messed up my chances

[DrStrangeLuv]

Hi everyone, I've been waiting for my call for NYPD for 2-1/2 years now. In that time, the only smear on my entire record was a seat belt ticket the year I took the entrance exam, until last night. I was driving home and got agitated at the driver in front of me and passed on the right and cut him off. To my surprise it was an unmarked cop. I get the lights and get pulled over. He writes me up for tailgating, improper passing, use of undesignated lane, and no signal while changing lanes. I have no idea what this does to me now since I finished all my required prerequisites and was just waiting for a call hopefully to the next academy, which is this July.

I'm definitely getting points on my license and hopefully it doesn't get suspended. What I find odd though, is that the cop insisted for me plead not guilty in traffic court. He says they can lower my penalty, but I clearly did do those things and I can't back up a plea of not guilty. He saw my PBA card and I explained that my uncle is a NYPD detective. I guess he liked that since he changed his demeanor immediately. I didn't tell him I was waiting to go into the academy though.

Does this mess up my chances for the academy?
Can you get in with points on your license? or with a suspended one?
Why he is telling me to plead not guilty?

My uncle knows my investigator and is going to talk to her, but I don't know if anything can be done about it since the tickets are plain and clear. Thanks ahead of time for any advice.

[westside popo]

Did you see the other thread about the 400 NYPD Leos and ticket "fixing?"
Could be they didn't want to be one of the 400 or they may miss court that day.

Seriously I wouldn't be able to give you an answer either way as to the ticket and starting the academy there. I also posted my experience and feelings on the ticket fixing issue on the same thread.
How ever in my experience I have issued tickets and told the violator if they fix the issue and show up to court with proof then I would tell the judge I wanted to drop the ticket. Once and a while someone would show up to contest a ticket, talk to me before hand and sometimes convince me to drop the ticket or other wise not oppose a lighter fine or reduction in charges by the judge. So I don't see a problem with going to court and at least talking it over with them.

[vincelli]

It's quite normal for DA's in NYS to offer automatic plea-deals when you show up to traffic court. You have to keep in mind that this also provides a benefit to the State in that they don't have to go through with a hearing and hence save the cost of that hearing.

Only NYPD can tell you if this will kill your chances, but it's nice to see one of these posts with absolutely no minimalization. Owning it the way you have here is your best chance to continue forward in the process.

If the worst comes to pass and this squashes you for this round, I can tell you that time will heal this issue, so at least you aren't blocked from LE forever.

Keep your nose clean and don't get into anything that would be a complete show-stopper.

-V

[Fëanor]

You should call off your uncle. There is absolutely no reason for a detective to be helping you get out of your traffic tickets.

Accept responsibility for what you've done; if you want to bring it up with the Background Investigator then you should call and tell them yourself. Traffic tickets really are not the end of the world, just a huge financial burden.

[District B 13]

So you have impulse control and anger issues, yet don't want to be responsible for them. I guess ticket fixing is not an issue in NY or other places and is accepted. What kind of message does THAT send? Tammany Hall still exists...

[vincelli]

So you have impulse control and anger issues, yet don't want to be responsible for them. I guess ticket fixing is not an issue in NY or other places and is accepted. What kind of message does THAT send? Tammany Hall still exists...

Sometimes I really don't get your posts.

Nowhere in his post did the OP even hint about ticket fixing or having his uncle do anything except potentially explain the issue to his background investigator.

In fact, the OP makes it QUITE clear that he doesn't even feel comfortable accepting a plea bargain because he knows he is guilty. That's known as taking responsibility for one's actions. What the hell is your problem?

Your profile states LEO/Program Director. Is this senile and accusatory BS what you teach out there in California?

Sorry, but I for one have had enough of your crap.

-V

[David Hineline]

I think you need to throw a few thousand into lawyer money and get the charges changed to something less evil with some community service time given by the judge.

I had to do this years ago as being a firearms dealer I did not want a firearms related charge on my record. Money to lawyers, lawyers having lunch with judge and sheriff and my donation to the DARE program and it became a noise ordnance violation. Even more lawyer money could have made it go away all together, but there is a cost/benifit ratio to figure.

