Good cop, Bad cop
I had a bad cop experience a few years back. This guy pulled me over in Freehold late motzie shabbos for going thru a yellow light. Creep! I told him the light was not red and he said it was Amber. Amber- just calling a yellow light amber deserves a smack. anyway, he pulls his car around facing mine, which is very unusual and his flashing lights were totally blinding me and getting me very nervous. My kids were all in the car, freaking out cuz we had just been in an accident the week before and they were jittery anyway (Mommy are you going to jail?) So I turned on some music after the guy went to do his paperwork to cheer them up. Nothing happens for a while, the lights just flashing in my eye and me kicking myself in the butt. Finally I roll down the window cuz it was taking really long, and the guy calls me to come to him. This was totally confusing to me cuz I was always told you never get out of the car. So finally I go over to him, and tells me I wasnt wearing my seat belt - total lie. and gives me a ticket for the "amber" but he is doing me a big favor and not giving me a ticket for the seat belt. Creep. Then he tells me I was driving dangerously with 3 kids in the car, and I told him, in the interests of honesty "actually it was 4." He misconstrued my honesty and gives me this creepy smile and says "Congratulations!" I tried to fight the ticket but when I went to court he was there and again told me I went thru the amber. So it cost me 200.00.
The good cop story:
I was driving on the shoulder of a very crowded route 9 after work one day, hoping to get ahead just a bit. Wouldnt you know it after 5 seconds I get pulled over. The cop comes over to me and tells me he is going to have to give me a ticket. I sighed pathetically and put my head down on the steering wheel. The guy asked what's the matter and I told him I cant afford a ticket. I was pretty young then so he says, so get your parents to pay it. I said "but I'm married." then he looks into my car and sees two car seats. He says, you know, you probably cant afford this, I am gonna let you go! I wanted to hug him, but I restrained myself and just thanked him and told him what a nice guy he was.