No ''routine'' traffic stops

by Bob Gillespie
I'm sure glad there are people who want to be police officers; I wouldn't (and couldn't) do the job no matter how much they paid me. Pulling over a motorist must be pretty scary; apparently attending domestic disputes is up at the top of the list also.

I'm sure police officers deal most often with the lower strata of society, ie criminals, bikers, druggies etc. So if we get pulled over for speeding or some driving infraction, lets not get huffy or play games. Actually, I believe if we treat them courteously and with respect it will be to our own benefit.

Hats off to these people who often have a thankless, and dangerous, occupation.

You will have less chance of being pulled over by the police, and much less chance of being involved in a collision, if you take a defensive driver education program.

A defensive driver course is not just for teenagers or beginning drivers - it's for anybody, I don't care how long you've been driving. If you're an experienced driver and you don't find any valuable defensive driving tips in my ebook "Learn To Drive And Survive" I will gladly refund your money - but I doubt that will happen. Avoiding one collision will pay for the course 100 times over.

Following is an excellent article about being pulled over by the police. If I'm ever pulled over I'm going to do exactly what he suggests; it certainly makes sense.



by Tommy McIntyre
There are too many horror stories about police officers being shot to death during a routine traffic stop.

First of all, any veteran police officer will tell you there is no such thing as a "routine" traffic stop. All traffic stops, including little old ladies, have a deadly potential.

"You never know who you are stopping," Venice Police Lt. Tom McNulty said. "We have a definite plan on the side of officer safety."

McNulty would not elaborate on the plan.

In the event a routine traffic stop does become deadly, the officer most likely did not do something right, something he or she had been trained to do, trained to watch for.

Maybe the officer took his eyes off the driver's hands; maybe he walked into the "dead zone."
The dead zone is defined in some police academies as any point forward of the driver. If the officer stands slightly behind the driver, it is more difficult for the driver to use a weapon.

Chances are, the officer knows quite a bit about you before you even stop the car.

"We call the tag in, make sure communications has a description of car and the location of the stop," McNulty said.

Felony stops
Felony stops are a different ball game.
"We already suspect he (or she) has committed a felony crime," McNulty said. "So, we know who we are dealing with, that the person could be dangerous."

Different tactics apply to felony stops.

Several back-up units suddenly appear from out of nowhere. Sometimes, depending on a number of variables, officers with drawn guns crouch behind open patrol car doors as shields.

Another officer, usually a supervisor, will order the driver out of the car with precise directions.

"Driver, with your right hand, remove the keys and throw them on the ground ... ," he might say. "With your left hand, open the door slowly and step out with your hands raised over your head."

What should you do?

If you are stopped for any reason, there are certain things you need to do to make things easier for yourself.

First, safely pull off to the side of the road. Do not get out of the car. Some police agencies consider a driver exiting the car and approaching the police vehicle as an aggressive move. Place both hands on top of the steering wheel.

Don't automatically reach for your wallet. Wait for the officer to ask you for your license and registration. When he does, make sure you move slowly.

If you are carrying a gun legally, make sure you tell the officer you have a concealed weapons permit and are carrying a gun. He may want to see the concealed weapons permit.

tmcintyre@
venicegondolier.com

By Tommy McIntyre
Staff Writer