Harassed by police today

[completia]

Okay right now I am really, really, REALLY furious.

I spent most of this beautiful MOTHER'S DAY in a police office filing forms and trying to prove who I am. Here it goes.

A guy calls me at my 24/7 location, okay, no problem, locked outside. I go to his house, he's waiting outside on the porch. He has his wallet, show me his driver license, clearly show that it's his address, and it's clearly him on the photo. Okay. According to my courses, this is enough. He signs the papers and I start my job. Before I continue, if this has any importance, I have to tell you the man was black.

As I am trying to pick - after a failed bump - a police car slows down in the parking and a very young policeman gets out. "What are you doing?" he asks. Then I make a mistake, I admit. I say : "Well, duh, what does it looks like I am doing?". That's my only mistake.

He comes closer and the black man is clearly nervous. The cop asks for more explanations and I tell him I am a locksmith, show him my license, etc. Then, it becomes more ridiculous.

The cop starts asking A LOT of questions, how long I've been in town (years!!!), who knows me, etc. He asks where my office is; I say I'm at home on sunday and that there will be nobody there (My office is registred with a corporate number but I use my cellphone for promotion). He mentions I don't look like my pic (well duh, it's an old photo, I changed a lot). He then says there has been a lot of robbery in the neighborhood.

The black man shows him his ID and the cop says he is unable to identify the man (okay, he DID look a bit different from his pic). He says he's gonna have to take both of us in for questionning.

Whaaa????

I repeat I am a simple locksmith but he says he has more questions for me concerning recent theft. So he takes both of us in his car and drives us to the post. The guy REPEATS it's his house, they even has his name, but the "young" cop keeps saying he doesn't look like the photo. It's sunday of course so he's almost alone in there.

It takes almost one hour and a half, one stupid hour waiting in the post office for no reason, until he let both of us go after many signatures and questions. Just a "Okay you can go" and we are both outside, I am back at his house lockpicking and done 5 minutes after. He thanks me, he pays me and everything ends well.

I'm a locksmith. I've unlocked TONS of cars and doors. This is completely ridiculous. I wasted nearly 3 hours of my day (with travel and time) for a case that would take 5 minutes normally. All this for a zealous cop.

This is complete @£¤@£¤@£¤

Sorry if this doesn't make much sense. I'm kind of frustrated right now.

-completia.

[MBI]

All I can say is, you don't get a second chance to make a first impression.

[adrenalynn]

+Rep for MBI.

[adrenalynn]

I just had to comment. Couldn't resist.

Let's look at this logically:

"Well, duh, what does it looks like I am doing?"

You just confessed, logically, to burglary. You admitted to the officer that you were doing what it looked like you were doing - breaking into a house.

Of course, a professional would have said something like "I'm a locksmith. My client here, Mr. ___, locked himself out, and I'm opening his door for him. My license is [in the truck] [in my pocket] [in my toolroll] if you need to see it."

You had a chance to save your CLIENT from harassment. If I were the client, I'd be torqued that you caused me that hassle...

One moment of snarkyness and you destroyed the cop's opinion of lockies and your client's opinion of the trade, all in one fell swoop.

[vmikulich]

The majority of police officers are nice as long as you are too. Once you give them attitude you have established that the encounter is going to be a "confrontation." They don't know if it is going to escalate to violence so they need to come back hard and end it early.

Police officers are trained to never back down and to come back with an additional "level of force." In your case you set yourself up for a fight. A fight that you aren't going to win if the officer isn't a six month rookie. You gave him attitude so he came back with a lot more attitude. If you had been non-compliant he could of used physical force on you.

Try being nicer as everyone else said above and this is unlikely to ever happen again.

Also I recommend using the term officer, deputy, sergeant, etc when addressing the officer as any sign of respect will get you an equal amount in return.

[unlisted]

Police officers are trained to never back down and to come back with an additional "level of force."

Ah the good old "use of force wheel"

Force +1

[adrenalynn]

All good advice. I would like to add:

You have a set of lock picks and a toolbox. He has a club and a gun. Guess who wins this confrontation?

Of course, once you're in cuffs, removing them for him isn't all the much of a challenge.

The majority of police officers are nice as long as you are too. Once you give them attitude you have established that the encounter is going to be a "confrontation." They don't know if it is going to escalate to violence so they need to come back hard and end it early.

Police officers are trained to never back down and to come back with an additional "level of force." In your case you set yourself up for a fight. A fight that you aren't going to win if the officer isn't a six month rookie. You gave him attitude so he came back with a lot more attitude. If you had been non-compliant he could of used physical force on you.

Try being nicer as everyone else said above and this is unlikely to ever happen again.

Also I recommend using the term officer, deputy, sergeant, etc when addressing the officer as any sign of respect will get you an equal amount in return.

[tballard]

Of course, once you're in cuffs, removing them for him isn't all the much of a challenge.

Note to completia: do not actually try this.

(Unless you find someone to post about the result while you are recovering from your wounds in prison to amuse unlisted)

[adrenalynn]

Thanks, Twin, for covering my legal disclaimer...

[nothumbs]

Seems to be the second example of an inappropriate display of attitude by the OP.

http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=44540

As they say, what goes around...

[Buggs41]

I'm a locksmith. I've unlocked TONS of cars and doors. This is completely ridiculous. I wasted nearly 3 hours of my day (with travel and time) for a case that would take 5 minutes normally.

I still find it hard to believe that you tried bumping the lock first. How professional does that look to the customer, and the police? If you looked, and acted more professional on the job, you might avoid these 'annoyances' with the law enforcement community.

[laf]

I must admit this is rediculous, the officer had no reason to bring you to the police station (If you had all your papers with you). But at the same time you first impression was not good...

BTW where you live man?

[vap0r]

I'd suggest either some kind of uniform with your company name/logo perhaps just a polo shirt.

I'd also suggest getting some decals for your vehicle that clearly identify your profession. You can get magnetic stickers or whatever.

[completia]

At least one good news.

Got a call today and of course no charge will be brought against me (at least!).

[le.nutzman]

At least one good news.

Got a call today and of course no charge will be brought against me (at least!).

Honestly, and forgive me if this sounds rude and rash..............but after following a slew of what amounts to STUPIDITY on YOUR PART Posts...........I expect nothing less every time I see a posting with your name, more stupidity and lack of forethought.

How hard would it have been to produce the very same paperwork that you had the client sign to show the officer that would have further validated your identity and your actions, assuming you had something in the said paperwork that clearly identifies yourself as a lock profession practictioner. I agree with Adrenalynn, you EMBARASSED the customer in the process of making yourself look like a fool. You tried to bump the lock? That's brilliant, show the customer just how easily ANYONE can open his lock let alone a lock professional, not a smart choice there either.

Do you just go out everyday looking for "the next big one" to come back and post to us about? Start a blog or at least read the rules and put these types of posts where they belong, GENERAL CHATTER. While you're at it, why not check out Rule #4 as someone also so pointed out to you in another post and FIX YOUR SIG!

Wasteless, worthless and still found wanting, that describes you.