Police Secrets
Insider tips from law enforcement
Your Questions Answered
February 2, 2012
by The Law
in Traffic Tickets
Recently the PoliceSecrets team received a question from one of our guests. This person in particular received a citation for passing another vehicle incorrectly. She states that she did not receive a notice to appear in court but instead got a voice message from an alleged “police officer” telling her to come pick up her ticket at the station. She was hesitant of the call and ended up not getting the ticket and thus missing her court date. Her question was what she should do in regards to the missed court date.
Our advice is very simple. Most judges, at least in our experience, are willing to work with all offenders. Simply call the court in question and explain to them the situation and request a new hearing. When you get in front of the judge, be HONEST!. Explain to him what happened and why you did not appear in More >
Fullerton Police Brutality: From a Cop’s view
October 19, 2011
by The Law
in Police Culture
Police officers are required to make life altering decisions in a matter of seconds. If they make the right decision they are considered lucky. If they make a mistake they are tried in court by lawyers who are allowed years of preparation. Before judging a police officer’s actions, it is important to remember that the only person who knows what really happened is the officer who was there. Police brutality always makes for good news. Unfortunately, the news stations only have a small portion of the real story.
In the case of the Fullerton police beating that took the life of Kelly Thomas, I have only heard a small portion of the real story. From what I have read and heard about, I believe that 2 officers made some serious mistakes. In my own time as a police officer I saw several instances of excessive force, although none to that More >
The 5 things every cop hates
December 13, 2010
Every police officer, just like every person, has their own personality. Some are comical and light hearted while others are stern and straight to the point. With their differing personalities comes a different list of things that bother them. While all officers are trained to deal with the public and stressful situations, it’s never a good idea to piss a cop off. When cops are upset they tend to be more willing to write a ticket or take enforcement action. Your best chance of getting out of your ticket is to keep the cop in good spirits. I am going to discuss 5 things that you should always avoid doing around a police officer.
Refuse to sign a ticket
As I previously discussed in the section about traffic ticket myths, refusing to sign a ticket is one of the worst things you can More >
Quick Tip: Pedestrian crossing laws
December 10, 2010
Ever wonder why some people sit at an intersection and wait for a pedestrian to get all the way to the other side of the crosswalk before turning? Have you been tempted to step on the gas as soon as the pedestrian is out of the lane your turning into? Knowing the law in your state about yielding to pedestrians can save you an expensive ticket.
The law in California is vague when it comes to yielding to pedestrians. California vehicle code 21950(a) states that the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. It does not specify a distance you must leave between you and the pedestrian, it simply states you must yield. Having been in traffic court on several of these violations, I can tell More >
DUI Indicators: 6 driving patterns that scream I’M DRUNK!
In every police department there are officers that have a talent for finding drunk drivers. These are the officers who are given MADD awards each year for their numerous DUI arrests. While some use the easy “park across from the bar” method, the more talented officers are able to find a drunk driver by observing the way people drive. Drunk drivers have a tendency to drive a certain way, without even knowing that they are doing it. Police officers are trained to look for these driving patterns or “DUI indicators” in the academy. Knowing the most common indicators that officers look for can help you realize your driving mistakes and avoid them in the future.
No headlights
Driving without your headlights is one of the most common things a drunk driver will do. Luckily, nowadays a lot of vehicles are equipped with automatic More >
Cop Talk: What the police are really saying
December 8, 2010
by The Law
in Police Culture
Roger. Copy. 10-4. These are all different ways to say the same thing. If you know a police officer or have spent any time around one, you have probably heard them use some sort of slang that you did not understand. Police officers, especially when around other officers, talk in code. If you don’t understand this code it may sound like they are speaking a foreign language. “Cop Talk” is created using the officers radio codes, penal and vehicle codes, and abbreviations of commonly used terms. Being able to understand what an officer is saying may be very important if you are ever detained by the police.
There are several reasons that officers have developed this language. The main reason is to keep traffic on the police radio brief. Radio time can be very valuable in an emergency situation so officers abbreviate many terms. Another reason More >
Cops love donuts: Myth or Fact?
December 7, 2010
by The Law
in Police Culture
Do cops really love donuts or is this just another stereotype? While I’m sure there are a few officers that crave donuts, the proportion isn’t any greater than the normal person. There are reasons you will often find cop cars parked in front of a donut shop, and none of these reasons have anything to do with donuts.
Most cops don’t actually like to eat donuts. The real reason they are parked in front of a donut shop is because donut shops give cops free coffee, donut shops are open much later than normal places and donut shops provide a good location for officers to meet up and socialize. One thing every city usually has is a donut shop, and they are often open at odd hours. Cops that work the graveyard shift find it hard to find something to eat or a place to go to More >
DUI: Insider tips on Field Sobriety Tests
One of the most common arrests a police officer makes is for DUI or driving under the influence. Unfortunately, in the United States it has become more and more common for people to have one to many drinks and get behind the wheel. For those of you that have never gone through field sobriety tests you may not understand exactly what they are. There are rumors and myths surrounding these tests and many people believe they are impossible to pass. While each jurisdiction may alter there field sobriety tests a little bit, the standard field sobriety tests are basically the same. They are designed to challenge your balance and thinking so that an officer can determine whether you are too impaired to drive a vehicle.
The field sobriety tests, FSTs, actually begin as soon as the officer approaches your vehicle and starts talking to you. More >
5 tips for Traffic Court
You ran a stop sign. Despite using every tactic possible to get out of the ticket, you were given one anyways. Now comes the court hearing. Many people believe it is a complete waste of time to go to court, especially if you know you are guilty of the violation. This is completely untrue. There are a multitude of factors that can cause your ticket to be dismissed, even if you did run the stop sign. The officer not showing up to court, the officer not remembering the incident or the judge believing there is not enough evidence are just a few. Before I get to the tips on how to prepare for your day in court, I will describe exactly what to expect inside the courtroom.
Once you arrive you will usually be waiting with a large group of people until the court room is opened. The police officers More >
FAQ about the Cell Phone Law
December 2, 2010
by The Law
in Cell Phone Law
One of the most widely discussed topics recently has been the new cell phone laws. With the addition of the texting laws, the issue has become even more complicated. I am going to provide some answers to the most common questions regarding the cell phone law. Remember, every state has a slightly different law so I suggest you make sure you read the specifics of your state before using your phone. The following ideas are for information only and should not be used as legal advice.
Can red light cameras lead to cell phone tickets? NO. Red light cameras are put in place solely to capture red light violations. Even though you may be on your phone in the captured image, it will not create an additional added charge in court.
Can you text or make a phone call while stopped in traffic? More >