Cop question for Luther

[tuff gong]

Luther mentioned once that as a policeman, one of his crimefighting superpowers was his ability to put a name to a face: he was a walking database of local criminals. One of many ways this came in handy, as Luther recalls, was when an arresting officer suspected an arrestee wasn't who he said he was. 'How about if we bring Officer Luth by?' was usually enough to convince the suspect to give up his real name.

I thought of this when I saw a recent story in the SF Chronicle where a lady had been wrongly arrested 7 times over 2 years on the same warrant. Some other gal had given this woman's name as her own during a drug arrest, and then never showed up for trial.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f ... 01&sc=1000

My concern in both cases is this: how do people get away with this? I've never been arrested so I don't know what the procedure is. I would have thought, though, that police or police station personnel would have some procedure for identifying or verifying the identity of those they arrest. Yet it doesn't look this way.

[The Seer]

Luther, 2nd from right.

[Luther]

tuff,

I read your link. I've heard of similar things like that and it points to errors for a whole bunch of people, police included. Had I been the gal arrested, I wouldn't be rolling around without numerous pieces of identification. I probably would have petitioned the district/circuit court for a specific notation to be included in the actual warrant on the police computer that would differentiate the identities.

Brothers and friends of crooks have a chance of being jammed up the same way. Obviously if the warrant states the guy is 6-2 and the person you're talking to on the street is 5-10 then the officer should definitely look deeper into the descriptions. But sadly, most of the descriptions that are on the warrant come from the custody/booking report of the past arrest. If the cop/court etc. didn't do a job worth a shit in describing the arrested person then it makes it hard for someone who doesn't recognize the person on the street. I always tried to fill out all the boxes...tats, scars, missing this or that, lazy this or that, ask them their SS#, date of birth, place of birth, last known address, ...just ask questions...mothers address, prior arrests, prior address etc. Eventually you can eliminate the chances for an error in a probable cause arrest.

Nowadays, supposedly, police cars can/will have computer screens that will pull up the picture of the person on the warrant. It also will pull up the drivers license picture and then you can make a comparison. Maybe there is a fingerprint pad/reader than can ballpark or eliminate someone, I don't know. Basically, you just have to TRY and do the right thing with the info that you have. Then, make the case and go with it.

Luckily, I never had a wrong person booked for a warrant that should have gone for someone else. I had this one brother once who basically "begged" that he was the one with the warrant and to take him to jail. But it wasn't him. I had both mug shots in my mugbook and even though they looked the same, the guy with the warrant had a missing tip of a finger.

What used to piss me off was when Detectives or whatever would announce that they had "Probable Cause" to arrest so and so for say, Robbery I. In the old days we'd honor the verbal "PC" for at least a day, maybe two. But then the Dets would get pressure from the DA's office that they wouldn't proceed with a grand jury/indictment unless they got a statement from the person of interest....even if it was a "Fuck you" or "I didn't do it." So the cases would just hang around...Dets would argue that PC a week ago still was good. I argued that how would I know if you HAD interviewed him and cleared him...and here I was following him down the street, about ready to jam him up. Fucking pissed me off all the time and I told them they had to VERBALLY TELL ME AT THE TIME OF THE STOP that they still held PC or I wasn't going to engage the guy.

But the chick in your link...she's richer and I doubt she's sweating it. Hope that answers the main part of your question.

Rip City

[Dinsdale]

My concern in both cases is this: how do people get away with this?

Brings back an old memory --

I can't remember how many times the cops showed up at my friend's house looking for his younger brother. That'll teach him to leave his Social Security card and driver's license laying around.

Hell, about everyone I knew could rattle off every bit of relevant info on poor Mikey. We used to get drunk and sing out his personal info to music as a group.


Good times.

[socal]

Hell, about everyone I knew could rattle off every bit of relevant info on poor Mikey. We used to get drunk and sing out his personal info to music as a group.

Went to see the U & R
strangest I could see
Layed my Tony Gwynn poster down
On the laptop next to me;
I won't slave for Dins' tool
likewise gold and jewels
but I would slave to learn the way
to post PET's for this ship of fools

[Mikey]

LOL SoCal.

