I've read the other gripes, and in most cases, I agree. I don't feel quite as vitriolic as one of them, but it does anger me when it seems that they can't stop anyone without searching them because they smelled something. And they are ALWAYS "smelling" something. One that really ticked me was the "Cocaine" in the guy's pickup truck (recently) the arresting cop called in a dog and handler, and the dog was clearly much more interested in relieving itself than in searching the vehicle. When it did search, it spent about two seconds sniffing the passenger compartment, and DID NOT look interested, at all. Nonetheless, the handler "found" a secret compartment (not shown) with what she said was residue, and they impounded the man's truck.
They did have a really great chase in which the arresting cop was like a bulldog; having I.D.ed the driver for warrants, they finally got him in a foot chase with a dog; and that was a real good end for a guy that was a helluva driver, too; the cop was just better. That's the observably right stop that matters. Why didn't they search HIS truck?? Sure, they pull some bad guys down, but I see what seems like unwarranted searching for things like burned out taillights; these take away from the really GOOD arrests. I think they need to tighten up on what constitutes a serious stop. Most of these are good, but just enough are questionable enough to be called "rousts".
I think it's good when they show positive, problem solving encounters. Of course there are going to be bad things, but I think some look staged, and come close to rights violations. Clean it up.
They did have a really great chase in which the arresting cop was like a bulldog; having I.D.ed the driver for warrants, they finally got him in a foot chase with a dog; and that was a real good end for a guy that was a helluva driver, too; the cop was just better. That's the observably right stop that matters. Why didn't they search HIS truck?? Sure, they pull some bad guys down, but I see what seems like unwarranted searching for things like burned out taillights; these take away from the really GOOD arrests. I think they need to tighten up on what constitutes a serious stop. Most of these are good, but just enough are questionable enough to be called "rousts".
I think it's good when they show positive, problem solving encounters. Of course there are going to be bad things, but I think some look staged, and come close to rights violations. Clean it up.