Police won't charge you, but they'll grab your money

[Wilikon]

[...]

Travel advice

So, for any law-abiding Canadian thinking about an American road trip, here’s some non-official advice:

Avoid long chats if you’re pulled over. Answer questions politely and concisely, then persistently ask if you are free to go.

Don’t leave litter on the vehicle floor, especially energy drink cans.

Don’t use air or breath fresheners; they could be interpreted as an attempt to mask the smell of drugs.

Don’t be too talkative. Don’t be too quiet. Try not to wear expensive designer clothes. Don’t have tinted windows.

And for heaven’s sake, don’t consent to a search if you are carrying a big roll of legitimate cash.

As the Canadian government notes, there is no law against carrying it here or any legal limit on how much you can carry. But  if you’re on an American roadway with a full wallet, in the eyes of thousands of cash-hungry cops you’re a rolling ATM.



http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/american-shakedown-police-won-t-charge-you-but-they-ll-grab-your-money-1.2760736

[dankkk]

The best advise is to simply decline to answer any questions, and to keep anything that you would not want a police officer to see in plain view (including money). If they ask to search your car then you should withhold consent and this should stop the vast majority of issues.

There was an article in the Washington Post this week that talked about how much money local governments were making from these kinds of warrant-less seizures .

[counter]

The best advise is to simply decline to answer any questions, and to keep anything that you would not want a police officer to see in plain view (including money). If they ask to search your car then you should withhold consent and this should stop the vast majority of issues.

There was an article in the Washington Post this week that talked about how much money local governments were making from these kinds of warrant-less seizures .

Declining to answer any questions will immediately set off a red flag that your trying to hide something.  That is how a cop would likely try to interpret it if you ask me.  I don't like how paranoid many cops are, they will look for anything they feel is not normal to harass you.  Profiling people and treating them like criminals before proven guilty is not their job, it is to protect and serve.  If their being trained to act this way something needs to change and that change needs to come from the higher ranking officers.

  If a cop shoots and kills someone the immediate reaction is the victim must have done something to deserve it.  What kind of message is that going to send to cops?  It's that they literally have a license to kill, which is beyond terrifying for anybody with a pulse.
History shows us that people in positions of authority are in the best position to do the most damage yet our society tends to accept all the corruptions and power grabbing.  It won't keep us safe that is for sure so people better get used to being walked on and treated like crap by a bunch of paranoid poorly trained "peace officers".

[Pente]

The best advise is to simply decline to answer any questions, and to keep anything that you would not want a police officer to see in plain view (including money). If they ask to search your car then you should withhold consent and this should stop the vast majority of issues.

There was an article in the Washington Post this week that talked about how much money local governments were making from these kinds of warrant-less seizures .

This may have worked 30 years ago, but no more. Refusing to answer questions is not only considered suspicious, but "failure to worship the ground that a cop walks on". They will search your vehicle without permission. If they find anything, they will just claim you gave them permission.

Most people just say "yes" to anything a cop wants. They have no idea how petty and vengeful many cops can get if you don't appease them.

[eid]

The best advise is to simply decline to answer any questions, and to keep anything that you would not want a police officer to see in plain view (including money). If they ask to search your car then you should withhold consent and this should stop the vast majority of issues.

There was an article in the Washington Post this week that talked about how much money local governments were making from these kinds of warrant-less seizures .

Declining to answer any questions will immediately set off a red flag that your trying to hide something.  That is how a cop would likely try to interpret it if you ask me.  I don't like how paranoid many cops are, they will look for anything they feel is not normal to harass you.  Profiling people and treating them like criminals before proven guilty is not their job, it is to protect and serve.  If their being trained to act this way something needs to change and that change needs to come from the higher ranking officers.

  If a cop shoots and kills someone the immediate reaction is the victim must have done something to deserve it.  What kind of message is that going to send to cops?  It's that they literally have a license to kill, which is beyond terrifying for anybody with a pulse.
History shows us that people in positions of authority are in the best position to do the most damage yet our society tends to accept all the corruptions and power grabbing.  It won't keep us safe that is for sure so people better get used to being walked on and treated like crap by a bunch of paranoid poorly trained "peace officers".

