If stopped...

[James K]

This from Friday's paper.

A fellow was stopped for running a stop sign in the Pentagon parking lot. (Not hard to do, as I very well know!)

This guy was not swift. He told the DoD cop that "I am one of you", and showed an INS badge with expired ID and an Oregon CCW license (worthless in VA or on Fed. property). They searched his car and came up with two rifles and a can of "potenitally explosive" black powder, as well as "survivalist" literature. There was fuse cord in his motel room.

According to the story, he had been tentatively offered a job by the Defense Protective Service (fancy name for DoD police) but had not been formally hired or trained.

Lessons to learn. Do not try to get out of a $35 ticket by impersonating an officer. Do not flash a CCW license from another state; it does no good and tells the cops you just might be violating their law. Do not try to "buddy" up to the cops. Just apologize and eat the ticket. And do not carry black powder and fuses around the country; it tends to look a little suspicious.

The paper says the police do not suspect him of "terrorist" activity, but he is still in jail.

Jim

 

[Tecolote]

I always figure an officer is under too much stress to put up with whinnying. I would much rather dispute a ticket in the court than to trouble an officer out on the street.

------------------
So many pistols, so little money.

[This message has been edited by Tecolote (edited March 25, 2000).]

 

[Art Eatman]

"...not swift." Hmmm. Driving while terminally stupid? Well, maybe he could be a candidate for the just-announced program of federal employment of the intellectually-challenged. (Per WND, that's for real!)

Regardless of my personal opinion about the circumstances, I never have and never will hassle a LEO. If I already have one problem, why should I want any more? The difference between me and LBJ is that I DO fear escalation!

(For the benefit of the younger set, that line comes from a Viet Nam era protest song.)

, Art

 

[dinosaur]

He probably just came from an interview with Janet Reno. She`s probably pissed her new deputy AG got popped!.

 

[dZ]

this after a major pipe bomb factory/ house in VA self leveled itself 2 weeks ago.

The story of the dofuss at the Pentagon has gotten alot of news coverage in DC

doc Zox

 

[jeffer]

“And do not carry black powder and fuses around the country; it tends to look a little suspicious.”
If he doesn't get a job with the BATF they are gonna watch him for life.

 

[mrat]

Jim,
Anything said why he had black powder and a fuse?

I take it he didn't get the job.

 

[James K]

I think your guess on his employment status is probably correct. I have seen nothing further on the situation. I'll bet Oregon pulls his CCW to boot. What an idiot!

Jim

 

[leedesert]

Guess I better take that diesel fule and fertilizer out of my trunk.

When a cop pulls you over for speeding, whether you were or not be polite and share your honest story.
A cop is in a power position. If you whine and complain the only way he can assert his power is to ticket you. Not ticketing you would give you the power.
On the other hand, if you tell him your sorry for taking up his time and that you deserve a ticket you have given him a chance to assert his power by letting you go with a warning.
If he give you a ticket anyway you can beat it in court easier then the highway. Most times they will reduce or cancel your ticket just to cut back on the number of people the judge has to see that day. Half the time the cop doesn't show up in court so they throw it away anyway.

I know off topic but I thought I would share that with you.

------------------
"It is easier to get out of jail then it is a morgue"
Live long and defend yourself!
John 3:16

 

[James K]

A little more than "whining and complaining" here. He pulled a phoney (expired) badge and ID. Running a stop sign at the Pentagon is (or was) a $35 fine, and I know that from experience. Impersonating a federal officer will get him 10 years if the judge is having a bad hair day.

It is not a matter of groveling to the cop or making him feel good, it is a matter of not going into terminal stupidity. The only thing worse would be listening to the macho idiots who say they would kill the cop rather than get a ticket.

Jim