I make an attempt to keep a positive attitude toward law enforcement personnel, but frankly sometimes they don't make it that easy. I was up earlier than usual this morning and went to the local Braum's for coffee and reading the newspaper they always have available. On the way I made a few blocks to see if there were any garage or yard sales, as we are going to have a block sale in 2 weeks and I just want to get some idea on what certain items seem to be going for. Then there was an intersection being directed by an officer where bicycles were passing and rounding for some cause; possibly having to do with the Komen cancer awareness weekend, but I'm not sure. Anyway, I then made a few more blocks and parked at Braum's, went inside, ordered coffee and sat down to read. About 10 minutes later I noticed a cop looking at my car. It was parked in a handicapped space, but I knew I had remembered to put up my placard. Then he stepped inside and asked whose car that was. I answered, and he asked me to come outside. First he asked how long I had been there, then if I had been on the superhighway that runs adjacent. I told him "no." He then said there had been a non-contact accident where a car had forced a motorcycle off the road, and the victim simply identified the car as small and orange; the indefinite description fitting mine. I said nothing to that, then he said, "Now if you were on the highway..." I cut him off and said, "I told you I was NOT on the highway-- got it, bud?" Then he asked why I was "nervous." I knew I was on his 'bad side,' and really I wanted to be. But knowing my propensity to be sarcastic and offer clever comebacks, I also knew I better restrain myself. He asked me to wait and a witness and other officers would be coming to make, or not make, my car as the culprit. He looked inside and faked the small talk, like asking me if I were a Ranger fan, seeing my Texas Rangers cap. He got close to me once, but I did refrain from asking "Are you pleased with what you DON'T smell on my breath?" I'm sure he saw my Bible in the front seat-- where it almost always is, as any reading at home or the office I do online-- and I thought that was probably a reason to further suspect me, one of those 'hypocrites' who carries one.
Anyway, a couple of other cops came, and he talked secretively to them. One of them felt the hood of my car-- which I didn't see the reason for, as I didn't claim to have been there longer than it would have taken to cool off. He had my driver's license, and gave the number by radio to a base somewhere, asked just where my street is, the route I drove to get where I was, and I'm quite certain he pretended to not be familiar with my street, asking how it's accessible. Finally a 3-striper came and talked lowly with the others, pointing in some direction, and he gave my license back, which I grabbed without a word, and the sergeant repeated why I was questioned and the "thank you for your cooperation" junk. So I went back to my cold coffee-- at least the first cop did go inside and ask the workers not to throw away my cup. I don't know if I've heard the end of this yet-- whether the whole thing was fabricated and it was another reason altogether they questioned me; they're just looking for someone whose insurance is paid up hoping a claim will be paid off as a nuissance to avoid. Regardless, they surely did something like a 'field investigation card' on me, noting my not-so-pleasant demeanor, so my name may be brought up any time a person or car matching descriptions is involved in something.
So, what are some of your experiences with police officers and their tactics? Do they customarily ask why you're nervous, trying to make you appear so if you're not already? Are they trying to get you to 'go too far' and threaten them, so then they can run you in for that if nothing else? Or do they do that only if you're already ticked really spewing difficulty? Finally, what are a Chrsitian's responsibilities in such a situation? Does 'obeying the higher powers' mean to not be rude and sarcastic when questioned about an incident we had nothing to do with? What about our own suspicions about an officer's motives?
Anyway, a couple of other cops came, and he talked secretively to them. One of them felt the hood of my car-- which I didn't see the reason for, as I didn't claim to have been there longer than it would have taken to cool off. He had my driver's license, and gave the number by radio to a base somewhere, asked just where my street is, the route I drove to get where I was, and I'm quite certain he pretended to not be familiar with my street, asking how it's accessible. Finally a 3-striper came and talked lowly with the others, pointing in some direction, and he gave my license back, which I grabbed without a word, and the sergeant repeated why I was questioned and the "thank you for your cooperation" junk. So I went back to my cold coffee-- at least the first cop did go inside and ask the workers not to throw away my cup. I don't know if I've heard the end of this yet-- whether the whole thing was fabricated and it was another reason altogether they questioned me; they're just looking for someone whose insurance is paid up hoping a claim will be paid off as a nuissance to avoid. Regardless, they surely did something like a 'field investigation card' on me, noting my not-so-pleasant demeanor, so my name may be brought up any time a person or car matching descriptions is involved in something.
So, what are some of your experiences with police officers and their tactics? Do they customarily ask why you're nervous, trying to make you appear so if you're not already? Are they trying to get you to 'go too far' and threaten them, so then they can run you in for that if nothing else? Or do they do that only if you're already ticked really spewing difficulty? Finally, what are a Chrsitian's responsibilities in such a situation? Does 'obeying the higher powers' mean to not be rude and sarcastic when questioned about an incident we had nothing to do with? What about our own suspicions about an officer's motives?
I had my license for about a month. I made a left turn and a patroll car turned behind me. I was nervously driving very carefully. 