I disagree. A cop is a public servant and should be spoken to as such. Politely and respectfully decline to be treated like a child/criminal and do not consent to be questioned, searched or give away your rights in any other way.

Of course if you get all angry and defensive, you are acting like you have something to hide and they will react accordingly.

What's important isn't what you say, but how you say it.

[Bonam]

Police are dangerous thugs. Highest priority when interacting with a police officer should be to make sure you don't get randomly shot for the fun of it. If appeasing the police officer means they get the cash in your car, that's just the cost of living in a police state.

[Spendulus]

Police are dangerous thugs. Highest priority when interacting with a police officer should be to make sure you don't get randomly shot for the fun of it. If appeasing the police officer means they get the cash in your car, that's just the cost of living in a police state.

I would disagree with all of the above assertions.  Police vary they are all humans, you just need to size up who you are dealing with and what his motives are.

There's zero wrong with trying to cut it short, just say you are going to be late for an appointment, date, job interview, whatever.  Saying that over and over.   Or you need to find a bathroom.

If one starts to ramble on and on with questions, he's likely up to something.

Most of them are good honest people, but you will run into the 0.5% of bad cops from time to time...

[counter]

The best advise is to simply decline to answer any questions, and to keep anything that you would not want a police officer to see in plain view (including money). If they ask to search your car then you should withhold consent and this should stop the vast majority of issues.

There was an article in the Washington Post this week that talked about how much money local governments were making from these kinds of warrant-less seizures .

Declining to answer any questions will immediately set off a red flag that your trying to hide something.  That is how a cop would likely try to interpret it if you ask me.  I don't like how paranoid many cops are, they will look for anything they feel is not normal to harass you.  Profiling people and treating them like criminals before proven guilty is not their job, it is to protect and serve.  If their being trained to act this way something needs to change and that change needs to come from the higher ranking officers.

  If a cop shoots and kills someone the immediate reaction is the victim must have done something to deserve it.  What kind of message is that going to send to cops?  It's that they literally have a license to kill, which is beyond terrifying for anybody with a pulse.
History shows us that people in positions of authority are in the best position to do the most damage yet our society tends to accept all the corruptions and power grabbing.  It won't keep us safe that is for sure so people better get used to being walked on and treated like crap by a bunch of paranoid poorly trained "peace officers".

I disagree. A cop is a public servant and should be spoken to as such. Politely and respectfully decline to be treated like a child/criminal and do not consent to be questioned, searched or give away your rights in any other way.

Of course if you get all angry and defensive, you are acting like you have something to hide and they will react accordingly.

What's important isn't what you say, but how you say it.

I completely agree with your point, I was speaking about the average run in with a cop.  I get if you understand the law and what questions you need to answer and how can diffuse the situation. Not everybody studies the law to the point that they understand they don't have to answer all kinds of questions asked of them.  You make an excellent point but I'm just saying not every citizen from the youth to the elderly is going to have a full grasp of their rights when approached by a cop and they shouldn't be treated as a suspect or guilty like their a terrorist. 

[Spendulus]

.... I get if you understand the law and what questions you need to answer and how can diffuse the situation. Not everybody studies the law to the point that they understand they don't have to answer all kinds of questions asked of them.  You make an excellent point but I'm just saying not every citizen from the youth to the elderly is going to have a full grasp of their rights when approached by a cop and they shouldn't be treated as a suspect or guilty like their a terrorist.  

The thing is, it doesn't matter the "should".

You can easily have an encounter with a cop who is rude, arrogant, insulting, asks you the same thing over and over....he's trying to see if he can get you mad.

That's the style of encounter which is very problematic.  Once you lose your cool, he can pick something out to go further with and then you lose your position.  Very important to stay cool.

This is rare but not rare in some locations and/or certain ethnic groups.

