Daily Routine Interruptus

[JetGirl]

Scenario: 8:15 am
Not foggy. Not rainy.
Driving the 0.5 mile back from dropping my kid off at school.
I pull into my driveway, open the garage by remote, pull in and start to lower the door by remote.
I don’t know what prompted me to look in my mirror…or maybe just motion caught my attention… but as the door was half way down, I saw legs walking towards me and a dark gray car parked broadside across my drive’s entrance. I thought someone who’d been driving behind me was going to tell me I had a turn signal out or a tire going flat or something being amiss about the back of my van, so I hit the button to raise the door again. As the door stopped and reversed course, a cop I didn't know ducked under and stepped into my garage between my van and the pickup truck. He told me that my running/driving/marker lights (that come on automatically when you turn over the engine) were not enough and that I should have had headlights on yada yada. The conversation and result isn’t so much the point, but my question is, did he have the right to duck under/ enter my garage without my say-so since I was right there exiting my vehicle? Sorry to all the cop types here, but it really pissed me off. I don’t cross thresholds of anybody else’s front door/garage/shed/porch/deck without invitation or permission and the neighbors reciprocate in kind. What about this?

 

[Scutter01]

Did he identify himself before doing so? Were you able to identify him before he approached? Seems to me that a strange man surprising you in your garage as you pull in is a bad way for both of you to start the morning.

 

[JetGirl]

Did he identify himself before doing so?

No.

Were you able to identify him before he approached?

Not until he was in and uprighting himself from "the duck" and I saw uniform/gun/etc.
Before that, he was just shiny shoes and dress pants.

 

[BillD]

Once while reloading in the garage with the door open, a UPS man walked up the driveway and started into the garage. I saw him out of the corner of my eye, spun, flicked back my jacket and my hand on the gun when I got the brown clothes and the package in his hand. He was very surprised and apologetic.

After reading this, I am very glad he wasn't a cop.

 

[4sarge]

Scenario: 8:15 am
but my question is, did he have the right to duck under/ enter my garage without my say-so since I was right there exiting my vehicle? Sorry to all the cop types here, but it really pissed me off.

did he have the right to duck under/ enter my garage without my say-so since I was right there exiting my vehicle?

Short Answer -Probably, if his reasoning was that he was conducting a traffic investigation that started on the public street and you drove into the garage to avoid/evade his interview/investigation. There is the possibility that he was trying to be a nice guy and was concerned that your safety was at risk. Did he write or threaten to write you a traffic ticket? Was he nice or was he verbally abusive? Cops can be dicks (when necessary) but are not always the bad guys that some believe them to be. Not saying that you think this

Not exactly the same but many DUI's continue on to their residences and pull into their driveway followed by the police and feel since that they made it into their drive the law does not apply and they are sadly mistaken.

 

[ATM]

I guess next time you just let the garage door close and make Mr./Ms. ShinyShoes ring the front doorbell for a conversation

 

[JetGirl]

There is the possibility that he was trying to be a nice guy and was concerned that your safety was at risk.

For what? All of the sensor lights on my street (yard lights, street lights, sidewalk lined lights) had all been off for a while. Point being, it was bright enough and past that lawful "drive with lights" half hour deal.

Did he write or threaten to write you a traffic ticket?

No, just the opposite. He said, "I'm not here to write up a ticket about any law"

Was he nice or was he verbally abusive?

He was neutral in voice, but gestured with his hands quite a bit. Not quite agitated, but closer than not by "normal" standards.

 

[Rattlesnake46319]

Annie, I'm not so sure that he had the right, but seems like his intentions were good. Personal opinion, he wasn't trying to be a jerk, but walking up into your garage seems like a bad tactical decision on his part. But then again, I'm not a LEO. Just my

 

[4sarge]

For what? All of the sensor lights on my street (yard lights, street lights, sidewalk lined lights) had all been off for a while. Point being, it was bright enough and past that lawful "drive with lights" half hour deal.

No, just the opposite. He said, "I'm not here to write up a ticket about any law"

He was neutral in voice, but gestured with his hands quite a bit. Not quite agitated, but closer than not by "normal" standards.

If you feel that strongly then file a formal complaint. I personally see no violation of the law on his part. If he had issued you a citation for whatever infraction that he felt you violated then you both would have had your day in court. Some departments have strict policies against verbal warnings for just this reason. It's sad for all because I feel that officer discretion is the best tool that an officer has available. A departmental policy that mandates a citation be written for all traffic stops based on PC would not benefit anyone but maybe that is best for all concerned.

A very valid police motto is "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished "

 

[USMC_0311]

I think the cop was very lucky. You first saw a pair of legs while garage door was going down. That would have set off all kinds of alarms in my book. I don't know its been a very long time since I was involved in a traffic stop but wouldn't flashing lights and maybe (sirens if the lights didn't get the attention of the driver) be better then sneaking up on someone. Again I don't know all the details but I am glad it was a cop and not some bad guy.

