A CRUCIAL PART OF A PATROLMAN'S DURY...

A Patrolman’s duty in Law enforcement is exactly that, to patrol and enforce both criminal & traffic law. While on patrol, the officer will be reactive to any pending calls for service and proactive to any violation of law observed. 

That being said, LEOs do a lot of driving, hence we are constantly watching vehicles and driving behaviors. Most of the time people drive as they are supposed to, however when a violation of traffic law occurs and it observed by the officer that vehicle will be stopped for further investigation into the actions observed. 

This course of action is known as a traffic stop; it begins with the observation via the officer of a violation of traffic law, that officer will then activate his/her vehicles lights & sirens while in a position to get behind the violators vehicle, once the vehicle is stopped in a relatively safe area the investigation can begin. 

Most traffic violations are meant to be educational in purpose and goal oriented at voluntary compliance by the general public. However, some violations of the law come with certain punishments associated with them. This can be in the form of suspended or restricted driving privileges, fines, or even jail time in certain offenses. Not all traffic stops result in punishment, most stops that could warrant a citation for a violation of traffic law are investigated by the officer and he/she has discretion to some extent when it comes to issuing a citation or warning to the violator. 

Traffic stops can also utilized as a gateway to discovering different violations of law and are essential maintaining a known presence in specific areas where incidents are known to occur. Traffic stops can be intimidating, however they shouldn’t be unless you’re a criminal attempting to evade Law enforcement.

Most people feel some type of way when they look in their rear mirror and see a LEO driving behind them, like they try to drive perfectly or in a straight line. However, majority of the time if an officer is going to stop you it will be for something you’ve already done or are currently doing obviously. The point is that traffic stops are an essential part of a Patrolman’s duty, enforcing both criminal & traffic laws with a level of discretion allows for an opportunity to educate or eliminate those that do not belong on the roadways. 

So the next time you get stopped for a traffic stop for a minor violation…view it as an opportunity to be involved in making the community a better place rather than Law enforcement just badgering the public to meet some mystical magical quota that doesn’t exist.

A Crucial Part of a Patrolman’s Duty…