[Possum577]

TO the OP, where were you pulled over? It sounds like a very isolated incident. I can understand that cops don't want to chat when they're giving you a ticket but the rest of that shit is bull. In fact, I'd be empowered to do all of those things since they AREN'T illegal. Some cops act tough but the best thing about the US is that they can't fight the laws, the legal system. If they were to fuck with you, you'd have lawyers knocking on your door to sue the cop or the city.

[eid]

The best advise is to simply decline to answer any questions, and to keep anything that you would not want a police officer to see in plain view (including money). If they ask to search your car then you should withhold consent and this should stop the vast majority of issues.

There was an article in the Washington Post this week that talked about how much money local governments were making from these kinds of warrant-less seizures .

Declining to answer any questions will immediately set off a red flag that your trying to hide something.  That is how a cop would likely try to interpret it if you ask me.  I don't like how paranoid many cops are, they will look for anything they feel is not normal to harass you.  Profiling people and treating them like criminals before proven guilty is not their job, it is to protect and serve.  If their being trained to act this way something needs to change and that change needs to come from the higher ranking officers.

  If a cop shoots and kills someone the immediate reaction is the victim must have done something to deserve it.  What kind of message is that going to send to cops?  It's that they literally have a license to kill, which is beyond terrifying for anybody with a pulse.
History shows us that people in positions of authority are in the best position to do the most damage yet our society tends to accept all the corruptions and power grabbing.  It won't keep us safe that is for sure so people better get used to being walked on and treated like crap by a bunch of paranoid poorly trained "peace officers".

I disagree. A cop is a public servant and should be spoken to as such. Politely and respectfully decline to be treated like a child/criminal and do not consent to be questioned, searched or give away your rights in any other way.

Of course if you get all angry and defensive, you are acting like you have something to hide and they will react accordingly.

What's important isn't what you say, but how you say it.

I completely agree with your point, I was speaking about the average run in with a cop.  I get if you understand the law and what questions you need to answer and how can diffuse the situation. Not everybody studies the law to the point that they understand they don't have to answer all kinds of questions asked of them.  You make an excellent point but I'm just saying not every citizen from the youth to the elderly is going to have a full grasp of their rights when approached by a cop and they shouldn't be treated as a suspect or guilty like their a terrorist.  

Yes, you're right and it's especially hard to deal with this kind of situation as a young person. Being bullied by a figure you've been taught to be submissive to (and fear) is always going to be a challenging situation.   I suppose my original points were  meant as something I feel people should try and work towards; I do realise it's not easy (for me too).

[dankkk]

The best advise is to simply decline to answer any questions, and to keep anything that you would not want a police officer to see in plain view (including money). If they ask to search your car then you should withhold consent and this should stop the vast majority of issues.

There was an article in the Washington Post this week that talked about how much money local governments were making from these kinds of warrant-less seizures .

This may have worked 30 years ago, but no more. Refusing to answer questions is not only considered suspicious, but "failure to worship the ground that a cop walks on". They will search your vehicle without permission. If they find anything, they will just claim you gave them permission.

Most people just say "yes" to anything a cop wants. They have no idea how petty and vengeful many cops can get if you don't appease them.

People may say yes to what the cops request, but it is their own fault if something happens because they did as such.

The police have requested to search my car a number of times but have actually searched my car a grand total of never. They generally lead the conversation by asking if I have any drugs or weapons in the car then some time later ask to search my car. I decline, and he replies asking why and reminding me that I just told him that I do not have anything in my car. I tell him that I do not need a reason and that I have the right to decline. When he further presses the issue the only response he gets is that I do not consent to the search.

[Spendulus]

The best advise is to simply decline to answer any questions, and to keep anything that you would not want a police officer to see in plain view (including money). If they ask to search your car then you should withhold consent and this should stop the vast majority of issues.

There was an article in the Washington Post this week that talked about how much money local governments were making from these kinds of warrant-less seizures .

This may have worked 30 years ago, but no more. Refusing to answer questions is not only considered suspicious, but "failure to worship the ground that a cop walks on". They will search your vehicle without permission. If they find anything, they will just claim you gave them permission.

