Monday, April 20, 2009

So you think you're special

I cannot begin to tell you how many cars and very nice ones at that, that I've pulled over which have that convenient "11-99 Foundation" license plate frame.

They usually hand over their registration and insurance card in a little nifty 11-99 bi fold holder with a prominent gold badge on the front.

I've actually had several drivers open their wallets with a rectangular flat bronze 11-99 plaque which I've heard referred to as a "badge" conveniently located next to their driver license. On many occasions I've noticed a small CHP badge sticker on their driver license. I always ask "What's with the cute little kiddie badge sticker?"

I read on the Internet (not that everything on it is true) that an $1,800 donation gets you the license plate frame, registration holder and that nice bronze "badge".

The 11-99 Foundation is a great charitable organization which helps CHP families in their time of need. But don't think that the license plate frame, registration holder and bronze "badge" will get you out of a ticket for a violation you obviously committed by getting stopped by a cop.

Example: I'm sitting at one of my usual duck ponds and see this BMW racing westbound, passing traffic going the same direction. The posted speed limit is 40 mph. I get a speed reading of 63 mph. And wouldn't you know it, the driver is talking on their cell phone too. I get behind the BMW and I noticed the 11-99 Foundation license plate frame....

I stop the car and when I contact the driver, she's 17 years old and is a local. To make things short, of course she didn't know how fast she was going and she picked up her phone because it rang. She hands me this black vinyl registration and insurance bi fold case with a gold badge on it with you guessed it "11-99 Foundation".

I wonder how many times daddy was stopped and tried using the 11-99 Foundation juice card and was given a warning? Well daughter sure as hell thought that it was going to get her out of a ticket. NOT!

I ragged her for the speed and cell phone violations.

People, license plate frames, registration holders, badge stickers, bronze plaques representing badges will not get you out of a ticket with me. So it's no use flaunting it. You have a better chance of getting out of a ticket by being calm, mutually respectful and a good joke wouldn't hurt either.

To those people whom I've cited with their 11-99 memorabilia, most have been understanding and didn't cry one iota about getting a ticket. Then there are those who blame me for their bad driving habits and further state that they are not going to contribute anymore to the Foundation.

To you, I say "Fucking Whaa!" You give your fellow Foundation members a bad rap. What makes you better than anyone else driving on PUBLIC roads and exempt from the vehicle code laws and any enforcement action! NOTHING! That's what!

"Press hard, 3 copies Asshole!"

9 comments:

  1. Now there are even places on the internet selling the license plate frames and blue line stickers for. The funny thing is that people are willing to pay $250 for the frames on EBay or Craigslist because they actually think they work for something.

    My personal favorites are the folks with the COPS (Concerns of Police Survivors) stickers from the past four years plastered down their rear window. The stickers the organization sends out when they ASK you for a donation, not when you send in a donation.

    COPS is a great organization. But people shouldn't use it to try to get out of a ticket.

    The only surefire way to get me not to stub you, is to drive within the law.

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  2. I get a kick out of it when ever I pull over somebody who has an F.O.P. sticker or bumper sticker, my first question isn't for the D/L Registration , it's, " What lodge to you belong too??". They usually don't have a clue what I'm talking about.
    If the person is a bonafide LEO brother I do extend professional courtesy as most of us do,as long as he/she has real tin on them and not stickers. Hell in Canada if you aren't carrying your badge just show me a duplicate of your warrant card, that work's with me. But none of these "foundation" stickers,emblems, whatever are going to work.
    I'm glad you ragged on her for the cell phone, sometime's I forget, thanks for jogging my memory.
    Work safe Brother, and stay safe!
    Tom

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  3. I have an MMOC (Municipal Motor Officers of California) sticker on my truck, not as a means of avoiding a ticket, but as a show of respect and support. And, I did get a ticket, which I deserved, and never expected or attempted to sway the officer because of it.

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  4. Hey Press Hard,
    Funny story about that whole CHP 11-99 crap. When I was working with you in the town to the north of South City, I stopped a dude driving a Rolls. I ask for his license, I get his gold metal card (thinking back that shit probably was actual gold for as much $$ this dude had!). I returned it and asked for his license with a picture on it, not a card with a CHP logo on it.

    Dude ends up getting a cite and sure as shit he fights this in traffic court. Being a brand new cop on the street and having minimal experience with our traffic court judge, I did not have the stones to say he identified himself with his CHP 11-99 foundation gold card. Of course, dude was found guilty.

    From that day on, if I get handed a card from the foundation it equates to a citation no matter what or who hands it to me.

    A few months later a dude handed me a CHP 11-99 foundation card which was a paper card lamintated in plastic. I asked him if he was pledging the fraternity or was just a junior donation giver. He did not answer and I gave him a ticket too.

    F-em all.

    PS. I was not able to find the recording from your traffic stop turned WWF wrestling match in the school parking lot, but I am working on it still....LATER!

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  5. Hello,

    We just launched our new PoliceOne Blog Directory and we would like to feature your blog on it! We would first like to know if you would want to display our RSS feeds or do link exchange. I think that PoliceOne’s Blutube.com videos would work really well on your site as well as our News Widget with up-to-the-minute law enforcement news feeds. All of our Blutube videos are law enforcement related and I believe they will be able to add more content for your viewers. I hope to hear back from you soon so we can add you to our blog directory.

    Here is the link to the PoliceOne blog directory: http://www.policeone.com/law-enforcement-blogs

    Blutube video link: http://www.policeone.com/law-enforcement-police-rss-feeds/blutube.xml

    Here is an example of a fellow blogger who has used the News Widget: http://apolicewife.blogspot.com/





    Best,

    Darcy Carroll

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  6. Darcy,
    I would be honored to have this blog listed in the Policeone blog directory.
    Thank you,
    2WT

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  7. But you fucktards flash a badge at one another when you get pulled over by a fellow officer, and get off with a slap on the fucking wrist. Eat shit and die, hypocrites.

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  8. I see your still unemployed you lazy $@&!. Your poor grammar gave you away. Your comment should have started with "Bet" not "But" you tard. To answer your question, sometimes we do, but usually the "confidentiality" on our license plates lets the officer know we're in the "business" and we have no need to flash our "stinking badges".

    It's a perk for being a card carrying member, oh and by the way, when you were working and paying taxes, I just want to personally thank you for contributing to my retirement. Please to thank your wife for me too since she's the only one working in your family now as you sit at home reading this blog when most responsible husbands are the MEN in the house and are out working.

    Please read a couple of other posts "Unreasonable Retirement" (July 20, 2009) and Working Hard or Hardly Working" (July 12, 2009).

    Help yourself help me, get a job, pay taxes so I can look even more forward to my 3@50 retirement!

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  9. This is great stuff. I have truly enjoyed this article and everyone's comments. I am 30 years old, not a cop, and I've never been giving a moving violation. (I have gotten a ticket for my registration being expired, but oh well, that's my fault) .

    To the "Anonymous" guy who ragged on cops letting other cops off, let it go. Police Officers aren't the only people in this world who help brothers/friends out. I work in your typical corporate America desk job, and getting promoted in this company is all about who you know, not what you know, and that's life.

    For all the crap cops have to put up with on a regular basis, I'm definitely ok with them giving each other some slack for minor things.

    Keep up the great work guys.

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