Unrelated to politics-Renton cop is harassing me!

[jessicazi]

I was driving eastbound on highway 18 going to my dad's for dinner. It was bumper to bumper and I didn't let this car merge into my lane because I was in a hurry and the car in front of me let in two cars. When I wasn't letting this guy in, he rolled down his window and was screaming at me, which only reinforced my belief that this guy was a crazy driver I didn't want in front of me. This guy proceeded to follow me 3/4ths of the way to my dad's and he finally left me alone-he copied every move I made, including when I tried to exit off on C street but saw he was following me and then turned off my signal and stayed in my lane, which he then did. He got the license plate of the car I was driving and called my parents house this morning (I live in Idaho and am visiting here for the holidays) and is saying he is giving me a ticket for negligent driving, speeding, failure to use my turn signal, etc...

First off, he was off-duty.

Second of all, he is a Renton copy who is trying to give me citations for infractions he said I committed in Auburn.

Third of all, I was freaked out because he was following me...

Can he actually ticket me? Anyone have any information they can share. I am tempted to call his superior and file a written complaint. (He has called my house three times this morning and read me my rights on the phone).

[jessicazi]

1. Update.

Apparently he does have statewide jurisdiction. I have a call into his sargeant to file a formal complaint.

[SeattleGirl]

2. Even if he has statewide jurisdiction, his behavior seems

very irresponsible. What the heck did he think you were going to do, given that he was following you like a crazy person? Plus, since he was off-duty, you obviously had no way of knowing he was a cop. No lights, no siren?

Guy seems to have a bit of a problem. I would be interested to know what the sargeant has to say about it.

[jessicazi]

5. His sargeant was nice,

but didn't seem concerned that his officer was screaming at me, a young woman, then following me. The officer maintains that he was observing me drive badly (hence the reason for the negligent driving) and had the legal obligation to follow me, which the sargeant said is true. The sargeant also didn't seem concerned when I told him the officer told me the judge will listen to him and not me because he is a cop and I am not.

However, I was going to take the next exit, which wasn't far up the highway and the officer copied the moves I was making, so I stayed on the highway, because I thought maybe it was just a coincidence the person was exiting off too. Nope. The sargeant also says the officer had a right to call my house and talk to me and my step-dad two times. After the officer questioned me on the phone for 15 minutes, he read me my Miranda rights. Seems kinda backwards to me.

Basically the sargeant said this is a matter for the court. Which means I have to pony up money I don't have to pay for a lawyer I can't afford to fight tickets I shouldn't get because a power hungry cop was pissed off and wants to retaliate for me not letting him merge into my lane! What a great system we have!

[SeattleGirl]

6. Good grief!

This is the kind of cop that gives the good ones a bad name.

[LisaM]

7. If you file a written complaint (which I think you should)

It's sergeant, not sargaent.

It sounds to me as if he was driving aggressively, trying to merge in where there wasn't a space to do so. I have issues with the way people in Washington state try to merge. They don't space themselves out, for one thing, just merge in packs.

[Evergreen Emerald]

11. they cover each other's behinds

His sergeant is protecting him. The facts as he is attempting to put forth do not make sense. You were not driving erratically until he was chasing you in anger.

You need to go up the chain of command. The sergeant may not have even told his supervisors. And actually--you should also go up the chain of command in Auburn where the incident took place. Call the Chief of police of Auburn and make a complaint.

What would the media say to this type of behavior by police officers in our community. Using power to chase down a frightened female who was just protecting herself from road-rage.

[Evergreen Emerald]

3. He was completely out of line and used his power in anger.

The other jurisdiction who will be handling the matter will not be pleased with his behavior. I suggest, if you get nowhere with his department, that you go to the police department where the ticket will be handled and complain there.

Also, you may want to call and talk to an attorney about the matter. He was using his power to harass you to the point were you were in fear for your safety.

He used his power in a fit of road rage. Not acceptable behavior.

[maxsolomon]

4. moral of the story:

suburbs suck.

[uppityperson]

8. Moral of the story, sometimes you don't know if it is homocidal killer maniac or not

Best to be careful. Second moral, every profession has its assholes. Good luck with it all.

[LisaM]

9. The more I read this, the madder it makes me

Women are TOLD to be careful about men following them. When you complain, be sure that you make that point clear (find information from different police publications if you must).

I can't understand why he wouldn't at least have identified that he was a policeman, in which case you might not have appeared to have been driving negligently because you would have responded differently to his tailing you.

OTOH, I'd rather have a crazy erratic driver in front of me, not behind me. Where was he trying to merge from?

[jessicazi]

10. The cop is a jerk!

He said he was waving his badge...while he was trying to merge. I didn't know what he was waving, I thought it was a camera and he was taking my picture. When I asked his sargeant why he was waving his badge, his sgt. said a lot of cops do that as if to say, "I am a cop, drive better." I said bullshit, he waved it to say, "I am a cop, let me in or else." I told the sgt. we were at a stand still, I couldn't drive any better, I was sitting there and then would move a few feet, and then sit there and move a few feet.

He was trying to merge from 167 onto 18.

The problem with him waving his badge is that many people have fake badges that they use to lure young women to stop their cars and then the women are raped.

[LaBanty]

12. cops lie - that's what they do

They'll make up any story they need to cover their ass, or their partner's ass. There are so many dirty cops around here it isn't funny - power-tripping bullies that like to alter history to fit their agenda. But status quo is to lump them all together as if they're members some type of sainthood. We're taught since birth to think that way, it might as well be like flouride in the water.

There's nice ones, too. Somewhere. I've met a couple. Yup, seen 'em with my own eyes.