Most people just say "yes" to anything a cop wants. They have no idea how petty and vengeful many cops can get if you don't appease them.

People may say yes to what the cops request, but it is their own fault if something happens because they did as such.

The police have requested to search my car a number of times but have actually searched my car a grand total of never. They generally lead the conversation by asking if I have any drugs or weapons in the car then some time later ask to search my car. I decline, and he replies asking why and reminding me that I just told him that I do not have anything in my car. I tell him that I do not need a reason and that I have the right to decline. When he further presses the issue the only response he gets is that I do not consent to the search.

Good advice.  It's not just all about protecting your cash from them.  They can waste your time.  They can be on a very annoying power trip.  Very important to be respectful, but firm.  US cops are nothing compared to cops in China, by the way.

There is very good youtube material on how to respond and act in situations with cops.

[wasserman99]

The best advise is to simply decline to answer any questions, and to keep anything that you would not want a police officer to see in plain view (including money). If they ask to search your car then you should withhold consent and this should stop the vast majority of issues.

There was an article in the Washington Post this week that talked about how much money local governments were making from these kinds of warrant-less seizures .

Declining to answer any questions will immediately set off a red flag that your trying to hide something.  That is how a cop would likely try to interpret it if you ask me.  I don't like how paranoid many cops are, they will look for anything they feel is not normal to harass you.  Profiling people and treating them like criminals before proven guilty is not their job, it is to protect and serve.  If their being trained to act this way something needs to change and that change needs to come from the higher ranking officers.

  If a cop shoots and kills someone the immediate reaction is the victim must have done something to deserve it.  What kind of message is that going to send to cops?  It's that they literally have a license to kill, which is beyond terrifying for anybody with a pulse.
History shows us that people in positions of authority are in the best position to do the most damage yet our society tends to accept all the corruptions and power grabbing.  It won't keep us safe that is for sure so people better get used to being walked on and treated like crap by a bunch of paranoid poorly trained "peace officers".

I disagree. A cop is a public servant and should be spoken to as such. Politely and respectfully decline to be treated like a child/criminal and do not consent to be questioned, searched or give away your rights in any other way.

Of course if you get all angry and defensive, you are acting like you have something to hide and they will react accordingly.

What's important isn't what you say, but how you say it.

I agree with your disagreement. The police do not have the right to demand to question you. They have the right to question you however you do not need to answer any questions if you do not wish to do so (they have freedom of speech just as you do). If you do not want to answer their questions then you should polity but firmly advise that you do not want to answer any questions. Unless they can see evidence of a crime in plain view (or if there is a warrant outstanding for you) then they have no right to search your nor your property (including your car). Again they do have the right to ask (remember they have free speech), but you should decline as this is your right.

[confirmation120]

I think the overall moral of the story is to not speak to the police if they stop you. You should also not consent to being searched and you should always record any interaction with the police in the event of a dispute as to if you gave consent to be searched

[countryfree]

Well, this happens in many countries. Now that most transactions are immaterial, having substantial cash with you makes you look suspicious. In most of Europe, there's a 10,000 euros legal limit to what you can carry with you, and it's illegal to make cash transactions above 3,000 euros.

As I travel quite a lot, I always carry some cash, and most of the time I'm hiding it. I remember, long time ago in California, I was walking down the street, doing nothing, but there were police looking for someone, and I made a big mistake when by accident, I've shown to a officer a roll of bank notes while getting my passport out of my pocket. I had $1,000 with me and the police officer said it was a lot to carry around, but since there was nothing wrong about me, I said I was a foreigner visiting, he let me go. Maybe I was lucky... I don't know, but I've learned to get my passport out without showing anything else.

[Pente]

I was stopped once and the police asked for permission to search my vehicle. I said "no". So more cops showed up. They pestered me and I said "no". Eventually there were about 10 cops and the last one came up, told the rest to search my vehicle. One cop told him that I refused to give permission. This last cop, who seemed to be in charge, laughed & said "We are cops. Search his vehicle, if we find anything, just claim he gave up permission."

