Question for LEO -- Questions BY LEO ...

[N8RV]

I have a question for INGO LEOs that should be pretty easy to answer ...

INGO has several threads about LEO incounters, some dealing with carry issues and other not. This is a "not." I know that there are a whole bunch of very secretive, untrusting types here on INGO (you know who you are ), and I'm not necessarily one of them. Admittedly, the sheeple-esque trust that I used to have of government -- from local up to, and including, federal -- is long gone. However, I am still a pretty trusting soul when it comes to LEOs. Were I to have an encounter with a local, county or state cop, I am naturally inclined to answer any questions posed honestly.

However ... I am confused by the nature of some of the questions. I can count on one hand the number of times I've been pulled over while driving in the 40+ years of being licensed. But each time I have been asked questions that always make me WANT to answer, "None of your business." For example, an encounter I had several years ago when I was late to work went like this:

"Do you know why I pulled you over, sir?"

"I would imagine that I was going a little fast."

"Yes, you were. Where are you going?" (None of your business.)

"To work."

"Where do you work?" (None of your business.)

"In that big building over there (pointing)"

"What do you do there?" (None of your business.)

"I'm self-employed."

"What do you DO for employment?" (None of your DAMN business.)

*sigh* "I'm a dentist."

"OK, I'll be right back ..."

He gave me a warning and told me to slow down. No problem with that. I was wrong, he was nice, it's all good. I don't generally speed. However, WHY did he ask all of those questions? From my point of view, where I was going, where I work, what I do, are all none of his business. What is the purpose of those questions?

Like I said, by nature I'm not the confrontational type, and would not refuse to answer or to be sarcastic in my tone. Is there a legitimate reason for questions like that to be asked during a routine traffic stop?

LEOs, your thoughts?

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

I am not LEO, however in recent active shooter training the LEO doing the training said something interesting about thwarting an active shooter. Often they have a lot on their mind in the execution of their plan and sometimes make small mistakes on the way...can be as simple as running a light or stop sign, speeding, wrong turn...these are opportunities for LEO to inquire for seeming simple unrelated things to read the person for anything out of the ordinary. If someone gets severely agitated or nervous makes one wonder why...maybe ask more questions.

I have no idea why your LEO asked you things that are obviously none of his business, but perhaps this is one plausible explanation.

 

[VUPDblue]

I ask the questions for a lot of different reasons, one of them being it's a big deciding factor on whether or not I take official action. Especially for people who have no license or suspended licenses, if they are going to work then I tend to be quite lenient. I mean, how can I expect someone to get their license fixed if they have no money because I denied them the ability to get to work? Now, if you state you are going out to da club then I'll probably be giving you some paperwork. Also, depending on the area where I stop someone, I may be curious as to why they are in the area. Not all traffic stops are about traffic. Maybe some citizen called in a suspicious vehicle, that happens to un-ass the area as soon as I arrive. I will probably ask some pretty easy questions of the driver once I get the car stopped to try to dismiss that their presence in the area was due to shenanigans. Alternately, maybe an area has had problems with illegal activity so the cops were requested to step-up traffic enforcement in the area because it is a very visible reminder that we are out there. Questions will likely be asked of the drivers to make sure they have a legit reason to be in the area and are not part of the reason we were asked to be there. I am not trying to catch you in a lie, or trick you into admitting to something illegal, they are just simple questions.

 

[noname1]

Just asking you basic, general questions gets you talking. It gives me a better chance to smell any alcohol you may have on your breath, or hear you slur your words. If you get all nervous and evasive to basic questions, it could indicate that you are up to no good, besides your evil speeding. You don't have to answer, but keep in mind that citations are up to my discretion. If you are cooperative and polite, it may make it more likely that you get a warning for your infraction, instead of a citation.

 

[Bill B]

Not an LEO but I believe you will get two basic answers here:
1) From the theory x people: The officer is on a fishing expedition trying to gather evidence in order to charge you with someone more than just a traffic violation.
2) From the theory y people: The officer is trying to ascertain why you did what you did and deciding how to handle the infraction (ticket, warning, whatever).
IMO both of these answers can be correct. An officer that is full of himself and his authority may be using #1 above, while an officer that ascribe more to the public servant theory may be using #2.
No one answer will be correct in all situations.

 

[hoosierdoc]

Chatting someone up is a good way to see if they are on the up and up. Guilty conscious tends to show itself.

 

[N8RV]

OK, good answers, thanks. HOWEVER, let's just assume that it's a pretty straight-forward traffic stop. I've ridden along with cop buddies over the years, and I fully realize that there's no such thing, but humor me. I'm a middle-aged, balding, pudgy, white guy. I drive an SUV. I don't hang around bad parts of town. There is no reason for an officer to be suspicious of impairment or nefarious activities. Given that, why the questions?

