Ask a cop...
 

I think pretty much everybody knows I am a cop. I am pretty bored right now and am willing to entertain any questions you have regarding law enforcment, jails, tickets, or anything else you think is related.


If thread turns into a bashing fest, I will leave it and the kiddies can have all the fun they want. Hopefully though we can keep this civil and mature.

What exactly is the fine if you are caught without a catalytic converter. I hear it is a $2,300 fine, is this true and do they tow your car.

what's your favorite donut?

how in the world did you pass the polygraph?

After I typed out a good answer, the fuckin forum popped out once again.


Anyways, law enforcement does not deal with fines. That is a state and county court process that I have no idea about. I have heard though that a catalytic converter violation is pretty hefty.

Concerning the tow, an officer could make one, but it is highly unlikely. I will try and find the vehicle code with the specifics.

Honestly, I have not had a donut in years. 90% of cops do not eat donuts. You see them at donut shops because during dawn shift, that is pretty much the only thing open for coffee. Not to mention I usually like to give business to the local mom and pop type stores to help them out.

That is a tuff question...



NEXT! :D

could you get away with putting a police light ontop of your s2k?

ok what do you think about doug willaims? ;)

You want to ask a ROOKIE for legalities and technical issues? He wont know jack shit. Ask me instead. I have over 20 years of law enforcement expereince.

Wacky, being in and out of prison does not constitute "law enforcement experience." :rofl:

Fu, is there an actual effective way to write up a formal complaint about police behavior as it concerns the import car scene? I know that several people are still illegally modified, but there are more and more people that are getting pulled over, harrassed, and ticketed for BS reasons. Like the couple of guys who were ticketed in SF for having illegally tinted aftermarket tail lights. Both of these guys were in bone stock FD's. Things are honestly getting WAY out of hand and I'm curious if there is anything that can be done by the community that will actually be listened to or not. Thanks in advance for the answer.

No, but it doesn't matter because I don't have one anymore.

The player for the Redskins? :scratch:

Not really. I guess you can write you representatives or something but there isn't really any other way except for getting some big named company to back you. I guy writing a letter won't do anything.


The ticket for the taillights is all good in my opinion. Are the taillights tinted or are they not? It would be impossible for officers to know what OEM tailights look like on the 100's of thousands different designs that are out there. When the person received the ticket, it is not an admission of guilt. If it is an bogus ticket then he or she has every right to go fight it in court and not pay any money other than the time off from work. That's how the system works. The cop saw tinted taillights that are for the most part illegal and he wrote the ticket. No harm, no foul.

What would a cop do if I got pulled over, and when he looked inside he saw my car was gutted, has a roll bar, race seat, harness, gauges, etc? Thanks.

Edit- BUT my exhaust looks 100% factory (stock looking mufflers), idles perfectly, and is as quiet as stock rotary powered rx-7.

Obviously it will draw you some attention. There is nothing wrong in gutting you car and having guages. If the cop has a clue, he will look at your harnesses. By law you need to use your OEM seatbelts on the street. All the above items you listed though would be more than enough reasonable suspicion for the officer to force you to pop the hood. Modified exhaust alone is enough for the hood pop.

always wondered this...

If your carring a legally concealed weapon (on you) and get pulled over, what do you do?

There is obviously a huge fine for removing the cat converter and airpump, mainly the cat if I understand thiings correctly. What if you had for example a single turbo FD, but had an airpump and cat. You obviously wouldn't be emissions legal in that you would fail the visual, and a cop would be in the right to give you a ticket.

But would the fine be as high? Would this be more of a fix it ticket?

Second all my friends that get ref tickets just put the stuff back on and go to the ref. Most get it signed off with no problems, even the ones who had no cats when they where pulled over. Where does the massive fine come in, is that only people who's cars get towed, or who go to the ref with no cats (stupid)...

As to the comment about FD's getting ticketed for illegal tinted tail lights.

Is it even illegal to tint the tail lights?

I have some honda ricer friends who have gotten tickets for: exhaust tip to large, wheels to large (20's on an accord, yes it was fugly), illegal gauge bezel (because the unleaded fuel only text was covered up), tires to wide (this one was actually a camaro).

