[Slingah]

Originally Posted by Swimmer

Just in case some of you don't know some fishermen drink and drive, ya its the truth. Some fishermen even have a cold beer on public property, bad boys that we can be sometimes. Some fishermen even smoke dope in these parking lots as I have seen alluded to here in rap verse.

More to the point and I have some experience in this. Running plates especially with the new mobile data terminals is an extraordinarily non intrusive way of checking someone out. "Like one of the guys said I heard him run my plate on my scanner as he left," cops find more bad guys do vehicle stops than doing any other kind of enforcement. Stopping cars gets the b & e boys and girls off the streets. Besides fishermen who else is out at 3 a.m. with the price of gas as it is. Stopping in and asking someone what thier up to at 3 a.m. anywhere is a fair question. Think of the balls it takes to do that day in and day out. Thier is no such thing as a routine traffic stop or routine interaction of any kind with the public. Every time a cop stops someone could be his last. Nothing irks me more when the news broadcast at 6 P.M. starts out, "Breaking News, a routine traffic stop turn deadly today for the father of three and twenty year veteran of the blank police department." Tell what is routine about a traffic stop. Or what is routine about stopping and asking one of us and asking, what's up?"

I don't have any saltwater areas in my town but many times I have stopped and chatted guys fresh water fishing and I could see some disliked me talking to them and I left. If anyone takes offense at meaningless banter with an on-duty officer then the problem is closer to you than it is with the officer. Do you have any idea how much an officer likes to come upon someone who'll talk to them in a decent tone of voice and not one of suspicion or outright dislike any time of the day or night. I am not trying to disparage anyones opinon or hurt anyones feeling, but next time offer the guy a coke and say hello. If he gets to know you he'll be less suspect of you and your buddies. One more thing, does anyone here know just how afraid the officer is of you? Think about it.

ya, well said swimmer......