The Next You Need a Cop, Call a Panhandler!

[Troubleshooter]

http://www.reason.com/hitandrun/2005...t_you_ne.shtml

Via reader Russ Dewey comes this To the People bit about how Washington State troopers are making it that much easier to hate the fuzz with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns:

Washington State troopers have been posing as panhandlers (who skirt entrapment laws by allegedly neither asking for nor accepting money) in order to sidle up to the cars of unsuspecting motorists as part of an elaborate scheme to spy whether the operator is wearing a seatbelt. Those who aren't are then busted by another cop radioed by the "panhandler" -- who sometimes holds a "happy holidays" sign -- and given a ticket for $101 or worse. Some of the ticketed motorists have been so kind as to offer the "panhandler" money (which the officer -- again allegedly -- rejects).

I can already anticipate the conservative backlash to this policy: Why are those motherfuckin' cops holding Happy Holidays signs rather than Merry Christmas signs? Can't you just hear Catholic League capo Bill Donoghue shouting, "This clearly demonstrates that the Bush administration cops have suffered a loss of will and that they have capitulated to the worst elements in our culture."

[glatt]

People will stop giving money to panhandlers now, because they will be afraid they are cops.

Not wearing your seatbelt is a relatively minor infraction of the law. The person you are most likely to harm is yourself if you're in an accident. Don't these cops have actual crimes they should be taking care of?

And why do they need to pose as panhandlers if they really are concerned about this crime wave of seatbelt scoff-laws in Washington? A person can get themselves a lawn chair and just sit near a street light on the sidewalk and watch the passengers and drivers of the cars that go by. You can get a pretty good look at the people inside a stopped car at a street light. It would be much easier. Or stand out there holding a sign that says "Lost Cat!" or some other neutral thing. Sounds more like a crack down on panhandlers to me.

[xoxoxoBruce]

When they come to the car window.....mace 'em.

[Elspode]

I just want them to be honest and admit that it is about generating revenue, and has nothing to do with public safety.

[lookout123]

People will stop giving money to panhandlers now, because they will be afraid they are cops.

nope, i quit giving to the panhandlers in phoenix when i saw a van "changing the shift" so to speak. picking up one guy and dropping another off. they kept the same sign though, so maybe it was a family affair.

want to piss a panhandler off? offer them a gift certificate to a restaurant.

Els - you are right - it is pure revenue. although i i don't suggest saying that while under oath. i did. it was worth it though, because i happened to have the $$ available to pay the contempt fine and i liked seeing the identical expressions of dismay and outrage on the faces of cop and judge. effffffff 'em.