My friend with a bone stock SRT4 got a ticket for exhaust to loud, and then there is mine in a bone stock eclipse GSX for having an illegal aftermarket turbo (the cold side was polished).

I say you show them your licenses for your gun with you drivers licenses and reg.

Can you get a ticket if your just driving normal and you just happen to throw a flame??
what can the cop do??

not sure about this but i heard only highway patrols can ONLY pull you over on the freeway. if a cop saw one speeding in like a residential area (if it were to go there) can they pull em over and give em a ticket?

probably a stupid question huh? -_- eh oh well

ive heard that from somewhere before.
and to answer your questions..im pretty damn sure highway patrol can pull about anyone over.
because i got a speeding ticket on the local street by a CHP :wallbash:

I want to know that too.

"Is it illegal to tint your tails?"

Yes and no.

If you have two red reflectors otherwise (all stock S5 FC tails do) then no so long as you don't tint the reflectors as well.

If you don't (all stock S4 FC tails don't), then illegal they are unless you mount two red reflectors otherwise. What would get you by technically would be a pair of those red reflector license plate mounting bolts you can get at Pep Boys.

highway patrols can pull you over on freeways, highways and expressways... however, they cannot pull you over on a residential area unless you committed an act on their jurisdiction first... same for city cops... if you are speeding past a city cop on the freeway, they cant do jack squat, but if you committed an act on their jurisdiction (anywhere off of freeways/highways) and then ran on the highway, then they can pull you over obviously because it's a high speed chase... SHERIFF"S on the other hand can pull your booty over anywhere, and wherever they want... Don't you guys watch Super Troopers?? haha...


anyways, FU, i was wondering, if a police officer asks you to pop the hood, can you refuse the request?? wouldnt they need a warrant, because it is a type of search, correct?

+I I would think you could just say no, but very interested in answer to that question. There is a Civil Rights video that a link was posted a while back that suggests you can refuse.

when was the last good beatdown you gave a perp... please post pics of perp after beating

Actually Highway Patrol has more jurisdiction then city or sherif, they are state police. Any street is a highway with the expection of I think it was an alley or private road. I was going to be one but didn't pass the oral interview. Shouldn't have said I would never turn in partner, oh well.

As for the gun. I was pulled over with a Sig 9mm once in rear glove behind the seat. I was asked if I had wepons and I told him yes and that it was locked. I had to remove the key from the ignition to unlock the glove box and the gun was also locked in it's case. He said "thank you, have a nice day". Another time I have my Ninja sword on the rear seat in a Honda accord. The cop asked why I had it and I explained I studied Ninjitsu and hadn't brought it back home yet. It was in plain view, no tintend windows. He said "don't forget to put it away, have a nice day".

I you talking me specifically because I am a cop or if some normal citizen? Also, you aren't in California and weapon laws are vastly different across the country.

I remeber dave had told me he was pulled over and refused, the cop charged him with obstruction of justice, and other things. IIRC all the charges where dropped.

My friend has rigged a phony freyed and broken pull cable that comes out in his or the cops hand after just the right amount of pressure. the real pull cable is actuated by a swich and solenoid.

For the most part, exhaust flames come from not having a cat. If the cop knows this, he can do a little more investigation. I am not sure on this next part, but I imagine the officer could write a ticket for modified exhaust and have you go and get it signed off. No car manufacturer has ever made a car that spits flames while being 100% stock.

Thats not true. California Highway Patrol Officers have jurisdction over the entire state. They can write tickets in the citys that are patrolled by other agencies. They can investigate murders or band robberies or anything. In some really small cities, CHP is used as the primary law enforcement agency.


It is the same with your countys sheriff's department. They have jursidiction over anywhere in that county. Even if they see something in another county they can still make an arrest. It is just courteous that they let that county's agency know what they are doing.


Any California, POST certified, Officers can make arrests anytime in the state, even though they are off-duty. For the most part though, they will hold off and just use a phone to call it in. But if it serious enough, they have every right to make an arrest.

Thats not toally true though. It is illegal mostly because it dims the light coming from the lamps. I am not sure on the exact measurements, but red light must be seen at a certain distance. Often tinting changes the color of the red to more of a brownish as well.

Ever pulled a 7 over? If so did he get a ticket and for what?

Your first response is 100% false. Read above a few of my posts before for the right answer.


