Pure Statism, the kids are just conditioning.

Cassius

Ok....I know every one of you here, that wears...or wore a badge has given a citation based on the fact that someone...kid or not, was being an ass and giving you . I can almost gurantee that the kid was a smartass and had been a problem for some time.

You all know how "joe public" is when they speak to the media, and especially if they have to shell out a few bucks for a citation....No one is guilty, remember.

If the cops were being "Robocop" and citing the kid for the sake of citing him. Piss on them. If the kid was a little and his parents dont want to take the time to control him...piss on them.

Either way, I bet they pay the ticket....the law is the law, no matter how much you bitch and moan about it.

A life experience addition to the comments on issuing traffic citations. No Officer likes to loose a ticket in court, especially if the person was a wise ass. Centuries ago, when I was a young Officer I had just testified in court on some minor violation of a traffic law. The Judge was one that I had been before many times and knew well. The Judge then rendered his opinion of "Not Guilty." As I stood there, mouth open with a look of disgust on my face, the Judge noticed and asked, Officer X do you have a problem? I said, "Your honor as a matter of fact I do." Sensing my frustration, the Judge took a recess and called me into his chambers. I explained my frustration at it being a good ticket and the person was guilty. The Judge then replied, "Officer X, hundreds of people come before this court every month and most of them are guilty. The Court cannot find everyone guilty, so I try and find the least guilty of the guilty cases and those are the not guilty. Today was just your day." I thanked the Judge for taking the time to explain that to me, which he certainly didn't have to do.

As the years went by and I progressed in my career, I had many other cases before this same Judge. As a Narcotics Investigator, defense attorneys were ruthless in attacking the character and methods of the Investigator (Me) who had hooked and booked their client. I never again lost a case before that Judge and on several occasions he chastised dirt bag attorneys in open court, defending my honesty and integrity. This was just one spoke in the wheel of my education in the American Criminal Justice System. Not always perfect, could be better in some areas, but still the best in the world.

Wishing a safe and red white & blue, July 4th to all those out there.

Good insight PT2....

I was lucky enough in my early years to have a Judge explain things to me that I was to imature to see at the time. His words still ring true about not finding everyone guilty. Iraqtrainer you hit the nail on the head with your post. Now that I am getting to be long in the tooth as a cop I seem to be able to see the bigger picture.

I have a philosophy on the progression of a Police Officers career.

A young/new officer comes into the job full of piss and vinegar. He writes everyone a ticket and everyone goes to jail. For the first 2 to 3 years he is a case making fool.

After a few years the officer begins to concentrate on making cases that are a little more thought out and complex. The officer makes cases and he learns what the difference is between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law, meaning he gives as many breaks as he makes cases.


Then the young officer becomes FTO and begins teaching the young officers how to work the strees. This continues for a few years and the now mature vetran officer becomes one hell of a supervisor.

Just my thoughts

I wish I had those "Hella supervisors" you talked about.....Out of a dozen Ive had 4 desent ones, out of that Ive had 2 good ones and only one of those was a "hell of a super".

But I have been in "small town" depts.

The Court cannot find everyone guilty, so I try and find the least guilty of the guilty cases and those are the not guilty.

I don't know Bro I think I would have asked the Judge if I could look under his robe to see if he still had a pair.

i agree with oldgoat.. doesnt sound like much of a judge..imo.. too may judges get fed up with all of the issues they have to deal with, such as overcrowded jails, diversion programs that people fail to show for, people that dont pay fines... etc etc.. in the end they start to blame police for the never ending stream of people they have to deal with, and start coming up with lame reasons to find guilty people, not guilty..... I think common pleas judges are ok,... but muni court judges I know are pretty much worthless.