Can Cops Take Your Car
The cops can detain your car if they find any contraband, illegal substances, drugs or violation of the law of the land. If you are not carrying your license, or insurance policy they can take your car as evidence. If they have a suspicion that you are fleeing after committing a crime, they can detain both the vehicle and you.
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Cops are aware that when they pull people over, some drivers may have illegal substances or prohibited items in their cars like guns, ammunition, or drugs.
Naturally, if the driver does have something illegal in the vehicle, he or she will want to hide it before the officer approaches the window.
So, one of the reasons why cops touch taillights are to startle the person inside.
The driver is likely not expecting the noise of the tap which typically causes him or her to stop for a moment, giving the police officer additional time to witness what the driver is trying to hide.
Police officers face danger every time they put on the uniform and may tap the backend to make sure they aren’t ambushed.
Cops may touch the back of your motor on the way to your window to make sure the trunk is latched.
Trooper Steve Answers Viewer Questions
ORLANDO, Fla. News 6 traffic safety expert Trooper Steve Montiero answers viewer questions about the rules of the road, helping Orlando-area residents become better drivers by being better educated.
A viewer recently asked, “Ive seen police officers touch the back of vehicles right before they approach a car on a traffic stop. Why do they do this?”
When law enforcement officers conduct a traffic stop, there are plenty of procedures that need to be done, not only for the safety of the violator, but for the safety of that officer, Trooper Steve said. One of those things is proving that that officer was with that car, so when officers approach a vehicle, they touch the rear of it.
Trooper Steve said the method is used for two primary reasons.
The first reason is to make sure that the trunk is closed, he said. It may sound a little crazy, but you want to make sure that no one is about to jump out of the trunk and that its properly secured.
The second reason isnt as obvious.
Touching the rear of the vehicle puts the officers fingerprints on that car, showing that he or she was there with it, Trooper Steve said. In case the driver decided to flee the scene, or if something happened to that officer, it ties both the vehicle and the officer together. This is just one of the many things that take place during traffic stops to ensure everyones safety.
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What To Do When Police Officers Stop A Vehicle
When pulled over by the cops, itâs common to feel confused, anxious, panic, and wonder if you are in trouble. However, it is important to remain calm and do the following:
- Slow down and pullover
- Put your hand where they can be seen
- Inform the police of weapons in the car
- Comply with the police officerâs request
- Sign the citation
- Ask for clarification
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Cops are aware that when they pull people over, some drivers may have illegal substances or prohibited items in their cars like guns, ammunition, or drugs.
Naturally, if the driver does have something illegal in the vehicle, he or she will want to hide it before the officer approaches the window.
So, one of the reasons why cops touch taillights are to startle the person inside.
The driver is likely not expecting the noise of the tap which typically causes him or her to stop for a moment, giving the police officer additional time to witness what the driver is trying to hide.
Police officers face danger every time they put on the uniform and may tap the backend to make sure they aren’t ambushed.
Cops may touch the back of your motor on the way to your window to make sure the trunk is latched.
This tactic ensures that no one is hiding in the trunk and could pop out.
Trooper Montiero said: It may sound a little crazy, but you want to make sure that no one is about to jump out of the trunk and that its properly secured.”
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To Make Sure The Trunk Is Latched
Police officers put their lives at risk everyday on the job and must be prepared for danger and violence to arise at any moment. While tapping a tail light may startle a driver and leave evidence on the vehicle, there is another tactic cops use. If the police officer believes they are in a dangerous situation as they pull you over, they may touch the backend of your vehicle on the way to your window to make sure the trunk is latched. It might sound bizarre, but this tactic ensures that no one is hiding in the trunk and could pop out.
If a police officer does check that your trunk is shut, they will typically have their partner with them. One officer will check the trunk, while the other approaches your window. This is to ensure the safety of the officers and make sure the driver is not able to get away with hiding anything or obtaining a weapon while the officer is checking the trunk.
How Do Cops Decide Who To Pull Over
When police officers are on patrol, they look for potentially illegal activities. If they see someone speeding, they may decide to pull them over.
They are also likely to stop drivers who are not wearing their seat belts or swerving out of their lane.
Its possible that the driver is drunk or tired, but it doesnt matter what the officers intention is if they believe that the driver is endangering other people on the road, then its their duty to pull them over.
