<VV> Police Harassment

[henry kaczmarek]

Mike
Since you got out of it without a ticket, good-o. However, Arguing with a police officer isn't a good idea. You should have asked for the ticket, then gone to court, and showed the judge the copies of the law. 

The Judge then puts the Deputy on the stand, and makes an asshole out of him. The Sheriff gets to hear from the Judge that his officers don't know the law, and are out enforcing laws that they have made up in their heads.  Sheriff doesn't want to hear his officers are out there acting like jerks and enforcing non-existant laws. 

had you taken the other course, ALL the deputies would know the law, and the one who has been out on the street bothering you, would be walking laps in the jail, babysitting the adults who have no control over themselves. 

Best recourse for you now is: The Deputy knows he's wrong. If you write up a synopsis of both events, and go to the Sheriff's office to make a complaint,  You will resolve the issue for all the auto enthusiasts in York County, And you won't ever have a certain Deputy in your face again. He won't lose his job, but he will learn a vital lesson. 

Overall, if you know you are in the right, and a law enforcement officer presses the issue that you aren't, comply with all of his instructions. To Argue verbally with an officer, or to not comply with his requests in a timely manner, is Misdemeanor Obstruction of Justice in Virginia (impeding an officer in the performance of his duties).  A Class "A" misdemeanor in Virginia, it is punishable by a maximum of 12 months in jail, a 500.00 fine, or both. 

 So by rights, the officer is wrong, but because you impeded him, you're more wrong. The cop gets spanked, and you could get fined or go to the pokey for a while. 

As for Rich's comments, Yes, there ARE people who go into Law Enforcement and think the Badge makes them Superman. They usually don't last. However, even when the cop is ignorant of the law, the badge gives him the AUTHORITY to dispose of a situation as he sees fit. If he's wrong, He'll hear about it, suspended without pay, or even lose his job.  Don't argue or press a case with the authority figure on the street. Sets a bad example for everyone, and you can put yourself in a spot you might not enjoy until it gets worked out.  Not only that, it could get expensive proving you're right. 

Hank