Why do cops ask about things that are none of their business???

[Pag23]

Cops will fish for information or for further investigation....mainly in the suburbs from my experience.

I don't take it personally it is part of their job..the few interactions where I have gotten pulled over either as driver or passenger has been professional and yes they ask questions to gauge behavior and body language response.

The RT 1 or Rt30 corridor is a travel haven for criminal activity between Baltimore, Coatesville and Phila....so the cops tend to be a little more attentive...

[WCMG]

He was fishing hard...

Exactly... LEO's ask questions because people love to explain themselves into a ticket they otherwise wouldn't have received. Why is it so hard to say, "Sorry, I don't answer questions without my attorney present" and the LEO will immediately respond with "if you have nothing to hide" line, and you repeat your statement. After the 5th or so time, they will stop asking questions. Yes, it takes traffic stops MUCH longer but that's the price of freedom sometimes.

[JAKIII]

In 44 years of driving I’ve been pulled over a number of times and never experienced this. LE normally just warn me or write a citation and send me on my way. Perhaps my clean car (inside and out), crew haircut, respectful nature, and veteran flag on my DL have something to do with it?

Bern’s comments make sense to me... and he knows, so...

[ExFlyinguy]

Wow that must have been a traumatic experience for you, and to come here and share it. Have you thought about counseling?

Seriously, it sounds as though everything he asked was relevant to what he saw in plain sight.

It was a traffic stop for speeding that caught Timothy McVeigh

[jthrelf]

Didn't seem like a bad stop. What concerns me most is every cop having LTCF info now. We've been hearing more about it.

[marinville]

It's called fishing. He was trying to find something better than a broken tail light to arrest you for. The better question is why you both kept flapping your jaws and risked talking yourselves into the back of the cruiser. Friendly advice: next time stow the ammo out of sight and stuff a sock in it.

[Krichardson]

Didn't seem like a bad stop. What concerns me most is every cop having LTCF info now. We've been hearing more about it.

I've suspected that they had access to that info all along.I don't see why they wouldn't,it being issued by the state through them.

[Walleye Hunter]

I believe that most arrests begin with a simple violation and fishing discovers crime and criminals.

[icp4life162005]

Exactly... LEO's ask questions because people love to explain themselves into a ticket they otherwise wouldn't have received. Why is it so hard to say, "Sorry, I don't answer questions without my attorney present" and the LEO will immediately respond with "if you have nothing to hide" line, and you repeat your statement. After the 5th or so time, they will stop asking questions. Yes, it takes traffic stops MUCH longer but that's the price of freedom sometimes.

And the proper way to handle any stop!

Excuse me officer am i free to go?
No
Am i under arrest?
No?
Then am i free to go?

[RockIsland]

I've gone on quite a few fishing expeditions, usually with one of NJ's finest local yokels, and two or three Troopers.

One State Trooper said it smelled funny in my truck, and asked what was in my ashtray.

I pulled it out and stuck it under his nose and said, "Gum wrappers and cigarette butts. You're welcome to dig through it if you like."

He declined, and let me go on my merry way.