Normal for police to walk backwards from a stopped vehicle to their patrol car?

[Dr. Strangelove]

There was one of him and a van full of you guys, I don't blame him for being cautious and trying to prevent himself from being taken by suprise.

By a govt. van full of military officers?

 

[Glenn Dee]

I dont know that walking backwards is a good idea... But I guess in this officers mind there must have been a reason. More often than not Officers make up tactics on the fly. In other words there may have been something unique about this stop that had the officer doing something he wouldnt normally do.

 

[WyMark]

Could have been a massive plot to steal nucular weapons and hold the world hostage for trillions of dollars by dressing up as military officers to infiltrate command centers.

Everybody knows it's the innocent cop who's always the first to get killed in these scenarios.

Or is that only in Schwarzenegger and Stallone movies?

 

[Skadoosh]

Were you all in uniform?

 

[ScottRiqui]

Not all of us were in uniform, since we were coming back from DC after working hours. I wasn't, but the Army Lieutenant Colonel in the front passenger seat was. There were two government contractors and a rep from the National Security Agency in civvies, then a Chief Petty Officer, a Chief Warrant Officer an a Lieutenant Commander in uniform.

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

You won't live that down for awhile, eh?

 

[ScottRiqui]

No, not likely to live it down anytime soon, since I already had a reputation for being a little bit of a leadfoot - this was just the first time I've been stopped.

 

[mo84]

He probably wanted to make sure you guys wern't going to bust out of the van like the A team. He could have had a bad experience with a van before also I suppose.

 

[jimbob86]

Officer Safety?

The policeman not watching traffic but watching you the whole time would never see a flying car right on the white line before it was too late.

The odds of a van full of .mil doing something sinister to a local cop are infintesimally smaller than the odds of some rubbernecking motorist running him down.

Somewhat similar to the folks that agonize for endless hours over what caliber/ammo/gun to carryand what holster to carry it in, while never bothering to excercise, eat right, stop smoking ......

 

[Nitesites]

Maybe the practice is just ingrained.

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

Somewhat similar to the folks that agonize for endless hours over what caliber/ammo/gun to carry and what holster to carry it in, while never bothering to exercise, eat right, stop smoking ......

JimBob! Stop with the logic! You're going to make people uncomfortable!

 

[Pbearperry]

I am sure that the Officer in question will use other tactics once his crystal ball in his squad car is repaired.

 

[AirForceShooter]

Forget about him walking backward.

A marked Military vehicle filled with GI types and the cop WROTE THE TICKET????
Tell me somebody is kidding me.

Firsd thought is a US government car on official duty can't be ticketed by a cop.
Second thought is this cops supervisor will have him working nights and weekends for the rest of his career.

AFS

 

[ScottRiqui]

It's a government-owned van with government license plates, but it's just a blue 15-passenger Chevy van with no markings. As for government vehicles not being subject to traffic tickets, that's the first I've heard of it.

The area where I was stopped has a lot of speed traps. The officer handed me a price schedule along with the ticket, with all the fines/fees/court costs already filled out and totaled for me so I'd know exactly how much to pay. He also made it very clear that I could pay online or over the phone in order to avoid having to appear at the court.

 

[kraigwy]

Firsd thought is a US government car on official duty can't be ticketed by a cop.

Don't know where you got that, but its totally bogus, if they drive on the streets they are subject to the same rules (and tickets) as everyone else.

What I find interesting about this topic is non cops instructing cops on officer safety.

 

[IrishBluEyes51]

safety or paranoia..? geez louise. There are people who can't walk thru town without someone wanting to rob them and others who walk thru without even one person wanting to try it. its called being a mark...Pretty much how you carry yourself. Personally I think the same applies to police officers, some will never have a problem and some create enough tension where trouble seems inevitable.

to the fine officers on TFL Please don't take offense

 

[KLRANGL]

Norfolk is a military town, so yes, cops have no problem giving members of the military a ticket.

If I had a nickel for every time I saw a Norfolk cop do something strange, I'd have about... 50 cents, give or take.
Luckily, my personal interaction with them has been zero at this point.

 

[Silent Bob]

Maybe he thought you were all on your way to a Village People Convention, and might try pulling in a cop for the ensemble? Had to stay on guard, you know? Getting the indian might be a problem, not many reservations on the east coast.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Normal for police to walk backwards from a stopped vehicle to their patrol car?

Only if there are no rocks on the highway.

While it might be put down as Officer Safety, I sure hope he checked the ground very well cause that's a good way to fall if there is anything in the road.

Better it would have been for him to turn sideways with his gun side away from the van (so no one would see him clutching his handgun) and walk back crossing one foot in front of the other (it's quite easy to do.)

Deaf

 

[DaleA]

-walk back crossing one foot in front of the other

Ah yes, a CLASSIC move from the Fred Astaire school of self defense!