I heard this on the radio this morning. While it was stupid to make a lit cigarette be the “hill you die on” with a cop, it got me thinking: what right DOES a cop have to tell me to put out a cigarette in my own car? For a traffic stop no less.
It might be a reasonable request if the subject was asked to step out of the car first, on suspicion of some other, more grave offense, and THEN ordered to put the cigarette out. But during a traffic stop? Suck it up Officer Friendly, you’re the one who pulled me over remember?
Her hostility may have triggered a red flag. Plus he probably knew from dispatch that she had previous drug ( including MJ) and alcohol arrests. Her attitude and her history probably made the cop suspicious so he decided her ask her additional questions. He asked her to put the cigarette out so she didn’t try to burn him with it due to hostility or because he was attempting to smell drugs or alcohol. Cigarette smoke is commonly used to mask the other smells. She was already legally detained for the traffic stop.
Those ashes on the cig are placed usually in the ashtray while in the vehicle,
this means the person would be reaching around in the vehicle during a traffic stop.
Can anybody in their right mind justify a person reaching around in a
vehicle during a stop? Cig or not, reaching around with your hands
during a stop might just get you Shot, and most certainly would get you
in trouble.
Why nobody puts this together is beyond me.