Treating People With Dignity And Respect On Traffic Stops

We’ve all seen body cam and cell phone videos much like the situation here. While the officer was not swearing or insulting the subject he pulled over, he was not entirely professional when dealing with the subject.

But what can the officer do differently? 

Police officers should imagine it's their mother or daughter who is being stopped by the police. How would you want them treated? Chances are you'd hope the officer spoke to them respectfully and kept the entire interaction professional. bet that's how you'd like to be treated as well. In addition, for many agencies, complaints of rude behavior by officers make up a large percentage of the citizen's complaints they receive.

Therefore, it's in everyone's best interest to treat members of the public with dignity and respect. So, somethings you can do are give your name, explain why you pulled the subject over, and you should always try to keep calm. Remaining calm and professional can also be considered an officer safety issue. The situation is less likely to become a use of force incident In fact, in California, Vehicle Code 2806.5 now requires that officers state the reason for the stop before engaging in questioning related to the violation. 

This blog topic serves as a summary of our video lesson on this crucial topic. If you're interested in accessing the full video lesson and additional resources, click the link to register for your free 30-day trial.

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