The voice recorder would go a long way to ending find a pretext stops. Cops are just like anyone else, they run their mouth about what they are thinking and doing. I bet the recordings would catch officers talking about wanting to try to find a reason to make a stop, rather having an unplanned observation trigger a stop.
People are programmed to obey authority figures. People are also gullible and easily fooled. Anyone can be fooled, not everyone can be programmed. Getting people to believe they’ve been fooled, well, that’s another story.
But any police officer I’ve encountered that weren’t plain clothed always had their name and badge number pretty obviously displayed. But I can see in certain situations that it might be difficult.
The only proper grounds for making any type of a stop is for the officer to directly observe a violation of the law. When responding to reported crimes, and disturbances, the officer has to observe the situation, speak to witnesses determine if there is actually something going on. And all officers investigate. Uniformed patrolmen do initial investigations, find and collect basic evidence, take statements and file initial reports. Detectives gather specialized evidence and do follow up investigative actions, as required. They are both trying to answer who, what, when, where and how. Why is often subjective, or initially unknown.
On LOng I[quote=“WuWei, post:33, topic:243545, full:true”]
It is much more than that.
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On Long Island?
Well maybe. But every employed person I knew there felt threatened by crime than by the police tricking them into showing an ID or tricking them into opening their trunk.
I can tell you for a fact if there a fight between a cop and a non cop I’m jumping in to help the cop. You?
Making up a reason is an act of official oppression. It should be treated as such, with employment consequences, and possibly civil/criminal consequences.