 

[JetGirl]

wouldn't flashing lights and maybe (sirens if the lights didn't get the attention of the driver) be better then sneaking up on someone. Again I don't know all the details but I am glad it was a cop and not some bad guy.

No lights, no siren...just a plain dark car parked broadside across the entrance of my driveway. And those pretty much are all the details.

 

[USMC_0311]

No lights, no siren...just a plain dark car parked broadside across the entrance of my driveway. And those pretty much are all the details.

He was lucky then. I would have drawn but once identified I would have backed off. This could have been very dangerous for just a traffic stop. Just curious, how old was he? Could you tell if he had been a cop for a while? Or did come off like a "Rookie"?

 

[RogerB]

No lights, no siren...just a plain dark car parked broadside across the entrance of my driveway. And those pretty much are all the details.

I was curious whether his headlights were on too.... also agree and glad it wasn't a BG.

 

[4sarge]

No lights, no siren...just a plain dark car parked broadside across the entrance of my driveway. And those pretty much are all the details.

Indiana State Law, Unmarked car, officer in uniform or Marked car, officer not required to be in uniform to perform traffic stops. My understanding was that he was in full uniform including shiny shoes. I am sure that his intentions were for your personal safety and not to frighten you.

 

[USMC_0311]

The first thing she saw was a pair of legs while garage door going down. Then an unmarked car. Shiny shoes just wouldn't cut it for me to assume that this was an police officer. I'm sure his intentions were good but we couldn't know that until AFTER he was ID'd as a cop. Just saying that could go bad real fast for both sides.

Now if would have been my house and the first thing I saw was a pair of legs. Rest assured the next thing I would have seen would have been 2 sets of 4 legged German Shepherds Dogs at full speed. That would have given me enough time to ID the cop. Granted he might defend himself and shoot my dogs but he better be quick because the big one ain't scared of guns. I need to work with that one because he likes to chase bullets too.

 

[JetGirl]

Just curious, how old was he? Could you tell if he had been a cop for a while? Or did come off like a "Rookie"?

Age...maybe early 30's ish. As for being a "rookie"...I'd have no way of knowing.

I was curious whether his headlights were on too.... also agree and glad it wasn't a BG.

No clue. When I was going down my street there was a white car behind me that passed me as I turned into my drive and I didn't know there was anyone behind them. I live on a curve, so turning the curve and then turning again into my drive cuts anything behind me past 20 feet or so out of the line of sight.

 

[TRWXXA]

Good job on your situational awareness.

I'd make a call to his department. Not to complain about being "stopped", but about the officer's method of doing it. I don't think there is an LEO who wouldn't think that his actions were unnecessarily risky on his part. You'd have been perfectly justified in drawing down on him, as he entered your premises unidentified. He could very easily have waited a minute or two, and gone to the front door.

People are extremely vulnerable to intruders when pulling into their garages, and he should know that. Perhaps a word of advice from his supervisor, about his tactics, will save his life someday. For all he knew, he could have been walking into a well-defended meth lab.

 

[Episcopus]

Not exactly the same but many DUI's continue on to their residences and pull into their driveway followed by the police and feel since that they made it into their drive the law does not apply and they are sadly mistaken.

"Come on Officer, I am in my own driveway. Why are you going to do this to me? What's the big deal?"

Kids do it when the police break up parties in a yard too. A bunch of them will run inside and think they are safe, then get offended when the police come in without asking.

 

[Walter Zoomie]

I need to work with that one because he likes to chase bullets too.

Hey, bro. Chasin's better than catchin'!

 

[RogerB]

Good job on your situational awareness.

I'd make a call to his department. Not to complain about being "stopped", but about the officer's method of doing it. I don't think there is an LEO who wouldn't think that his actions were unnecessarily risky on his part. You'd have been perfectly justified in drawing down on him, as he entered your premises unidentified. He could very easily have waited a minute or two, and gone to the front door.

People are extremely vulnerable to intruders when pulling into their garages, and he should know that. Perhaps a word of advice from his supervisor, about his tactics, will save his life someday. For all he knew, he could have been walking into a well-defended meth lab.

Agreed on all points...plus...

sounds like a home driveway on a hard curve that creates blind spots. Did the officer have his lights on headlights or emergency lights etc?

If it was that important to follow you to your garage and interact with you...seems like he had better have had his own headlights and rollers or emergency lights on to alert passing drivers to his presence on such a curve in the road.

A call in on that sounds justified IMHO....could be a random act of too much self perceived authority, or personal issues who knows or he could have just been trying to help.

Just glad you didn't over react or become a victom....

for Annie....

night