[PhilipCal]

It's quite normal for DA's in NYS to offer automatic plea-deals when you show up to traffic court. You have to keep in mind that this also provides a benefit to the State in that they don't have to go through with a hearing and hence save the cost of that hearing.

Only NYPD can tell you if this will kill your chances, but it's nice to see one of these posts with absolutely no minimalization. Owning it the way you have here is your best chance to continue forward in the process.

If the worst comes to pass and this squashes you for this round, I can tell you that time will heal this issue, so at least you aren't blocked from LE forever.

Keep your nose clean and don't get into anything that would be a complete show-stopper.

-V

In case you missed it, here's your answer^^^^^^^^^^^ Good luck.

[vincelli]

I think you need to throw a few thousand into lawyer money and get the charges changed to something less evil with some community service time given by the judge.

I had to do this years ago as being a firearms dealer I did not want a firearms related charge on my record. Money to lawyers, lawyers having lunch with judge and sheriff and my donation to the DARE program and it became a noise ordnance violation. Even more lawyer money could have made it go away all together, but there is a cost/benifit ratio to figure.

Your advice starts out as legal and then quickly devolves into actions which are known as BRIBERY.

You my friend, belong in jail, not providing advice on a Police forum.

Post reported.

-V

[DAL]

The proper NY etiquette would have been to honk at him repeatedly and flash your lights.

[SRT936]

Why he is telling me to plead not guilty?

First up, an initial plea of "not guilty" isn't saying "I didn't do it." It's a means of kicking the system into gear and making the best deal for yourself while still satisfying justice. It can mean anything from "I didn't do it" to "I did it, but there are extenuating circumstances" to "I did it, but I want time to work out a deal."

I'm guessing with the major investigation on ticket fixing coming down the pike, officers are being careful about not issuing tickets. In telling you to plead not guilty, he's telling you how to minimize the impact of the multiple tickets he wrote you.

As Vincelli wrote, you've got a good chance at getting a reasonable plea deal. Think of it as a way to still take responsibility for your actions without completely screwing yourself over in the process.

At the end of the day, nobody can answer your question about the academy besides the NYPD. Perhaps speak to your BI about it directly if you can. That would probably be the best gauge to go by. Remember that they're just traffic tickets after all.

[willbird]

Reading back over this, I really keep asking myself what a complete and utter moment of honesty would have done for the OP ?? Not flashing pda cards or name dropping cops, just complete honesty(about his career intentions and the status of that), and honest remorse for a momentary lapse of judgement.

There have been a few times in my 46 years when I did that with an Officer when I was stopped, and I am deeply grateful that I did in both of those cases. Nothing major, just a speeding ticket RIGHT after getting my license back from a 12 point suspension, and speeding in an empty parking lot when I was about 21. In both cases the Officer offered me mercy in lieu of justice. A seat belt ticket instead of speed, and a warning instead of a reckless op. Maybe those two guys see/saw so little of that sort of thing that it surprised them....

The OSHP trooper when I asked him to trade a speeding ticket for a seatbelt ticket because I would lose my license (which I just got back) actually said "aww sh*t....long pause....yeah I can do that" :-).

Bill

[David Hineline]

Your advice starts out as legal and then quickly devolves into actions which are known as BRIBERY.

You my friend, belong in jail, not providing advice on a Police forum.

Post reported.

Tell it to the lawyers, judge, and sheriff who made the deal, all I did was take the deal. Like courts don't reduce charges when accepting a plea all the time.

-V

[Aerohead]

I'll throw in my 2 cents:

If everything works out and you're still in line to go to the next academy - for the love of God - drive the EXACT speed limit from this point on and DO NOT do ANYTHING that can even be REMOTELY considered wrong, traffic-related or otherwise, I'm talking even sneezing in the wrong direction, until graduation day from the police academy and your probation is up...

I normally drive as close to perfect as possible, but ever since I've applied to another department and I'm waiting on my background, I'll even literally use my turn signal to turn into my driveway when I'm the only car on my street JUST IN CASE!

Good luck!

[jcioccke]

The proper NY etiquette would have been to honk at him repeatedly and flash your lights.

You must have spent time here LOL