Unorthodox way to stop a violator

[Long Relief]

Saw this video and agree that the guy was tailgating. I also have no reason to believe that tint and no front plate cites were valid as well. I will even go further and say the guy is lucky New Jersey apparently has no law against listening to bad music.

What I found interesting was how the officer chose to stop the violator. Is this a tactic in use anywhere? Seems like it would have been safer for all involved if the officer had pulled over and then pulled in behind the violator.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPCX8rVPxvo

[Max K]

When I watched this the first time, I thought the following distance was fine (at least initially). I watched it a second time, and I noticed the dashcam uses some kind of wide-angle lens, to get more coverage, at the expense of some amount of perspective distortion (or other distortion of the optics). This distortion interferes with how we perceive distances, in the same way that your outside right mirror says: "objects in mirror are closer than they appear". I watched it a third time, and that's when I noticed that the motorist gradually closes in on the police car (not good). By the time the police car brakes, the motorist really is only 1 car length away. Here is the moment the brakes come on:

[L-1]

I can't tell the distance between the vehicles from the videos, however, the officer alleges it is too close so I will go with that until there is evidence to the contrary. With that in mind, I have a couple of questions before I can offer any meaningful observations.

Was this a brake check or an enforcement contact?

If it was an enforcement contact, did the manner in which the officer conduct it violate the law or his department's policy's, or does the OP simply disagree philosophically with how it was carried out? Remember, police misconduct involves a violation of the law or policy, but it does not include philosophical disagreements over how an incident was handled. No matter how you handle an incident, someone else will always say you could have done it better if it was approached differently.

[Hagen]

Curious what the "tailgating violation" is, as there's nothing like that in our codes. How is the distance assessed, usually? Only visually?

And he was driving with no front plate... Straight out of repair shop and they couldn't put the plate in place? Hmph. Generally a vehicle with no plates means to me this vehicle deserves attention.

[Long Relief]

I can't tell the distance between the vehicles from the videos, however, the officer alleges it is too close so I will go with that until there is evidence to the contrary. With that in mind, I have a couple of questions before I can offer any meaningful observations.

Was this a brake check or an enforcement contact?

If it was an enforcement contact, did the manner in which the officer conduct it violate the law or his department's policy's, or does the OP simply disagree philosophically with how it was carried out? Remember, police misconduct involves a violation of the law or policy, but it does not include philosophical disagreements over how an incident was handled. No matter how you handle an incident, someone else will always say you could have done it better if it was approached differently.

It was an enforcement contact since he wrote the offender three tickets. I used the term unorthodox since it is the first time I have seen a traffic stop conducted in this fashion. Maybe this is common in some parts of the country.

As a civilian that likes his vehicle and is in no hurry to become a frequent visitor to the chiropractor, I would not slam on my brakes in front of someone tailgating me. I feel it is unsafe. But the officer has different goals and driving a vehicle he doesn't own.

[Long Relief]

PA has "Following too closely" which requires a "reasonable and prudent" distance from the car in front.

Anyway, this tactic was horrible and he's lucky that the guy didn't wish him harm. If you want to stop a vehicle that's tailgating you, as I've done a bunch of times, then pull over, let them pass, and then initiate the stop with proper tactics. That guy could simply have run the cop over if he wanted. Or, what if the tailgater got rear-ended after the cop stopped in the middle of the street for no reason (which is also illegal)?

I hear ya, but didn't you hear the cop say that he stopped like that because he thought the tailgater was going to run into him?

[Iowa #1603]

or does the OP simply disagree philosophically with how it was carried out?

Yep


This OP disagrees with many practices that do not meet his expectations.

[Iowa #1603]

If you want to stop a vehicle that's tailgating you, as I've done a bunch of times, then pull over, let them pass, and then initiate the stop with proper tactics

Yep, that's the way I was trained.

However sometimes it happens that what you are trained to do doesn't happen...........................

End of the day this time the officer when home, He made a valid, legal traffic stop and went on with his day

[Langford PR]

I hear ya, but didn't you hear the cop say that he stopped like that because he thought the tailgater was going to run into him?

Reading comprehension is a bitch no doubt about it.

Yep, that's the way I was trained.

However sometimes it happens that what you are trained to do doesn't happen...........................

End of the day this time the officer when home, He made a valid, legal traffic stop and went on with his day

+1


It has definitely become a world where an LEO needs to address in all training and in everything they do with the precept that there is a camera and microphone present.....act accordingly.

[Pogue Mahone]

PA has "Following too closely" which requires a "reasonable and prudent" distance from the car in front.

Anyway, this tactic was horrible and he's lucky that the guy didn't wish him harm. If you want to stop a vehicle that's tailgating you, as I've done a bunch of times, then pull over, let them pass, and then initiate the stop with proper tactics. That guy could simply have run the cop over if he wanted. Or, what if the tailgater got rear-ended after the cop stopped in the middle of the street for no reason (which is also illegal)?

+1

I wouldn't want someone following that close not only for the reason of not wanting to be rear-ended, but also to make taking a shot from behind as difficult as possible.

[J2H]

I got a guy on "Aggressive Driving" for tailgating me when I was a patrolman at JB Charleston

[RSGSRT]

I hear ya, but didn't you hear the cop say that he stopped like that because he thought the tailgater was going to run into him?

That's what stood out to me. Actually, it was borderline retarded to say in my opinion.

"I thought you were going to slam into me while following so I slammed on my brakes with as much force as possible" (does that make sense to anyone?)

[Iowa #1603]

That's what stood out to me. Actually, it was borderline retarded to say in my opinion.

"I thought you were going to slam into me while following so I slammed on my brakes with as much force as possible" (does that make sense to anyone?)

yea it doesn't make sense......................and pretty bad tactics looking at it from where WE ARE right NOW.

Officer might have been flustered.....worried.......scared. or something and just did what he thought was the best thing at the time.

Wasn't there so I don't know------------

Since it worked out ok...............I hope the officer uses it as a learning experience , because EVERYONE who sees it is going to comment to him on it.

[Long Relief]

That's what stood out to me. Actually, it was borderline retarded to say in my opinion.

"I thought you were going to slam into me while following so I slammed on my brakes with as much force as possible" (does that make sense to anyone?)

His command needs to keep a close eye on him. He doesn't seem that bright and has no common sense from this clip.

Glad he is alright though.