I think you missed your calling in life.
I feel honored to be featured in the work of one of the great poets of our time.

[Dinsdale]

I feel honored to be featured in the work of one of the great poets of our time.

The greatest.

RACK

I'm guessing Twizzler will be along with some RACKs eventually, too.

[Mikey]

I feel honored to be featured in the work of one of the great poets of our time.

The greatest.

RACK

I'm guessing Twizzler will be along with some RACKs eventually, too.

Or at least a fitting Hunter/Garcia reset.

[Dinsdale]

SoCal almost inspired me to start busting off...


I told Ikea I was feeling lost
Lacking in some end tables



But then I decided against.


You're welcome.

[The Whistle Is Screaming]

SoCal almost inspired me to start busting off...


I told Ikea I was feeling lost
Lacking in some end tables



But then I decided against.


You're welcome.

Then let me help you along ...

Ikea told me upon credit check
my end tables can be delivered

I told Ikea their Delvery men
were tearin my door from its’ limbs
Ikea told me: now cool down boy -
settle back easy Dins


And Rack Socal/Garcia/Hunter!

[PSUFAN]

Nice work, Dead Cadre. Is there any thread that you're not given to patchoulifying?

Is NOTHING sacred, you dirty stinking hippies?

[Risa]

Nah, man, that's Big O. This is Luther:



And these are the fine boys in fur who patrolled Mace's block:

[The Whistle Is Screaming]

Nice work, Dead Cadre. Is there any thread that you're not given to patchoulifying?

Not a big fan of the "patchovermybodystench" unless the it is on a really hot little deadhead beeotch.

Is NOTHING sacred, you dirty stinking hippies?

Besides Jerry & the boys or our weed? Not really, well maybe some good munchies.

[loudspeakerathappyvalley]liongrowl[/loudspeakerathappyvalley]

[velocet]

I've got a "cop question" for Officer Luth.


I've heard that cop cars aren't just regular rides with different paint jobs. From what I've heard they have better everything where it counts: engine, transmission, brakes and suspension. Fo' real?

I dunno, never been in one.



Apologies in advance if this measly question leads to debate club extremes.



thanks,


velocet

[Dinsdale]

I've heard that cop cars aren't just regular rides with different paint jobs. From what I've heard they have better everything where it counts: engine, transmission, brakes and suspension. Fo' real?

I dunno, never been in one.



Apologies in advance if this measly question leads to debate club extremes.

Well, we've established that cops are experts on cars because the call tow trucks for them. (That was AWESOME, Luth. Where were you when we were sitting around killing time in the shop?)


So, I can merely offer the opinion of someone who worked in a shop that had a deal with the state police station up the road...


First, I'm too lazy to do your Googling for you, but I'll bet that somebody has some specs for you. GM, Ford, or some of the car mags/Petersons do cop car reviews every few years.


But to answer your original baiting question... you heard wrong.

Last models I saw, anyway, the only difference, besides the obvious one in the interior accouterments, is the exhaust system. Because it's assumed that cop cars will be well maintained, they're allowed to slide on the catalytic converter.

So, that exact same engine and tranny you and I can buy from the dealer recieves s light performance upgrade because of a slightly freer-flowing exhaust system.


Not sure about current models, but some of the factory cars had a Kevlar/Spectra liner inside the sheet metal of the door for a little bulletproof cover.

[Luther]

Guns and cars, ...I became proficient in their use but I didn't know a hell of a lot about either one of them. However...The last few years at least we were/are driving the Crown Vic's. Somewhere on the car there was the emblem indicating "Police Package," "Performance" or "Runs like a Raped Ape," but I can't remember what it actually said. Was the suspension beefed up? Yessir. Engine was the big one but I don't know if it was modified or not.

You pop the hood on it and most car aficionado's would typically whisper something like, "Jesus." I figure that is pretty good. With all the electrical equipment needed for the police radio's, the mobile digital computer for accessing wants/drivers status/criminal histories/registrations etc, it looks like a huge maze of sophistication, far past what I know about cars. I just drove them.