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Touching Taillights Dates Back From Decades Ago
Once upon a time, there were no such things as dashboard cameras and body cams. And as much as any of the road-going public wants to argue that those tools, as well as recording your traffic stop with your own cell phone, is for the protection of the driver, dash and body cams are more often put in place to protect the officer as well. But before those things were invented, the police officer would instead touch the taillight of the car they just pulled over.
According to Mental Floss, this practice dates back to decades ago when the police didnt have any fancy video recording devices to take footage of what happened during the traffic stop. The cop would simply walk by the taillight and tap his thumb or fingerprint on the cars taillight in order to leave the breadcrumb or a trace of identity in case anything happened to them. If anything did happen, then the fingerprint could be used to track down a missing police officer or at least piece together what happened if a confrontation were to occur.
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Tapping The Tail Light Is A Police Ritual
The act of tapping or touching a tail light goes back to the humble beginnings when police officers started patrolling the highways and streets. Even before the invention of dash cams, tapping or touching the tail light is a police ritual.
Cops believe that tapping the tail light is a way to honor the officers that came before them. Even without a valid reason, they consider the act a ritual that is necessary to make the tradition alive. For some, its a ritual of passage where junior cops just follow their seniors tapping habit.
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Ensure That The Trunk Of A Car Is Closed
While a rare occurrence, theres a possibility that someone could be hiding inside the trunk. They could jump out as the police officer approaches the vehicle. To avoid this problem, a cop touches the trunk to ensure that it is closed and properly latched.
As reported by , Trooper Steve Montiero said, When law enforcement officers conduct a traffic stop, there are plenty of procedures that need to be done, not only for the safety of the violator, but for the safety of that officer. He continued, The first reason is to make sure that the trunk is closed. It may sound a little crazy, but you want to make sure that no one is about to jump out of the trunk and that its properly secured.
The Logic Behind The Absurd Act
Turns out the answer to the query why do cops touch your car? lies in the cops safety.
Joe Hoelscher, a criminal defense attorney, mentions that this particular practice is used to sort of mark the vehicle. So, when the police officer touches your vehicle, they impart their fingerprint on it.
According to the lawyer, this print can later identify the car if the officer is debilitated. Hence, if the vehicle flees and harms the cop, the marked tail light will act as a tag to track it down.
This implementation isnt a current one in fact, its known as an old-school way to keep the traffic police safe.
It dates to when no such thing as dash cams existed. Furthermore, the lack of effort is another reason the practice is still common among the traffic police community.
So, the next time someone asks, why do cops touch your car? you can tell them the reason.
Another school of thought considers the tap as a jostling gesture. This could be in the case of drivers who are under the influence. However, Hoelscher says cops shouldnt do this. This is because the driver could become aware of the action and remove the fingerprint.
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The Procedure Of The Police: What Do Police Do When They Stop You
Before speaking with the driver, police officers touch the backs of the cars pulled over.
It is to leave a fingerprint of the police officer. So that if anything wrong happens to the police officer, the car owner will be questioned or suspected.
The police officers will frequently ask for a drivers license and registration during a routine traffic stop. Also, an officer touching the back of your tail light is a common occurrence that many drivers dont know.
Touching the back of your tail light by a police officer is a typical police action. It appears to be a standard policing procedure.
This procedure could help protect both the passengers and the police officer from harm. The police officers fingerprints are on the car if anything happens to them during the stop.
The police officers fingerprints are left on the vehicles back, indicating that they were present.
Why Police Officers Always Tap Back Of Car When Pulling You Over
Police officers touch the back of cars they have pulled over before speaking to the driver, as seen in a viral TikTok video. A traffic expert explained the strange reason why
- 20:50, 7 JUL 2021
A viral TikTok video has shed light on an interesting thing police officers do when they pull over a car – showing numerous examples of cops who firmly tap the boot as they approach.
In the clip, uploaded by user @mr.alexaa, a number of officers are filmed approaching vehicles from the left-hand side and in every instance, they tap the boot before speaking to the driver.
The clip was watched more than 30 million times since it was uploaded on July 5 and thousands of people commented, with many suggesting it was because of fingerprints.
One user said: “It’s to leave fingerprint so that when something bad happens to the cops the car’s owner would be questioned or suspected.”
