blockrockin

wow .. thats a crazy story .. I'm sorry to hear about the situation.. i hope you get it all worked out...! sucks most cops seem to like jeeps.. but every once in awhile you run into one that doesn't

John_B

BStelling,
That truly sucks!

Get him fired!!!!!!

Mark Doiron

I'm not trying to justify this cop's actions. It sounds like he was out-of-line. However, don't assume that you are protected from search by the Fourth Amendment to The Constitution. First off, a policeman only needs probable cause of a crime to perform a search. If in your situation the cop says that the sight of the black boxes was probable cause, well, that does sound weak. But, since you were parked on a college campus, it gets more complicated. I'll bet that you had to buy a parking pass, and I wouldn't be surprised if there was some implied consent in that purchase agreement. Not saying that there is, but this is a common practice for schools and employers--if you're parked at our facility, you've granted us the right to search your vehicle. So, you probably need to do some research to determine what the rules are.

tpm152

This is a good point and something to look into. I know in PA there are all sorts of laws that are different on "all public funded school property" (like gun laws,etc.). I just walk in to work anymore (I work at Penn State) because they have somehow managed to really get students (including grad students) by the short hairs here as far as BS parking laws go. They have it so that all student vehicles must be registered with the school otherwise if they catch you parked on campus and know you are a student they give you big tickets (even if you are not parked illegally!) However, in order to "register" the vehicle you have to buy a parking pass and sign the agreement that like Mark said probably gives them all sorts of BS powers. So I basically keep my Jeep and my work completely separate: I just park -next- to campus and not on campus any time I need my Jeep during the day and never sign the agreements.

Also sorry to hear your bad experience with a bad rent-a-cop. I had a similar thing on the PSU campus a while back. I got a series of parking tickets a while back written by the head of the parking office because they were apparently short on rent-a-cops over the summer. Then when I protested the tickets because they were all written for a different parking lot that I actually was NOT parked in just as a way to give me the tickets. The procedure for protesting them was to pay the ticket while you submit your claim and then they "issue a refund" if they find your claim is valid (sure, like they'll give back your money once they have it ). But the best part was guess who was in charge of reviewing the validity of the parking tickets?! Not a committee, court, or anyone else but the head of the parking office who also gives out most of their tickets!

So my suggestion for you is if it is possible just don't buy parking passes anymore and figure out somewhere else to park. Just because if there is something I refuse to do it is to pay money to sign my rights to privacy away to the school so that they can just issue me more tickets whenever they want.

Good luck fighting the BS charges!

RichRock

I worked with cops and in the criminal legal system for almost 30 years. Looks like other posters have nailed the probable cause issue correctly. I just want to add that although there are a lot of cops like this guy, who make up things when they feel their "authority" threatened, there are also many men and women in law enforcement who do their job fairly, courteously, and bravely. Incidents like this one make their lives difficult too.

txdiamond17

I agree about the campus police. They probably have the authority to search if you were parked on campus anywhere. The 1mph over is BS. If you actually get to go to court, it should be dismissed on sight. I bet the judge would dismiss it without going to a hearing if you could get an appointment with him. When I was in college, the campus PD were all dix, but the town cops were almost all cool. The biggest thing I hated about the campus parking was I am PAYING to be here, then they rack up parking tickets like crazy!

JeepaRoo

these days any time im approached by an officer i automatically grab the droid and start recording.....

in fact ive started recording anything that could have legal implications... just too many ways to electronically alter documents, fake conversations, etc for my tastes...

Police officers sometimes just have a bad attitude about Jeeps in general.. they automatically think everyone in a Jeep(especially a younger guy) is a run-wild sort that will make mud tracks in people's yards, go blasting through cornfields, drive across medians ,etc.. and that those "derelicts" need "toned down" at every opportunity...

-Christopher

Sinkic

man some police are off the hanger but overs nice. i have had my fair share.
this truly sucks what happened to you and go luck in court, let us know what happens.

cferrell

Now that is a GREAT idea. I'm going to start recording anything during a pulled over situation.

I hope your story doesn't turn out like one of mine: where I got pulled over on Mother's day, in my mom's new car (that I just bought her), less than 1/2 mile away from the dealer parking lot, with my mom, wife and grandmother in the car - for going 37 in a 35. BTW - I was on the feeder road where NO ONE, NO ONE drives under 50. The only reason I was driving and not my mom is because she was scared to drive it for the first time while getting on and off the freeway here in Houston.

The damn cop showed up to my court appearance and I still got a ticket because he said that I was "excessively accelerating". WTF!!!

Good luck and say your prayers!

Kedge

WOW! This didn't turn out like wayoflifes post at all. The cop was just jealous of you jeep, told his buddy and he wanted to see it too. Sorry.