My favorite police car of all time was about the '77 or so Chev. Nova. A smaller frame but that car was killer to drive. Tremendous acceleration, very well balanced for turns and windy roads, and you could do a U-ball on a standard street with ease. A great pursuit vehicle even though I detested pursuits. You could downshift into a lower gear and the thing just ate up asphalt. Durable, sturdy and tough.

The worst we had was probably during some late 70's or early '80s Plymouth K car type of car. Pieces of shit, with horrendous steering and suspension. It wasn't too bad in a straightaway, but the boxy thing was a fat bitch to drive. Nothing like driving some guy to jail and he says from the back seat, "So how do you like driving the "BIG PUSSY" for a cop car?" Kind of embarrassing too. I remember when I was a rookie, two old timers always took out this marked station-wagon because there was plenty of room to sleep in them. They called it the "Barco-Lounger."

At each precinct we had anywhere from 1-4 garage guys that kept the cars up...tires, oil, small repairs and such. If we crunched up the car it went to "Powell Shops" and there was a huge crew down there that fixed all of the city cars. They always were repairing crunched cop cars but you very seldom would you see the "Mary Jane" types from the water bureau that got in any high speed pursuits. :D

For about five years I worked the graveyard shift dealing with tons and tons of drunk fucked up people. Gullible tards too. Every now and then I'd get somebody in the back seat and I'd be questioning them..."Alright, you broke into that shed didn't you?" The guy would plead that he was just walking by and saw the window broke out so he went inside to look for a broom. I'd then tell him, "Ok now, I've got the truth box hooked up and if you lie to me it will start clicking, OK ?" Dude would say something like, " I won't lie, ask me what you want." He'd tell me a lie and I'd hit the floor toggle switch that would release the shotgun release bracket that was between the two front seats. It made a loud metallic click and would continue to click as long as you toggled the floor switch. The switch was next to the high beam switch on the floor. Only a few times it worked, never was used in court, but I'm sure when the guy sobered up he'd be telling his buddies, "They got a truth box in the cop cars now and it detected I was lying, I tell ya."

And then of course you've got the typical "DARE" police car...probably a Camaro/Corvette/Mustang type of car, beefed up big time and the school kids ate it up. It was just all for show though...sure it ran great, and on occasion they were used in missions involving speed zones and enforcement but for the most part some geeky cop would drive around in it and give the stay off drug talks to the schools.

My partner and I did get our asses chewed out when I worked North precinct...had a '77 Nova with a "Darth Vader Lives" bumper sticker on the back. That pissed the commander off but what really got us in the grease was that we'd left this huge pool of dried blood cascade from the read trunk lid and down past the fender. He ordered the garage guys to remove the sticker and clean the fender and my partner and I got the big chew out. :D

But Velo, I never wanted to and never had to drive the different new shit that is out there: 4 wheel ATV's, bicycles, motorcycles, command post RV's or the SERT (similar to a SWAT vehicle). Oh, we got horses, dogs and for awhile we even had a drug sniffing pot bellied pig. He eventually got too fat and I think we served him at the Boys and Girls club weenie feast in '97. So yeah, Velo, they do have "police packages", performance enhancements and such but I don't know if it is something that the retail market couldn't order up on a vehicle purchase.

Rip City

[velocet]

First, I'm too lazy to do your Googling for you, but I'll bet that somebody has some specs for you. GM, Ford, or some of the car mags/Petersons do cop car reviews every few years.

This isn't a googling question, this is an ask someone who might have driven the thing question. Specs are nice and all but I'm not writing a thesis needing sources I'm just wondering if it's true that cop cars aren't regular stock but souped up.

But to answer your original baiting question... you heard wrong.

How the fukk can someone be so clever to possibly bait with this kind of question, Dins? It doesn't lead anywhere in the way of opening a victim up to evisceration no matter the angle fer chrissakes. Yeah, I can just see Luth quaking at seeing this question on his screen and murmuring to himself "oh noes O lawd in heaven no... NOT the "are cop cars souped up" query."

Yeah, the mind boggles at the permutations, especially since most are dead ends.