It's good to know that, at least from the LEO responses to my question, it would behoove me to continue in my trusting cooperation rather than bristle and play smart-a$$ in that situation. I may be well within my rights to respond with, "None of your business," or to just refuse to answer, but I will only be making my life -- and the officer's -- more difficult than it needs to be. I'm good with that.

 

[Gluemanz28]

I'm not LEO either but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

A lot can be read from simple questions. If somebody is going to do illegal activity then they will stumble to answer like where are you going. Routine traffic stops have resulted in major drug busts before.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

There is no reason for an officer to be suspicious of impairment or nefarious activities. Given that, why the questions?

Because we don't know you. The only way to learn about you is to ask questions. I've had a 62 year old white woman who looked like she should be in a Pillsbury commercial, but she had stolen property and crystal meth in her possession.

 

[copo]

I've had an 80 yo female with dementia walking around with a .357 magnum because her neighbor stole her dog. I found out about gun after we talked about everything you could think of. luckily her kids came and took her and the gun to a safe place.

 

[Gluemanz28]

Wow talk about "Jane Wayne" or maybe Annie Oakley.

Is that your Camaro in the Avatar?

 

[copo]

I wish! thats a 69 COPO Camaro, I have a green 67 Camaro, but someday I want one like it. And while talking to that little old lady I found out her and her late husband were huge gun collectors. but her kids sold them all off because they didn't like guns.

 

[public servant]

I'm a middle-aged, balding, pudgy, white guy. I drive an SUV. I don't hang around bad parts of town. There is no reason for an officer to be suspicious of impairment or nefarious activities. Given that, why the questions?

John Wayne Gacy was a middle-aged, pudgy white guy that lived in the suburbs. But he had all his hair and drove a VW.

 

[Doug]

It is said that to get by in this world, you must either very smart or very pleasant.
Having tired both, I recommend pleasant.

 

[Gluemanz28]

Now I know I'm on a diet cause there seems to be a profiling of middle aged pudgy white guys.

 

[stephen87]

Last time I was stopped, I was stopped in Greenwood. I hadn't changed my license and it showed Indy and not Greenwood. I worked in Indy, lived in Greenwood. I told him that I hadn't changed my address yet, was coming home (0100) from work. He asked me three times why I was headed THROUGH Greenwood to get from Indianapolis to Indianapolis. I laughed every time. Eventually I just told him what street I lived on. Turns out he lived around the corner from me and never saw my car because I lived on a cul de sac.

 

[SkullDaddy.45]

Their job is to catch you doing something wrong, keep on talking, they'll find something.

 

[VUPDblue]

 

[Disposable Heart]

Because we don't know you. The only way to learn about you is to ask questions. I've had a 62 year old white woman who looked like she should be in a Pillsbury commercial, but she had stolen property and crystal meth in her possession.

Friggin' awesome...

 

[N8RV]

Because we don't know you. The only way to learn about you is to ask questions. I've had a 62 year old white woman who looked like she should be in a Pillsbury commercial, but she had stolen property and crystal meth in her possession.

OK, I guess. Except that I really have no interest in you getting to know me, and I don't want to get to know you. I've been pulled over, ostensibly because I did something wrong, and all I want to do it be on my way. I don't want to chat, and I don't want you to know anything more about me than what is on my license or that I am required by law to give you. Name, rank and serial number.

I appreciate and understand the reasons offered, I really do. However, I'm just wondering where the boundaries are? If you want me to talk, you could ask about the weather, how I like my car, whether I like your haircut ... but what if I don't want to tell you where I've been, where I'm headed or what I do at work. Not because I have anything to hide, or because I'm up to no good, but because it's none of your business if there is no reasonable suspicion that I've been doing anything wrong besides the traffic violation.

In a nutshell, it sounds like refusing to answer questions that don't pertain to the violation is a ticket to a hard time. However, if your goals are to establish whether I've been drinking or if I've been up to no good, would it make a difference if I said, "Officer, with all due respect, where I have been or where I am going are not germane to my moving violation. All the information you need is on my license and registration. How else may I help you without divulging any more personal information than that to which you are legally entitled and which is currently in your possession?"

I'm guessing that would result in a ticket for sure, and perhaps a, "Sir, step out of the car, please..."

Like I said, I'm on your side. I was just wondering the purpose of asking questions unrelated to a traffic stop in the absence of a RAS of other criminal activity. It's an interesting exercise from the civilian perspective. I hope that the LEOs find it equally stimulating.