Sounds like he's just being an ass. You could attach the license plate to the bumper even with zip ties. I know a guy who got a ticket for not having it on at all and he zip tied it to the front bumper and the court dismissed it as he complied with out state and local laws at that point.

 

I think cop was trying to throw his weight around, but I can't imagine he will have time to worry about you and your jeep.
If it was me, I'd bolt the plate on and forget about him.

 

What exactly does keep an eye on you mean? How will he do that? Will he now stalk you?

 

Thanks for all the thoughts guys I'm gonna figure out he lisence plate ...I have a winch mount, that folds down and is attached to the fairlead but with my new saftey thimble it doesn't fit. Maybe some small mods to that mount will work...If not, I'll start drilling.

 

Well I do love in a small town...and I am the only white lifted 4 door around lol so it wouldn't be hard to spot me. In my area there is actually OPP training section...so they have a lot of fun

 

He's just trying to intimidate you. If he was going to cite you, he would have done it then and there.

"Telling on him" would be a bad idea - just fix the front plate and forget it.

 

Just a couple of thoughts, (in a poor choppy way)

So you were parked in a church parking lot (private property). So he asked you to move. It sounds like you didn't have a problem doing so. You did the right thing by being respectful and having a conversation, not an argument.
Just throwing this out there, he might of been wondering what you were up too. He's out doing his job of making sure people aren't doing things they shouldn't. If you had responded in a defensive, or rude way he could have been a lot more difficult with you.
I live in a small town too, and kids get bored and cause a bit of trouble once in a while, the officer was just making sure that wasn't the case with you.

He gave you the benefit of the doubt and didn't give you a ticket for the plate, fenders or trespassing.(though doing so for all 3 would have been a douche bag move) Give him the benefit of the doubt of him doing his job.

 

Shit happens, Shift super. probably got on his ass for not giving enough tix.

 

We pay taxes to these guys to keep us safe. So what do they do? Try and give us tickets for chicken shit offenses. We have to start standing up to these guys more.

 

So the police should pick and choose what laws to enforce. The law is the law don't like it move somewhere else.

As for the op he probably just got done dealing with a asshole, be happy he didn't write you for trespassing and drive on.