How Do I Handle a Police Traffic Stop?

1. Sit back in seat.
2. Hit the wheel with hand.
3. Politely wait for the office to talk to you.
4. Swear to yourself while he makes out the ticket.
5. He sends you on your merry way.
6. You're in a bad mood the rest of the day.
   

Chris Rock's advice on what not to say to the cops > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArCveCHexqg

First of all...know/live your Miranda rights. Part of this is you have a right to remain silent. This means...keep your mouth shut. Treat the officer with respect...but try to keep your answers as close to "yes" or "no" as possible. Even small talk is dangerous...since the police have been known to use recording devices under seats and such.

Never...EVER give permission for a search. They want to do a search...they can go to a judge and get a piece of paper called a search warrant. It's spelled out in the Constitution. You may get searched anyway...but screaming about never having given permission for a search makes sure you know your rights. Knowing is almost the whole battle.

Trunk Monkey: Cop Stop Feature > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JutCjbmcq7s

I usually walk up to the drivers window and ask him nicely to produce his licence, then I explain what offence he has committed and if required issue him with a ticket! All with a smile and compassion!

Man, just tell him to piss off,roll up the window and peel out. Seriously - pull over,play nice and remember this about cops: They are never wrong. .

For further info go to www.azraklaw.com and select current newsletter then select Spring 2009. On the bottom of page 2 is an article from a lawyer.

In addition to article if ANYONE has a municipal court issue (traffic citation etc.) call our office at 973-839-9062 for assistance.

Some people will tell you not to offer any information to an officer, simply reply with yes sir and no sir. I agree with that, to a degree, but as a firearm permit holder, I always alert an officer that I am carrying. There are other things that you may just want to give the officer a heads up about - and in some states they are required.

Don't confess to anything. If the officer asks "Do you know why I pulled you over" don't say "Well, I blew through that stop sign a mile back, and then pulled a handbrake turn to get through the next intersection." You may have been pulled over for a busted taillight, but now you're on your way to a lost license. Just say "no sir" and let him tell you. Trust me, he will.

Have your paperwork handy, preferably in as few places as possible. Police tend to get nervous when you go digging in hard-to-see compartments in your vehicle - and with good reason. If you keep your registration, license, and other paperwork readily available, you can put the officers mind at ease.

Save arguments for the courtroom. Be respectful during the stop, and wait til your court date to argue your case. I've had officers not show up for the court hearing - a win for the driver, in my state, and I've also had officers who showed up for the hearing, but recalling how respectful I was at the stop, knock the ticket down before I even got before the judge. This twice saved me from points on my license, although I still got stuck with the fine.

Never consent to a search, never admit to anything, unless you have a ccw and are carrying - tell the cop right away, they know if you have a permit. Try to answer questions with another question example; 'do you know why pulled you over?' No, officer, why did you pull me over? "well, you were doing 150.' Was I doing a 150? lather, rinse, repeat.

Don't forget to be polite.