Thursday, April 23, 2009

Don't Disregard Authority If You're Breaking the Law!

I was planning on leaving work on time when a black car flies past me with no license plate. I consider myself a lenient person but when a car flies past a marked police car to me that shows the driver doesn't have a high opinion of law enforcement. Since he's decided to show his disregard for authority while breaking the law he and I need to have a chat. I stop him on the busy freeway and he steps out of the car shouting why did I stop him! In my mind I'm saying "oh hell no!" I answer him by pointing out his empty license plate holder. He tells me the plate was stolen. Okay, this should be easy to verify. I ask him who did the report and for his case number. He has no idea who came out and if he even has a case number. Now, anyone who has had a report taken by police would at least remember the agency and where their case number was (I know people don't know the case numbers). He says he has his front license plate. I compare that plate to the plate number on his registration sticker and waa-laa, they don't match! This guy is digging himself deeper and deeper. He's 6'03 and almost 300 pounds so I keep up my wall. He started out thinking he's going to bully me but when I lay my cards showing I have him dead to rights he calms down just a tad, but it's clear in his demeanor he doesn't think he should have been stopped to start with. I check out his stolen plate story and can't find anything. So, I don't think he ever reported it (if he's telling the truth to start with). I learn that the plate on his car was cancelled last year. So, for whatever reason he never put on his real plates. On top of that, he has an old traffic warrant. I confirm the warrant. I also learn he has a history of violence. He was once arrested for assaulting and choking a meter-reader who came to his house to read the meter. He was also arrested for resisting arrest. He confronted a female officer and fought her when she went to arrest him. This tells me he has an inflated opinion of what he can do and nobody has the right to tell him what to do. A Lieutenant checks by with me. I explain the guy's citation and he wants to debate the issue. I haven't told him about the warrant yet, I need him to sign the citation before we do that. He finally signs with some argument. I then put down the ticket book and tell him he's under arrest for the warrant. I also flat out tell him I know he's been arrested for fighting the police before and diplomatically warn him if he fights me, he will regret it. It worked, he didn't fight although he did try to weasel out of it using the "I need my medicine excuse." Usually when someone plays this card it is mental medication, not life sustaining. I doubt his arrest will change his outlook on how to deal with authority figures when he is in the wrong, but at least I didn't have to fight him.

1 comment:

Beat And Release said...

I love it when they jump out really quick and really upset. They usually calm down a bit after they realize how amazingly large that .45 tube looks from the wrong end. :)