Quote:
Originally Posted by Neal Stevens
You and I are on the same page. In the US, especially big cities, crime is so bad that if I can help a cop by cooperating and clearing his suspicions, I will gladly do it. Sure, I'll show my ID if asked, why not?--he's not out to persecute me, he just needs to clear me off his search radar. If I start sassing him about my rights, he's going to wonder why I'm so defensive. I don't have anything to hide and I really do hope he can make dent in crime, so I'm not going to waste his time.
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I guess we're different, I feel the police are hired to to protect and enforce my rights, not break them. I am totally against "Search and ID", DUI checks, basically anything that gives the goverment the right to stop you, ID or search you without probable cause. It's not so much I'm against cops, but slowly we are losing our rights and no one seems to notice. Certainly cops can ask you anything, but you have the right to refuse, problem is you refuse, they take that as cause for reasonable suspicion, it's not.
Like last year, I came upon a DUI stop, waited in the "Search" line for 30 minutes. When I pulled up, the cop asked me "had I been drinking tonight"
I simply told him " I refuse to answer questions without cause." Yep, it made him mad and I was told to pull over. I was asked again, so I simply stated " If you have reasonable suspicion, feel free to arrest me, but I don't answer questions without cause" and refused my ID and wouldn't get out until ordered. He obviously couldn't smell anything, but wanted to put me through DUI test, which I refused. For one I've had several back operations and wouldn't pass, which I told him. He then wanted me to breathe in his tube, of course I refused. I bet I was surrounded by several cops then. It was only after being told if I didn't comply and they would tow my car that I complied after protest. After they deemed I wasn't drinking, one cop asked " why cause such a fuss over something so small when I wasn't drinking, I simply told him my rights to be secure in my body and property and to be forced to comply with test and answer questions without probable cause was no little matter to me.
People may not care, but slowly across this nation our rights are denied. Now over 20 states have "Search and ID" stops without probable cause. What will be the next generation, we're all forced to carry our papers, allow the government free will over our bodies and property without cause, throw the constitution out the window to make life easier for government? Sorry, it's been proven over and over most forces have a corrupt element, in some places entire forces are corrupt. These laws have led to much racial profiling and millions of tax payer dollars spent in paying lawsuits.