Last models I saw, anyway, the only difference, besides the obvious one in the interior accouterments, is the exhaust system. Because it's assumed that cop cars will be well maintained, they're allowed to slide on the catalytic converter.

So, that exact same engine and tranny you and I can buy from the dealer recieves s light performance upgrade because of a slightly freer-flowing exhaust system.


Not sure about current models, but some of the factory cars had a Kevlar/Spectra liner inside the sheet metal of the door for a little bulletproof cover.

Well thanks man. That's all you had to say... or not ('sup not Luth).




velocet

[Luther]

https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/200 ... iceInt.asp

Police Interceptor was the package I was trying to remember...Here are some stats:

Crown Victoria Police Interceptor offers body-on-frame construction, rear-wheel drive and a V8 powertrain as standard equipment

Government's 5-Star front crash test safety rating - Crown Victoria has received the government's highest 5-Star crash test safety rating for the driver and front passenger for 10 years in a row (1996-2005)

Tested in 75-mph rear-end crash - No other car in the world is tested to this standard!

Industry-first optional Fire Suppression System

Industry-first factory available Ballistic Door Panels

5 Police Prep Packages are available to customize equipment needs for individual police departments and reduce aftermarket upfitter installation costs

Ford Vehicle Special Order (VSO) available for unique vehicle equipment and special paint options

17" wheels and tires now standard on every Crown Victoria Police Interceptor

Engine hour meter is now standard

AM/FM stereo radio now standard for 2006 MY




Airbags - Side-impact (available)

Brakes - Power Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)

Brake/shift interlock

Door beams - Side-impact

Emergency interior trunk release

Government's highest 5-Star frontal crash test safety rating

Personal Safety System™ for driver and right-front passenger - With dual-stage airbags, safety belt pretensioners, safety belt energy-management retractors, safety belt usage sensors, driver's-seat position sensor, crash severity sensor and restraint control module

Optional Fire Suppression System helps reduce the risk of injury in high-speed, high energy rear impacts by deploying chemicals that curb the spread of fire. This can allow more time to exit the vehicle or to wait for help to arrive.

Available Ballistic Door Panels provide additional protection for Police Officers when needed. Panels are completely covert, and they don't interfere with operation of windows or locks.

Traction Control (available)


Always wear your safety belt and secure children in the rear seat.





Body-on-frame, RWD construction

Engine - 250-hp 4.6L SEFI V8 with overhead cam

Engine, power steering and transmission oil coolers

200-amp alternator (provides additional electrical capacity for police equipment)

Wheels - 17" wheels and tires

Air conditioning

Conventional spare tire

Engine hour meter

Front and rear stabilizer bars

AM/FM stereo radio






Airbags - Side-impact (driver and front-passenger)

Audio - AM/FM stereo/cassette

Axle - Choice of 3.27 non-limited-slip or 3.55 limited-slip axle

Ballistic Door Panels - Option Code 90L - driver's door only, 90B - both front doors

Driver's-side or dual spot light assembly

Engine block heater

Laminated side security glass

Power-adjustable pedals

Rear power windows and door locks delete

Seat - Power driver's

Street Appearance Package

Two-tone paint






Automatic Fire Suppression System
with manual activation switch

Horn/siren wiring Package

Police Prep Packages

• Base Police Prep Package

• Base Visibility Package

• Complete Police Prep Package

• Ready-for-the-Road Package

• Visibility Package


Trunk Pack™ (with DuPont™ KEVLAR® Lining)

Rip City

p.s. Ask Dins, besides having been the greatest body man/machinist/mechanic evar, especially Oregon Police cars that he'll probably say are indeed the fastest sound barrier breaking cars in the US of A. I mean, if you are still in your 30's and have been a rock star, plumber, deck builder, inventor, heating/air conditioning guy, chemist, educator, biologist, forester, psychologist, boat builder, and up to and including his current status as paint store guy, well, maybe he can elaborate for all the master car guys here because I sure as hell can't. I defer to Dinsdale, Master Life Knowledge Man.

