Posted on 02/18/2012 9:46:32 AM PST by equaviator
Police reward drivers with gift certificates
Romulus, Michigan-
Did you know it's Random Act of Kindness Week?
The Romulus Police Department is taking this idea and running with it. The Department spent Friday looking to punish those who break the law while rewarding those who follow the rules.
"People don't usually leave a traffic stop feeling better. Here's an opportunity for us to do that," says Romulus Police Cpt. John Leacher.
Patrol officers pulled over dozens of good drivers and handed them $10 gift cards to Subway as a random act of kindness and for obeying the laws.
As Sgt. Donald Smith approached one nervous driver who stopped complete at a neighborhood problems spot, he told her, "What I like to see is compliance. And I saw compliance. So on behalf of the Romulus police, here's a gift card to Subway."
"That was awesome! I make sure I stop at that stop sign everyday!" the driver said.
Charlotte Partin, of Romulus, was another lucky recipient who couldn't believe what had just happened to her.
"I'm supposed to be paying him to do his job. He's not supposed to pay me for what I'm supposed to be doing," said Partin.
Law enforcement said the Romulus population quadruples during the day due to Detroit Metro Airport traffic, hotels and airport businesses all within city limits.
Officers said the number of bad accidents and dangerous speeders goes hand in hand with the increase in passengers. The Romulus Traffic Bureau is actively enforcing speed zones in that area to try and limit fatal accidents.
If Romulus police have a reputation, it's trying to change that trend by participating in things like Random Act of Kindness Week. Leacher said the department's new chief is creating a new image.
Note to all police departments who would do this kind of thing: Get the f*ck AWAY from me, pig!
“Police reward drivers with gift certificates”
Kind of like the schools paying students to attend class.
equaviator, are you saying you think they are doing this so they can pull people over who otherwise they wouldn't be allowed to pull over?
Not to mention that when you look in your rear-view mirror and see those flashing lights, your blood pressure spikes and your bank account balance flashes before your eyes. I don’t know if scaring the tar out of me would really be made up for by a $10 gift certificate that I’m never going to use. I’d be shaking.
CC
No legal justification for a stop, so here’s a prize! Please don’t sue us!
But hey, if the cop happens to see something in plain view as he’s walking up to the car to award your prize for being a good driver and giving the officer no reason to pull you over, well, it’d naturally be the officer’s duty to act upon that plain sight violation and the ‘prize’ becomes far secondary to the writing of a ticket or arrest.
Agreed.
If they wanted to good they could just run the plate through the DMW and mail the darned thing.
Just another perfect example of redistribution of wealth.
“...are you saying you think they are doing this so they can pull people over who otherwise they wouldn’t be allowed to pull over?”
Yes I am but I could be wrong.
Maybe they’re just such high-ons for the Oprah Winfrey-style deep sense of community that they believe everyone else feels the same way. We do not all feel the same way and the police should be cognizant of that fact.
Why shouldn’t a driver just ignore a cop’s attempt to pull he or she over when the only “probable” cause is that they were doing all the right things? And of course you don’t want give them a reason when there was no reason in the first place, right? Therein lies the problem.
Sorry, but when the cops have not been given a legitimate invitation (probable cause) to intervene, either on my behalf or their own, I have to say that if the shoe fits...
I would rather they not harass law abiding people who for example are carrying legally and just going about their day, rather than give them $10 of public money as a pat on the head ‘good citizen, keep moving’ thing.
I would rather have the sympathy not being treated as a criminal if I am involved in defending myself.
I would rather have them not trump up charges on innocent individuals - AKA the “I can make stuff up” maneuver.
I would rather they use the $10 to triple check that the house the SWAT team is going after one small time individual (as opposed to the known drug gang houses) is the right one and they have the real correct address.
“I would rather they use the $10 to triple check that the house the SWAT team is going after...is the right one and they have the real correct address.”
