Earlier this year, I was dropping off a push lawn mower that I fixed for my friend. I have a side business where I “flip” cars that I get for free or for scrap value and also do car and lawnmower repairs for others. Anyway, after dropping off his mower (the auto choke was bad), I turned on my headlights and noticed that one was burned out. Not 5 minutes later, two local cops (both young) pulled me over. They told me about the light and I said I could easily fix it within 5 minutes and would do so immediately. They checked my inspection, insurance, drivers license, and registration...all valid.
Suddenly, the one officer told me he “smelled marijuana” in my car, which is a Ford Focus with over 350,000 miles and several mismatched doors/fenders and mismatched rims. I politely informed them that I’ve never drank alcohol a day in my life, let alone use marijuana. They didn’t believe me, so I begged them to search my car. So they did. For 30 minutes, they painstakingly tore apart everything I had, which consists of project files for my job, numerous tool boxes, battery jump packs, car jacks, tire repair stuff, fluids, air compressor, and other emergency supplies. Of course, they found absolutely nothing aside from a machete and some knives that I keep in the car for protection. They patted me down, frisked me on the hood of the police car, had me take off my shoes, pull up my shirt, shake out my shorts, etc. I kept asking them to bring a drug-sniffing dog or administer a drug test (blood/hair/urine), but they declined my requests. They tore my entire car apart and even had me pop the hood so they could look in the engine bay! Keep in mind, this entire embarrassing incident occurred in the parking lot of a bar, which is where I pulled over. As they harassed me, numerous drunk drivers left the bar. Oh, the irony!
I got a $150 fine for the headlight and fought it in court. I told the magistrate the entire story with the one cop present. The judge actually seemed somewhat sympathetic. I just got my money back a few weeks ago.
They perceived me to be a drug-addicted lowlife and “profiled” me because of my car. I told them that I’m a civil engineer and surveyor (I showed them my business card), that I own a $250,000 home (with 9 acres) that I paid off in 5 years, that I’ve been married for over 10 years and have kids, that I wholeheartedly despise drugs and have never taken anything harder than Ibuprofen in my life, etc.
Virtually everyone the police interact with is lying to them, so why should they believe me? I’m still “pro-police,” but they handled this situation poorly.
