The Anatomy of a Traffic Stop

Aside from receiving a citation, that traffic stop was uneventful.

A vast majority of traffic stops are considered to be “routine.” These stops usually last between 3-7 minutes. During these stops the officers will advise the driver of the infraction in hopes to provide education to the driver. The officer will then run the driver’s license information, return to the car, provide some sort of disposition to the driver, and ultimately send the driver on their way.

When considering the issuance of a citation, the officer has made that decision prior to getting out of their squad car. Most of these decisions are usually based on the severity of the offense. In my adolescence case, I was obviously traveling too fast.

Movers & Shakers

Capt. Pat Aldrich

Atraffic stop can create just as much anxiety for an officer as it does for the driver who is being stopped. We, as officers, have been trained to “expect the unexpected.” But what does that mean? Being a 24-year veteran of the Centennial Lakes Police Department, I have attended hundreds of hours of training involving traffic stops. Whether it is scenario-based training or watching videos of past traffic stops, a common theme is that officers do not have any idea of who or what they are stopping. During my career, I have stopped thousands of motorists and I have experienced a wide variety of resolutions to these traffic stops. When I was 16 years old, I was stopped by St. Paul’s finest for speeding. I was caught driving over the posted speed limit on a residential street. As I was speaking to the officer, he noticed I was nervous, and was able to get me to relax through conversation. The fact that I remember being nervous, and that the officer had a positive disposition, it has helped me understand the impact and importance that any traffic stop can have on both parties involved.

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There are plenty of examples of how traffic stops can go bad. When we as law enforcement officers are in training, it is not focused on our reactions to routine traffic stops, but more geared toward adverse interactions. The idea is to make sure officers do not treat all traffic stops as routine. If they were to become complacent during a potentially dangerous stop, it could be a life-threatening experience. We must be aware there are people with bad intentions, as well as situations where people may become desperate as a result of their misfortunes. Although these instances are rare, they are realities which we as officers cannot afford to misjudge.

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Just as drivers have a natural nervous reaction to being stopped, officers can experience similar nervousness when the stop is no longer routine. Anytime an officer makes a traffic stop, a driver’s actions, especially through their communication, can instantly change that officer’s demeanor. If the officer feels challenged by any type of verbal confrontation or non-compliance, the officer’s reaction could go one of two ways. The officer could remain poised and professional and focus on the task at hand or they could respond unpleasantly which would create more consternation.

Through our training we have been introduced to more de-escalation tactics. The focus is for officers to be able to recognize the difference between a driver’s reactions caused by their anxiety, those situations where an individual may have bad intentions or they are under the influence of alcohol or a mind-altering drug. De-escalation is not just used for hostile situations. Recognizing and addressing behavior during the early stages of an event may produce more desirable outcomes. Our hope is officers will continue to manage adverse scenarios through conversation to keep everyone at ease. After all, we are all human. Call us if you need us.

Pat Aldrich is a captain in the Centennial Lakes Police Department.

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Willful ignorance?

In a recent email regarding President Biden’s visit to the U.S. southern border, Rep. Pete Stauber states this: “Joe has a hard enough time finding words, let alone a border.”

President Biden stuttered as a child. I don’t know what road he traveled to overcome that, but he has overcome it and become the President of the United States. What a great role model for youth with disabilities of any kind.

I am a person with a disability, I have a daughter with a disability, and I work for people with disabilities as a direct support professional. All of these people with disabilities, including myself, are successful, contributing members of society despite our apparent disabilities.

I am truly appalled at Stauber’s offhand, derogatory comment about the president’s speech. I expect more decency and awareness from an elected official. The offhand nature of the comment is belittling and insulting to people with disabilities, speech or otherwise. It displays an ignorance of the value of others based on their meeting someone’s standard of neurotypical behavior.

A comment like Rep. Stauber’s does not bring me down. I know that it comes from a place of ignorance. But I hope that it does not come from a place of any real contempt for people with disabilities. I hope that this comment does not reflect a broader distain for the contribution that people with disabilities bring to society.

Will Perry, DSP Hugo

Two kudos

First is to all the Hugo Postal workers for their hard work and long hours in getting us our mail every day, especially through inclement weather. Not every city is as fortunate.

Second is to the Public Works Department in getting our roads cleared, as it has certainly been a challenging winter.

Thanks to you both.