Shavano Park Police Pull People Over To Hand Out Courteous Driving Awards

[Blubbster]

So we all know the little enclaves surrounding the City of San Antonio engage in overzealous law enforcement, usually for the purpose of revenue generation with below-normal speed limits, sneaky tactics & the like.

Well, Shavano Park has gotten a new police chief since the last time I encountered them and he's gotten this idea of pulling over those who his officers think are GOOD drivers & giving them an award: http://www.kens5.com/mobile/article/.../273-492784189

Well, sounds good, eh? But how does it really work? What if the "courteous driver" has a kilo of cocaine in the trunk? I guess the officers wouldn't investigate since all they do is hand the driver the cup? What if a driver starts acting suspicious? The cops wouldn't have any probable cause anyways, just a suspicious feeling, so they can't just pull them over, huh?

And what if they find something incriminating just laying in the passenger seat? Was it a legal stop? Not really, right?

What do you guys think of this attempt at fostering better community-law enforcement relations?

[tpepsi]

A friend of mine got pulled over in Dallas (addison) in the 90s and handed an award for courteous driving.

He had just came from the bar and said he was pretty toasty. Cop never noticed.

[oam]

That would be cool if you could use the good driver award as a get out of ticket free card.

[Cheesecake7]

This is a tricky issue and I wonder what happens when they pull you over to give you the award and notice a strong alcohol smell and maybe some uncoordinated babbling. They probably cannot ignore that you are drunk but it may be difficult for them to explain in court why they pulled you over in the first place.

Ironically, drunk (or otherwise intoxicated) drivers may actually drive especially cautious (and "courteous") to avoid being pulled over in the first place.

[1980saguy]

Originally Posted by Cheesecake7

This is a tricky issue and I wonder what happens when they pull you over to give you the award and notice a strong alcohol smell and maybe some uncoordinated babbling. They probably cannot ignore that you are drunk but it may be difficult for them to explain in court why they pulled you over in the first place.

Ironically, drunk (or otherwise intoxicated) drivers may actually drive especially cautious (and "courteous") to avoid being pulled over in the first place.

The evidence and arrest would be suppressed. It is an illegal stop.

[Cheesecake7]

Originally Posted by 1980saguy

The evidence and arrest would be suppressed. It is an illegal stop.

That's what I thought. Thanks for the input.

Although if you are a inventive cop you could let the person go and just "incidentally" follow the car and stop him 3 traffic lights later "completely unrelated" for whatever you can come up with (by that time the guy/gal may be so nervous that they are making a mistake).

[Budman]

I can hear it now. Some hooker will say the reason she needs a little more time to get ready is she got a "good driver award" on her way to the appointment.

[lovelyevelyn]

I'd rather they didn't. I don't need the heart attack