Quote:
Originally Posted by Plan9
It's all about their choice.
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As it should be. An officers discretion can be an awesome tool to get your point across without fucking up someones day and, in the process, gain a few respect/credibility points with the folks you serve. But this only works if its used positively.
Ex: You see a guy with a brake light out and no seat belt on.
Solution: Tell him to get the light fixed, buckle up and drive safe. Seriously, nobody I know checks their brake lights before making a quick run to the 7-11 and we've all forgotten to put our seat belts on at some point.
Ex: You stop a guy with a .09 BAC when the limit is .08.
Solution: Park your shit and call a cab. It happens to all of us, he just got caught. A DUI is a career-killer and costs a ton.
In both situations, the situation was resolved and everyone's happy. Nobody went to jail or had to pay a fine and I have more time to spend catching real bad guys. Unfortunately, there are cops out there who are inflexible and follow the letter of the law. And there are the kids who got picked on in gym class who just want to impose their will on somebody - the ones that start throwing out tickets or charges and seeing what sticks to prove how bad ass they are.
Oh, and I wore Arnettes.