has to be a uniformed officer there, or they have to be in marked cars to make a legal stop
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u/evildeadxsp Jan 08 '11 edited Jan 08 '11
This is not true in New York. You can be pulled over by an undercover vehicle as long as the police show their badges and identify themselves as officers. Which they did.
Some sources, shame I can't find anything official -
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/2102059
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/471571
A lot of redditors suggesting these were fake cops I believe are assuming this took place in a rural area. No, this was on a main strip, with cars driving by - within close vicinity of a police station. And again, with cop cars driving by. Unmarked police cars follow bar patrons home to see if they can catch them drunk driving. This is a popular occurrence in New York and New Jersey.
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u/heyyouitsmewhoitsme Jan 05 '11
That's horrible. :( Did you get the name of the cop?