Episode #30 – CopTalk Podcast

Ask a Cop?,

Reader Questions:

Texting and not paying attention….

Oakland, CA – Criminals following home shoppers and being robbed in the privacy of their home.

How do we determine you are speeding?

Ask a Cop? Working Radar at night…

Subject: Running Radar

Is it legal for the police to run radar on a 4 lane highway (2 lanes north & 2 lanes south) after dark without having any lights of any kind on? I have seen the local city police and sheriff doing this in northern West Virginia.

Our Reply:

George,

You asked a simple question (thank you) and it can be answered in 3 words… “yes it’s legal”.

Just as with motorist who don’t slow down at night – neither does traffic enforcement and it’s probably safe to say those officers sitting in the dark working radar have probably gotten a lot of intoxicated drivers off the highway just from working traffic enforcement. Those officers you see are more than likely using laser devices which are much more accurate than traditional radar units. The number of lanes on a highway running in either direction is not a factor. The lasers are extremely accurate and have a very long range. Our advice? Stay within 10 mph of the posted speed limit and that will usually keep you out of traffic court!

Stay safe – and thanks for your question

Jim Lambert
Coptalk

Ask A Cop? The dreaded wall….

I was just wondering if there is a better technique to getting over the six foot wall? I got over all three , but missed my time by three seconds. How can I speed my time up so that i get over all three walls in under 15 seconds. i have been running, is there anything else. please help if possible.

practice practice…. running is one thing
practice on the wall just as much as you run.
My bet is you’ll see improvement in a weeks time!

Ask a Cop? – In a place after dark…

Subject: In a place that is closed after dark

Myself and three of my friends were sitting on a boat dock when a police officer pulled up and asked us what we were doing and we were just sitting there they searched us and nothing was found but he said that he was not sure if he was going to cite us. Then he drove away can we still be fined.

Our Reply:

When a group of people  are sitting, standing or loitering in an area that is closed or otherwise not a common public area, it draws a cops attention and they usually will stop to see what you are doing. I don’t know the circumstances but something made the cop decide to contact you and search you. If nothing illegal was found, the only thing I can think of that you could be cited for would be curfew (if you are under 18 and were out late at night) or trespassing if it was private property. If he left without having you sign a citation, I don’t see how he can decide to cite you later. If someone receives a citation, they have to sign it and be given a copy showing the violation and the court date. Sounds like he was trying to scare you into leaving.
Ask a Cop? – Possession

Sent: Thursday, April 23, 2009 9:05 PM
To: info@coptalk.info
Subject: Possession

I have somewhat of a strange question I guess.  Well I lent my brother awhile ago my ATV and trailer to use.  Well time went on I moved really didn’t have a place to put it so wasn’t worried about it.  Well now he is trying to sell them.  Friend of mine found a flyer at local hardware store.  I have all titles and registrations I live in Michigan.  What should I do.  I don’t really want him to get arrested I guess but I do want my stuff back before it is sold to a third party and gone forever.  What can I do.  He changed his number so don’t know how to reach him.  I know where he lives and when I go there no-one answers the door.

Matthew

First thing I’d do is leave a note on your brother’s door telling him to call you regarding the property. If you get no response, I’d call the local police department and ask for a “Civil Standby” while you get your property back. Officers would meet you at the property and stand by while you retrieve the property. You didn’t mention how long it has been in your brother’s possession but as long as you have the titles in your name you should be able to get them back. If your brother got duplicate titles in his name, then it will be a little more tricky and you might end up on Judge Judy to solve the matter….

Call the police department in the jurisdiction where your brother lives and explain the situation. I’m sure if you explain that you lent your brother the property, have the titles in your name, and now want the property back because he is trying to sell it, they should be able to help you. There is a chance they may tell you it’s a “civil” matter and refer you to the courts if it’s been a long time. In that case, you could file a small claims suit against your brother for the either the property or the value of the property. Hope this helps.

Always be aware of your personal safety above all else.

Contra Costa County Drug Czar goes to jail

Driver uses iPhone app to impersonate cop

There are several applications that mimic police lights, which can be seen in the videos below the story

Chicago Sun-Times

VALPARAISO, Ind. — Using your phone to try to play cop? Evidently there’s an app for that.

That’s what Northwest Indiana police discovered after a woman reported a suspicious car trying to pull her over Saturday night. She told police a black Pontiac GTO with flashing blue and red lights at the top of its windshield tailgated her and seemed to try to pull her over about 10:40 p.m.

But she suspected the driver really wasn’t a police officer, so she kept driving and called 911.

When police caught up with the car they found no flashing lights, but a passenger handed over a cell phone, belonging to driver Fabio Bindel, 30, of Valparaiso, and it had an application designed to imitate a police car’s emergency lights. Bindel was arrested for impersonating a public official and drunken driving.

In closing:

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