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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums"It's drilled into police that traffic stop ambushes are routine. They aren't."
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Radley Balko
@radleybalko
Its drilled into police that traffic stop ambushes are routine. They arent. They happen, but theyre vanishingly rare. And the federal courts view that stops are inherently dangerous is based on an unscientific survey from 1964.
Background here:
https://michiganlawreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/117MichLRev635_Woods.pdf
12:44 PM · Apr 12, 2021
Lots of variables to consider, but the article above found a FL cop was killed in one out of every 3.6 million stops on the low end, and one in every 20.1 million stops on the high end. Nationally it happens 5-10 times per year, out of about 30 million annual stops.
Radley Balko
@radleybalko
Those cases are of course tragic and awful. But drumming it into cops to see every stop as his or her potential last has real world consequences. As weve seen.
An officer is orders of magnitude more likely to die of a lightning strike or insect sting.
Odds of Dying - Injury Facts
injuryfacts.nsc.org
12:44 PM · Apr 12, 2021
POLICING, DANGER NARRATIVES, AND ROUTINE TRAFFIC STOPS
https://michiganlawreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/117MichLRev635_Woods.pdf
I highly recommend reading this article
FoxNewsSucks
(10,375 posts)are as dangerous to the cops as responding to a domestic violence call. It's not.
Traffic laws are ridiculous. They are a way for the government to send out the armed tax collectors and fleece drivers, and it gives asshole cops the "probable cause" excuse to stop minorities they want to harass.
brush
(53,474 posts)gets increased support and thus funding. It happens of course, rarely. Police traffice stops are more dangerous to motorists, especially Black and POC ones, than to cops.
Marthe48
(16,692 posts)If traffic stops are thought to be so dangerous that they turn into murderous encounters with victims of color, stop doing them. Cops can run a plate and find a lot of information, including a home address. They can get a video of the traffic infraction. Some states don't allow cameras at intersections (Ohio says it is unconstitutional at their state level, for instance) Stopping a car for an expired tag, for air fresheners on the mirror and other penny-ante crap is ridiculous and seems like an excuse to target people with dark skins. Cops could wait for the car to be parked, for the driver to exit, and then put a boot on it, and a ticket under the wiper.
The only time cops should stop a car is for dangerous driving, Amber Alerts, or stolen vehicle.
People of color are screwed. If they stop, they're liable to be murdered. If they drive to a safe spot, they are liable to be murdered.
ProfessorGAC
(64,425 posts)For using a toll causeway in Tampa without a transponder.
Thing is, I've never been to the Tampa area in my personal car, EVER!
The photo was my license plate number, but I'm not convinced they were Illinois plates.
I sent an email saying I was never there, not just in this car with those plates, but only in a rental car and a minimum of 10 years prior.
They sent a note back saying the citation had been withdrawn.
If it was actually me, it would have been 15 seconds to pay the fine.
And, when it was mistaken identity, it took one email to resolve it.
There's no reason to do traffic stops except in cases where a driver is actively posing a risk to other motorists. (80 in a 55, for instance.)
No traffic stops for routine violations, no mistaking one's gun for a taser.
Marthe48
(16,692 posts)Glad your situation was resolved.
WhiskeyGrinder
(22,145 posts)7wo7rees
(5,128 posts)Abolish the police. Highway authorities don't need guns.
If the tollway authority can zap my plate and send me a bill, so can the DMV for speeding.
If I'm in a crash, I need a wrecker and/or a meat wagon, not a thug with a gun.
EX500rider
(10,531 posts)And takes off in a car?
7wo7rees
(5,128 posts)Negotiators.
Fraud investigators.
Federal deposit guarantees.
Just like now, but without America's Biggest Gang.
EX500rider
(10,531 posts).. my children or girlfriend/wife I'd rather they not let them get away
Humanist_Activist
(7,670 posts)hostage situations, something that is vanishingly rare, as a good example. Cops have murdered hostages before, knowingly.
In addition, wouldn't it be better to have people trained in hostage negotiation to handle hostage situations, and not beat cops who have very little training in, well, damn near everything?
USALiberal
(10,877 posts)Response to Nevilledog (Original post)
ExTex This message was self-deleted by its author.
Humanist_Activist
(7,670 posts)newdayneeded
(1,939 posts)I've always noticed the last 4 or 5 days of every month you'll see dozens of cops sitting with their radar guns. it's like they have a quota to pick up by the end of the month. That brings in to question them bringing on a rush of traffic stops and (supposedly) endangering their lives. Stop looking for average shmoes driving 7 mph over the speed limit and start looking for violent people.