[Goober McTuber]

Luther,

Sounds like the Madison PD bought the same cars that Portland did. Those Novas looked pretty neat racing around town. I believe it was the ’78 that was available with a 350 cu in 4-barrell. Plenty of engine for a car that size. Cops here told me it had a beefed up suspension – I held off on the donut comments.


http://www.geocities.com/novaessess/SSpolice.htm


I also remember the K cars.

[Luther]

That was a fun link to read, Goobs. Most of the particulars went over my head but it was fun to see some of the old Nova's and their lightbars and pushbumpers.

Rip City

[Dinsdale]

Luth -- thanks for posting a link that pretty much reiterates what I just said.

Whoever wrote it might want to mention that most/all states allow cop cars to run without cats, which I believe is how Ford and GM ship them. I don't believe there's any states that don't have emissions exemptions for emergency vehicles, although I really don't care whether they do or not.

If you wanna take a poke at me, bro, it's probably more æffective when you don't attempt it by agreeing with me.


Same freaking car, with the exception of the exhaust sytem and the door panels(and of course interior goodies, but everyone knows that).

JUST LIKE I SAID.

[PSUFAN]

Luth,

did you ever come across Dins crushing some skank's pooper outside of the VFW? Or maybe he was upsiding it under a deck he had just installed, insured, and appraised?

[Luther]

Luth,

did you ever come across Dins crushing some skank's pooper outside of the VFW? Or maybe he was upsiding it under a deck he had just installed, insured, and appraised?

I'm not positive it was Dins. Well, it was probably Dins. All I saw was a guy spanking some chicks ass underneath a deck made with the finest natural deckwood known to mankind, the Oregon Cedar deck; secured of course with square deck screws made in of course in Oregon by non-imported Californians who cannot drive, but by natural born Oregonians. As I drove by he yelled that I wasn't accountable, that I was a member of some gestapo police department and that he could knock me out like that other cop he laid out many years ago. He made a gesture to his waistband like he had a damascus weapon that his bestest buddy had made after they had returned from the treacherous dope world meetings where guns might have been involved, but he couldn't comment on it.

Fearing that, I just continued to drive my Police Interceptor vehicle that he might have repaired in the finest body shop on the west side that also caters to Calif. plated cars brought in by those same drivers who have migrated up to Oregon, and have paid mad jack for expensive homes in Lake Nonegro, a suburb of Portland, which might just be the finest city this side of Rio.

Since I was skeered, I continued on since I've only been in the state since I was 17, and realizing that I'm not a native Oregonian and that three decades of public service to the great citizens of this great state with the greenest fucking trees since they invented Fuji film and the brightness it offers, to the beer casks of yes, the finest tasting beer in the cosmosphere, to the cement bays of a Les Schwab store; quite possibly the quintessential tire store employing true Oregonians who actually run up to your car when you come in to the white snowy slopes of Mt. Hood which is a mountain personally used by GOD himself. Yes, PSU, I just drove on. It was probably him as I did notice a receding hairline, a skinny guy with a painters shirt that had a stitched on name that I believe started with, "D I N," but with the sun glaring down through the crispest and cleanest blue sky in the WORLD I could have been mistaken.

I make mistakes all the time PSU, so keep that in mind. And btw, I was just joshing everyone, I'm really a retired businessman who has sold my interests in the Luth Motel.

Rip City
:D:D

*edit: 15 min. goes by and Dins hasn't come in here and told me I shouldn't have stepped to him? Something is going on. I hope he's OK...maybe he did go after the salmonids like he threatened to. I hope he comes back soon as I had just got a crew formed to plan the 15,000 posts celebration party that will be held at Moorese's house.

[Goober McTuber]

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I’m sure Dinsdale will take that into consideration. RACK.

[BSmack]

I make mistakes all the time PSU, so keep that in mind. And btw, I was just joshing everyone, I'm really a retired businessman who has sold my interests in the Luth Motel.

*edit: 15 min. goes by and Dins hasn't come in here and told me I shouldn't have stepped to him? Something is going on. I hope he's OK...maybe he did go after the salmonids like he threatened to. I hope he comes back soon as I had just got a crew formed to plan the 15,000 posts celebration party that will be held at Moorese's house.

It's an old Sicilian message. It means Dinsdale Piranha sleeps with the fishes.