Read More
A second commented: “Is it to leave fingerprints in case something goes wrong?”
“Jokes on them mine is society prints can’t transfer,” joked a third.
Someone else suggested to was to check if “someone is in the boot”.
Traffic safety expert Trooper Steve Montiero appeared on News 6 and backed up the fingerprint theory proposed on TikTok and explained the reason behind it.
He said: “When law enforcement officers conduct a traffic stop, there are plenty of procedures that need to be done, not only for the safety of the violator but for the safety of that officer.
Read More
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Nope It’s Not Because They’re Trying To Buff Out That Scratch Above Your Bumper
Say youre driving on your local road, and you enter a construction zone. The construction is wrapping up for the day, the sun is coming down, and you just miss the Reduce Speed Ahead sign. You come to the Stop sign and notice a state trooper pulled up behind you. The troopers flashers turn on, and you realize that you may have been speeding. Better brush up on the 10 tricks to beat any speeding ticket!
You pull over, and as the officer approaches the car, you hear a quick tap on the back of your car. The officer touches your tail light as he came to your window, and you come to realize that youve seen this before. Actually, youve seen this quite a bit. Police officers will often briefly tap your cars tail light before approaching the window.
This common cop practice isnt rooted in superstition, and it isnt a secret. As it turns out, its based in the officers well-being.
Why is it old-school? Before dash cams and body cams, the fingerprints left on the tail light served as a primary form of evidence about the traffic stop. But, despite all of that new technology, you probably will still see cops do this. It is less important now that video is ubiquitous, but it requires so little effort that officers are still trained to do it, Hoelscher explains.
Things Police Officers Want You to Know
Why Do Cops Touch/tap The Back Of A Car When They Stop You
An officer will touch the carâs back to ensure their fingerprints are on the car. If the driver ends up doing something illegal in the future and flees, the officer can identify the vehicle and the owner with the help of these fingerprints.
Also, they touch the back of the car to ensure that the trunk is closed and that no one will pop out and ambush them.
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The Reason Police Officers Tap Your Taillight When They Pull You Over
Asking a driver for their license and registration is common procedure from police officers during traffic stops. Thereâs another practice that was once standard across the force but is more of a mystery to the people being pulled over: While approaching a driverâs window, officers will sometimes touch a car’s taillight. It’s a behavior that dates back decades, though there’s no reason to be concerned if it happens at your next traffic stop.
Before cameras were installed on the dashboards of most police cars, tapping the taillight was an inconspicuous way for officers to leave behind evidence of the encounter, according to The Law Dictionary. If something were to happen to the officer during the traffic stop, their interaction with the driver could be traced back to the fingerprints left on the vehicle. This would help other police officers track down a missing member of the force even without video proof of a crime.
The action also started as a way for officers to spook drivers before reaching their window. A pulled-over motorist with a car full of illegal drugs or weapons might scramble to hide any incriminating materials before the officer arrives. The surprise of hearing a knock on their taillight might disrupt this process, increasing their likelihood of getting caught.
Why Do The Police Touch The Rear Light Or The Back Of The Car When They Stop Someone
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Why do the police touch the rear light or the back of the car when they stop someone?
Why do American policemen touch the back or back of the car when they stop someone?
What is hidden behind this gesture apparently unimportant and later in the post I will explain why it can be useful in some cases even for an ordinary citizen.
This is a procedure, and it is something that not only the Americans do.
In the Police Academy they are trained when they stop a car to touch the taillight, the trunk or the bumper when we approach the car for different reasons.
The most important thing, according to the instructors, is to make sure that one or more fingerprints of the officer remain on that vehicle so that investigators can always establish a physical connection between the officer and that vehicle in the event of a critical accident or in the event that the officer should be seriously injured or killed .
Instructors teach you to always put your hands on the side of the vehicle near the rear but NOT on the back.
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Fingerprint Ties Officer To The Scene
If anything ever happens to where the police need to investigate, they can use the fingerprints on the car to determine if the officer was ever there.
For example, if a driver decides to flee the scene, the police can use the fingerprints on the car to track them down.
Or, if something happens to the officer like a fatality, the fingerprints on the car can tie them to the scene.
This is one of the main reasons why police officers touch your car, as it allows them to keep track of everything thats going on.
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