Cheating death and fighting communism: that is how a fellow officer once described our job. It was meant to be funny, but as time went on it seemed all too true.
I spent more than ten years in law enforcement, all of it on the street in uniform patrol. I've been a patrol officer, instructor, sergeant and lieutenant.
Do not report crimes here. Nothing here should be considered legal advice. All opinions are my own.
The fictional TV shows you mentioned bear little resemblance to police work. They might be interesting stories but are not accurate representations of the job.
COPS is real, but edited. They film hundreds of hours of activity to get a few 20+ minute shows. That means the vast majority of the job is never seen, and when something exciting does go down, that is highly edited also. The officers shown on COPS are criticized for poor police procedure, not reading someone Miranda, atc. The reality is all of that stuff probably wound up on the cutting room floor.
I don't watch a lot of cops shows fictional or otherwise. I do the job, why do I want to watch it when I'm off duty?
So, you were speeding, but you don't believe you were going as fast as the measuring device stated? Sure you can fight it, but bring a checkbook: for your lawyer and/or clerk of court.
How do you know you were not going 73? Have you calibrated your spedometer in the last six months?
Assuming this is your first ticket (or perhaps the first in a long time) courts often have an option to plead nolo to a reduced charge coupled with a driver's improvement course. Depending on the jurisdiction this might keep points off of your driving record, reduce the fine, etc. Be sure to contact the court and/or a lawyer about that.
(see below)
Tampering with the mail is a federal offense and the local officer does not have jurisdiction to enforce those laws. Contact the US Post Office law enforcement division and file a report with them. They can invesitgate that aspect of things and take whatever enforcement action is appropriate.
Regarding the slashed tires, what evidence do you have that she (or anyone specific) committed the crime? Just because she may have done it, doesn't mean that the officer had probable cause (a legal burden of proof) to make an arrest for it.
School Bus Driver
Radio program/music director
Private Detective
You will not likely get a ticket at this point.
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Patrol - mostly in a patrol car. I'm assigned a section of the city as a patrol zone and I am responsible for all calls that come into that area. A portion of the time includes getting out on foot and walking through businesses, parks and apartment complexes, but most of my time is spent going from dispatched call to dispatched call via automobile.
No one really responds from the station (like a firefighter). Sometimes you might be there for paperwork or submitting evidence and then get a call, but it isn't normal procedure.
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