Traffic Stop question

mmadden28

This is from a friend:

so I got stopped by a cop and I know I wasn't speeding, I didn't blow a sign, and so I say "why did I get stopped". Officer doesn't answer me and just asks for my license, registration, and insurance card. I give them, he goes back to his car and 10mins hands them to me and says drive carefully and have a nice day.

She's a thirty-something mother of 4 (probably in a minivan).
This is in SE PA.

I don't know the legal answer, but doesn't the officer have some obligation to at least tell whomever they pull over in a traffic stop why they did so?

falconcry72

mmadden28 wrote: »

This is from a friend:


She's a thirty-something mother of 4 (probably in a minivan).
This is in SE PA.

I don't know the legal answer, but doesn't the officer have some obligation to at least tell whomever they pull over in a traffic stop why they did so?

I know in VA a cop can pull you for no reason if they want. I also know that they have to tell you why you're being arrested, but I don't know if they have to tell you why you were pulled.

punk-roc

+1 for DSKip's respone.. I've was pulled over once before because my car matched a description of another car that was reported to be doing "something" illegal in the area..

The officer sent me on my way after checking my license/registration, but was nice enough to tell me why he pulled me over..

So, who knows why, I wouldn't dwell on it.

Jason

tonyb

...or the freak just saw a cute woman and wanted her adress.

reeltrouble1

super freak super freak he is super freaky and digging the mom rockin her jeans like the commercial, if an officer stops you be nice and yes pooty stops can occur but this does not seem like one........who knows?????

RT1

Mike Kozak

Well you were "Arrested" by the legal definition of the word. I think he has to tell you why.

WilliamM2

Mike Kozak wrote: »

Well you were "Arrested" by the legal definition of the word. I think he has to tell you why.

Really? I've been pulled over before, I've even occasionally recieved a ticket. But there are no arrest's on my record. Why is that?

Mike Kozak

By definition the word arrest means to stop. When an officer pulls you over you are not free to just drive off when you want to. Arrested

snow

Have you asked her where she was at when this occured? If it was a high drug traffic area the officer may very well pull someone over just to get a look in the car and judge the reaction of the driver, how nervous they appear, and run the license to see if they have had any drug related arrests in the past.

If it really bothers her have her call up the dept and explain what happened and who the officer was.



REGARDS SNOW

mmadden28

snow wrote: »

Have you asked her where she was at when this occured?...

Yep, near Oxford Valley Mall (Langhorne, PA-Bucks Coutny)--not a high crime area. I used to live in that area-never had anything like that happen-actually never had that happen even in high crime areas.

I did suggest she call the station to ask.

If it did happen to me, I wouldn't dwell on it, but it would still bother me a bit.
I'm more just curious about whether or not there is any requirement to be told why you were stopped.

Reminds me of a story--Long ago I used to monitor the police channels in my car. One day I had just left my complex with a friend to go to the mall. We got stuck in traffic because of an accident--turned on the scanner to see what was going on, and just happen to hear a broadcast go out on the scanner "...be on the lookout for a gold colored Monte Carlo, PA plates, Victor Michael Edward 2-3-3-8, wanted for a drive by shooting that just occured in the (such and such) apts."
Well imagine my shock--They just described my car from my apt complex (that I just left) and that was my license plate #. :eek::eek: Drive by shooting??? What the....????
I just happen to be probably 30' from a cruiser near the accident. I pulled off to the side, got out (traffic wasn't going anywhere anyway) and approached an officer to find out what the deal was with what I just heard. I sure would like to know who called my car into the police accusing me of a Drive by that's for sure. The officers weren't sure, but they did confirm it was called in by somebody in the complex. They asked if I had lit off any fireworks or anything like that- They questioned me, asked if they could search my car (I allowed it) and they let me go on my way. Eventually I did find out who did it and it was a deliberate act against me :mad: that they got in some serious legal trouble for .

I know different situation, but I would imagine that if I didn't hear that over the scanner, I would have been pulled over somewhere later, (or a similar description car), and for all I know, told to 'drive carefully' without any explanation.

I would think that "Sorry to bother you Maam, your car matched the description of a car of interest" would probably have been enough IMHO.

quadzilla

Mike Kozak wrote: »

By definition the word arrest means to stop. When an officer pulls you over you are not free to just drive off when you want to. Arrested

There's a difference between being questioned, in custody and being arrested, and a further difference between those and being charged, indicted, and finally convicted. Technically, when a cop stops you, you are simply being questioned. Not cooperating with an officer in the course of a police investigation is a crime in and of itself (and yes, a traffic stop is defined as an official investigation). That's why you can't just shrug it off. You can be questioned or taken into custody with out being arrested. Being arrested will not necessarily result in an indictment, and an indictment and trial do not guarantee a conviction. If a cop gives you a ticket, that's essentially the same as being charged with a crime, which is why a bench warrant is issued if you fail to pay the fine or show up for the trial.

And for what it's worth, yes, the common usage definition of arrest means to stop, but the legal definition is a bit different. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrest or http://www.duhaime.org/LegalDictionary/A/Arrest.aspx . You'll always get in trouble trying to discuss legal matters that use what seem to be common words due to the way lawyers take common words and give them special meaning in a legal context. Kind of like trying to discuss particle physics in anything other than math. I learned this bit the hard way.

Also, IANAL.

Face

Your buddy is making a mountain over a mole hill.