Closing line of traffic stop?!

[dboenish]

Hey Everybody,

I have been doing fake traffic stops in the academy and I am still trying to find a way to end a traffic stop. We were instructed to NEVER say 'Have a nice day." But its always something I feel like saying.


So how do you guys end your traffic stops? I want to MAKE SURE the stop ends with the suspect KNOWING its over and they are free to go.


I was thinking about a closing line something like this......"You are free to go, thank you for your cooperation."

We were also instructed NOT to lecture if we ticket. So if its a warning just give a little public safety oriented speech then say thanks and they are free to go.

What are your closing lines?

[occ]

A good one to use is.. "Thank you for your business, come again!"

hehe..

On the serious side, one of the better lines is something like "Drive Safe". You are right about not lecturing if you give a citation. Although I give more verbal warnings than citations so I give a lecture on "why you shouldn't do that".

Something like, "You're free to go, drive safe" will work..

I think it's all about what you're trained to say, or feel most comfortable saying..

[scotty707]

I usually go with something like, "You can go now. Drive safe." Though, I think I once let slip, "Have a good day." Oops.

[mtxpro752]

I always end with, "do you have any questions? Ok drive safely." This after the ticket is fully explained and the "what to do" section of their copy is shown to them.... no one ever has questions, some have a smarta ss remark which gets noted for court.

[TexasAggieOfc]

Warning:

I'm issuing you a warning for ... . The only actions required on your part is to (observe speed limits, fix your lp light, whatever). Please sign here. Have a safe trip (for the out of towners)/Drive safe (for the locals).

Ticket:

You're being issued a citation for ... . You're commanded to contact the Municipal Court on or before ... . They are located at this address (I point to the ticket) and you can contact them at this number (point again). Sign here, this is a promise to appear before the court on or before (the date listed above, I read it again). It is not a plea of guilty.

You're free to go.

[just joe]

Thank you for your cooperation. Drive safely.

[mtxpro752]

Not to hijack but to TexasAggie's post, I never understood written warnings, where do they go? Just to the PD or does the court actually get a copy. What's the benefit of a written warning vs, verbal?

In CA no such thing as written warning, if my pen goes to paper they get the real thing.

[kdogg]

I always use, Thank you for your cooperation. It seems to work and the ones who didn't cooperate seem to get a little irritated at that line. So it works in all situations.

[scarney]

Please use your turn signal

Please use your turn signal and pull out in traffic only when safe to do so.

[CruiserClass]

"You are free to go."

I have the same speech for every citation-only/warning-only traffic violator and do not lecture, period. Its a somewhat modified "verbal judo" traffic stop.

On the stop:
Sir/Ma'am, I need your license and registration. If they ask what they did I say I'll tell them once I have their paperwork.

Sir/Ma'am, the reason I stopped you today was . Is there any reason for that (moving)/were you aware of that(expired plate, mechanical deficiency)?

Citation:

Sir/Ma'am you are being issued a citation for . If you wish to dispute the citation you have the right to do so and the instructions are on the envelope I've provided you. You have 60 days to respond to the citation by either disputing it or paying it. If you do not respond within 60 days you will be found guilty be default, the fine may increase, and your license may be suspended. Do you have any questions?....You are free to go.

Warning:
Sir/Ma'am, you are being warned for . There is no fine or points on your license and no action is required on your part. Please correct as soon as possible OR Remember to . Do you have any questions?...You are free to go?

[LE2BE]

About 8 months ago I stopped a guy driving 65 in a 35mph zone, weaving in and out of traffic. He was a nice guy calling me sir.. how is your day... ect. I checked everything out, license was good and reg was up to date. I couldn't let his driving go without some education, so I proceeded to write him for 60 in a 35mph giving him 5mph correction using the pacing method. When I informed him that I was issuing a citation, he went Ape shlt... started cursing, telling me how he was going to fight it, how he was going to ask for morning court, because morning watch Officers hate court in the morning... ect. Then he said he was not going to sign the ticket.

I let him know that he had two options... Option #1 Sign ticket, go on marry way, Option #2 go to jail for a traffic violation (lame). I also let him know that he had 5 seconds to make up his mind, and that I was not going to stand here and kiss his *** to sign... I have no problem taking people to jail that obviously want to go. He decided to sign... but then clenched my ticket book in a manner like he was going to throw it back at me. At that point my partner leaned in the window and told him that he was about to make the biggest mistake of his life. He handed it back. I'll admit, I was getting pretty annoyed at this point and was on the verge of losing the little professionalism I have

Long story short... I tear off the ticket and hand it back to him while saying "have a Happy Birthday." He went bezerk and was pretty much called me everything in the book as he drove off. My partner asked me why I said that, and I replied... it was his birthday and I wanted him to have a good one.


Fast forward 8 months. I go to court on this traffic violation tomorrow at 8:30am like he promised. I'm glad I took good notes

[cantue5]

Not supposed to say "Have a nice day"...standard is "Be careful pulling back into traffic." "Thank you for your coopertion" is good too.

I think the sarge will be ok as long as we don't say "Press hard four copies"...although he might get a kick out of it! Tha happy birthday is classic
!

[biw371]

Usually I just tell them to drive safe. If I'm on the interstate, I tell them to pick up some speed on the shoulder and merge back into traffic. I never say have a nice day, or happy birthday. All your doing is stirring the pot for something bad to happen.

My opening line is, Hello, I'm (rank and name), reason I stopped you is for......, I need to see your license and insurance.

Closing line, Do you have any questions regarding this ticket/warning? Ok, drive safe.

[LE2BE]

I never say have a nice day, or happy birthday. All your doing is stirring the pot for something bad to happen.

I wrote 600 + tickets in the last 8 months and never used that line twice. Sometimes stirring the pot is unavoidable.. in my case, I probably shouldn't have said it, but I'm glad I did Times like those, I usually drop a few hints to my Sgt of a possible looming complaint, which smooths it over a little more if I do get one.

[TexasAggieOfc]

Not to hijack but to TexasAggie's post, I never understood written warnings, where do they go? Just to the PD or does the court actually get a copy. What's the benefit of a written warning vs, verbal?

In CA no such thing as written warning, if my pen goes to paper they get the real thing.

Cause the Chief said so...

It's just as quick as filing out our racial profiling form, and it's written evidence other than my daily log of my traffic stops. We're not really even allowed by our chief to do verbal warnings, but we still do it for LEOs, and some other people who we're willing to cut lose as soon as we get to the car