BTW, I had nothing illegal in my vehicle.

My uncle is a retired cop and he use to brag about lying in court. And he wonders why I hate cops.

[RobertDJ]

I was stopped once and the police asked for permission to search my vehicle. I said "no". So more cops showed up. They pestered me and I said "no". Eventually there were about 10 cops and the last one came up, told the rest to search my vehicle. One cop told him that I refused to give permission. This last cop, who seemed to be in charge, laughed & said "We are cops. Search his vehicle, if we find anything, just claim he gave up permission."

BTW, I had nothing illegal in my vehicle.

My uncle is a retired cop and he use to brag about lying in court. And he wonders why I hate cops.

I think the overall moral of the story is to not speak to the police if they stop you. You should also not consent to being searched and you should always record any interaction with the police in the event of a dispute as to if you gave consent to be searched

Why didn't you record this situation? Even if they do not charge you after searching your car, they are violating your civil rights and should be punished for this.

[leannemckim46]

I was stopped once and the police asked for permission to search my vehicle. I said "no". So more cops showed up. They pestered me and I said "no". Eventually there were about 10 cops and the last one came up, told the rest to search my vehicle. One cop told him that I refused to give permission. This last cop, who seemed to be in charge, laughed & said "We are cops. Search his vehicle, if we find anything, just claim he gave up permission."

BTW, I had nothing illegal in my vehicle.

My uncle is a retired cop and he use to brag about lying in court. And he wonders why I hate cops.

Your uncle likely did not always know when someone was recording his interactions with citizens. If evidence were to be presented that he was lying then anytime he previously testified would be brought into question and any conviction that resulted in such testimony would be thrown out.

[Spendulus]

The best advise is to simply decline to answer any questions, and to keep anything that you would not want a police officer to see in plain view (including money). If they ask to search your car then you should withhold consent and this should stop the vast majority of issues.

There was an article in the Washington Post this week that talked about how much money local governments were making from these kinds of warrant-less seizures .

Declining to answer any questions will immediately set off a red flag that your trying to hide something.  That is how a cop would likely try to interpret it if you ask me.  I don't like how paranoid many cops are, they will look for anything they feel is not normal to harass you.  Profiling people and treating them like criminals before proven guilty is not their job, it is to protect and serve.  If their being trained to act this way something needs to change and that change needs to come from the higher ranking officers.

  If a cop shoots and kills someone the immediate reaction is the victim must have done something to deserve it.  What kind of message is that going to send to cops?  It's that they literally have a license to kill, which is beyond terrifying for anybody with a pulse.
History shows us that people in positions of authority are in the best position to do the most damage yet our society tends to accept all the corruptions and power grabbing.  It won't keep us safe that is for sure so people better get used to being walked on and treated like crap by a bunch of paranoid poorly trained "peace officers".

I disagree. A cop is a public servant and should be spoken to as such. Politely and respectfully decline to be treated like a child/criminal and do not consent to be questioned, searched or give away your rights in any other way.

Of course if you get all angry and defensive, you are acting like you have something to hide and they will react accordingly.

What's important isn't what you say, but how you say it.

I agree with your disagreement. The police do not have the right to demand to question you. They have the right to question you however you do not need to answer any questions if you do not wish to do so (they have freedom of speech just as you do). If you do not want to answer their questions then you should polity but firmly advise that you do not want to answer any questions. Unless they can see evidence of a crime in plain view (or if there is a warrant outstanding for you) then they have no right to search your nor your property (including your car). Again they do have the right to ask (remember they have free speech), but you should decline as this is your right.

<<whispered hoarsely>>

Officer .. <<grabs note book and pen>>

<<writes>>

"sorry I can't talk hardly at all picked up something yesterday really bad..."

<<another fit of coughing,,, in his direction, write>>

"just headed to the doc...laryngitis I guess hopefully not tb like my aunt has...how can I help you>>

<<more coughing in direction of notebook right before handing it to him>>