Pretty much no. An engine compartment is a lot easier to get into, legality wise, then a passenger compartment. Same with trunks. They just need a reasonable suspicion that something is not right. If you refuse, a tow truck can be called. The engine compartment is a pretty new issue. The laws are pretty fuzzy about it because it has only been recently with the import scene that it is becoming a problem.

I work mainly in our jail facilities right now. I will be on full-time patrol in a year or two. To answer your question though, I only give beatdowns when they are warranted. For the most part, the tools on my belt keep me from having to go in swinging. No matter how tuff I am, one injury will end my career. Thats why pepper spray, tazer, and less lethal bean bags are used to soften them up. Cops aren't paid to fight fair, we are paid to win.

If my truck has a tonneau cover and they are suspicious do they have the right to search under it without a warrant?

Nope. But you better be damn sure I will tell the story when it happens.

This is good one. Never seen anything in the vehicle code about this or penal code. Lets say the officer is walking up to your car when he pulls you over. Most officers pull on the trunk to see if it is latched all the way. This prevents people from trying to ambush us. I know a majority of officers do this with tonneau covers as well. If they pulled on yours and it slowly came up, or wasn't secured, they could open it.


I imagine a tonneau cover would be considered a trunk in the eyes of the law. Just need that reasonable suspicion to think that something is in there. There are a few ways to search a trunk without a warrant. A couple of them are, if drugs are found in the passenger compartment, or if they are inventoring the car before it is being towed.

Excuse my grammar and spelling mistakes. I am just trying to catch up.

Lost a nice bag o trees and my favorite bowl cuz of that one.

If you have an out of state car in California, and no cat or emission controls left on the car, can they write you a ticket still? Other than the obvious behavioral tickets (speeding, etc) can they get you on the car being modified. What is crossing the line?

Do I need any gauges on my streetfightered rocket to be legal?

Waysho, they will definetely get you on not registering in California. That is a given. If they can prove that you have been living in the state, they could probably write you for all the modification tickets as well since you need to keep the car in compliance where ever you live.

FYI I got pulled over for solo in the car pool lane At the 405 south and sunset. I got a letter in the mail a week or 2 later telling me the court refused the ticket! I got a question, whats the fastest speed you ever caught on a radar gun?

What if you have a military ID, or the car is registered to a relative?

Not fast. The couple of overtime shifts I have done on patrol were in the city and never even turned on the radar. Thats a question for the highway patrol. I talk to those dudes all the time. They always have the craziest stories involving cars.

From what I know, from the few members of law enforcement I know, the military gets a HUGE break. A couple of friends are cops of montebello one CHP who cut major slack to the enlisted on traffic crap. A friend (and forum member) with a built T2 was busted @ 119 on the 405. He has purple heart plates due to a bullet in Iraq and was just out of the MC. The cop asked if he was drinking ( he wasnt) and told him to keep it under 80 or NEXT time he wont be so nice....... There was a pass. that was there so I know it wasnt any BS. He never gets tickets and rolls at 85 90 on the freeways when safe.

Another question since your in the jails..... what the dumbest things that had put someone in jail you've seen?

This just happened the other night...


Some old man was pulled over for having a license plate light out. Most the time, those aren't even fix it tickets, just a warning. So the old man got upset and caused a scene. The officer ended up finding out that his license was suspended and he didn't have proof of insurance. At that point, it would have been a couple of fix-it tickets and a misdemeanor. No jail time or no big deal. But the old man for some reason wanted to talk to the "on-call judge". The cop explained to the man that if he did not want to sign the ticket then he would be taken to jail until he can see the judge. Usually a few days. The man, retarded as ever, said ok.


The man arrived at our jail and would not answer any questions that we asked him. When you come to jail we have a series of medical questions that you are asked. If you refuse to answer them, we have no choice other than stripping you of all your clothes and throwing you in a rubber room until you "wisen up". Thats exactly what happened to this guy. I think everybody that was there that night explained to the man there was an easier way to go about this but he was stubborn as ever. So I left in the morning and the old man was sitting butt naked in the cell with his legs wide open. Keep in mind we have to check on him every 15 minutes and he has to piss and shit in a hole that is in the ground. Not my idea of fun. I came back the next day, 12 hours later, and he was still in there. :rofl:

Hahaha