Even the police should have some sort of quality assurance initiative. Pardon me...Especially the police!
In the ‘70’s the awards for “good driving” were called “Turkey Tickets” and were handed out to us to deliver before Thanksgiving. We were handed coupons from a major supermarket chain and told to make traffic stops to “reward” those obeying traffic laws with a “free turkey”. We were rated on our ability to accomplish the mission. I rated poorly because I refused to perform traffic stops based largely upon the unconstitutional nature of the activity and in addition the exposure to civil liability should some unforeseen event, heart attacks and accidents being only two of the considerations, occur.
I found other ways to comply with the directive.
In one instance while investigating a collision between a car driven by an elderly gentleman and a parked vehicle for example. The parked car was empty when struck but prior to the arrival of fire department personnel five people entered it and claimed neck and back injuries. They were transported to a hospital. A woman across the street waved me over after the ‘victims’ were gone from the scene and told me the truth of the incident. I rewarded the honesty and bravery the witness displayed by coming forward by awarding her a “Turkey Ticket”. After confronting the ‘victims’ at the hospital and making them aware of the penalties for making false statements being placed in an official report, they fled the hospital in great haste from the various gurneys they occupied.
Unfortunately there were officers then, as now, who follow the directives of their superiors without any thought of the true ramifications of the unintended consequences of doing so. The public treasury pays as always as a result. But the directives come from the politicians and law enforcement sycophants far above the level of the street policeman and they set the tone for what we will be exposed to.
Just my two cents on the matter.
Your name has been noted; good to know you are out there. Are you currently serving as “local authority”?
To me, it’s the principle of the thing...To be pulled over by the police when you’re just trying get through your day and not really giving them legitimate probable cause. All because they want to reward you with a $10 gift certificate to Subway? An official atta-boy? Well, thank you too much! I would be absolutely and correctly offended by that.
And why should Subway be so privileged to be the one place of business that the Romulus police department patronizes? Why not for a music lesson or General Nutrition Center? Seems to me if they’re so concerned they’d give you a gift certificate for a visit to Lifetime Fitness but then they’d run the risk of offending people who are overweight...can’t do that...no, no, NO...
What is most offensive to me is that they do it because they can and they’d like to be able to do as much as they can just because they can. They seem to always be wanting to extend their reach and apparently, too much is never enough for those with such a deep sense of community.
I believe it was designed to have people think that they should be “okay with it” for a reason.
What ever happened to leaving well enough alone? Don’t we have the right to be left well enough alone? Where does it end?
Pigs and other revenue collectors suck!
The point of my post was to indicate that this type of activity is not a recent development. “Street level” law enforcement officers are being forced to comply with programs that result in negative contacts and risks of liability from unintended consequences arising from the stops. Truly dedicated law enforcement professionals, those who recognize their duty to provide true protection and service, suffer administrative criticism and harassment when they point out these disparities. If they quit their jobs are you willing to accept the likelihood that other, more compliant individuals, won't take their place?
Your continual use of the word “they” relates more to those who have administrative authority, backed by the political class, over the rank and file officer than the officers themselves; although the officers are responsible to point out to their superiors the lawlessness of the acts they are being ordered to commit.
Anyone who is the victim of these tactics should take all legal courses of action available to them to put a stop to such unlawful acts.
“Where does it end?” Rather when will it end? When you say, “Stop!”, to someone who has the ability to make that so.
Again, I am on your side in this.
Is it your position, then, that these stops are designed to gin up DUIs, drug busts, etc?
It's not the best part of Wayne County. Better than nearby Inkster, but not by much.
No, not necessarily. Like I said in a previous rant...
Maybe they’re just such high-ons for the Oprah Winfrey-style deep sense of community that they believe everyone else feels the same way. We do not all feel the same way and the police should be cognizant of that fact.
Some of us prefer privacy and to mind our own business just as we would hope that others would mind their own business including the police.
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