Police AGAIN!

So last year (different thread) I have police show up in my own City while I was doing a removal job. Luckily, I knew one of the officers and was able to convince them that everything was good.

Yesterday, I did a pickup about 25 minutes away. Got all loaded up and was heading home. For my full time job, I oversee a District Bridge Section for the State DOT. One of our projects was located a stones throw from where I just did my pickup. I pulled off the State Highway and onto a side street. Got out and walked from one end of the bridge to the other. Turned around and there was another pickup truck (unmarked, personal vehicle)behind mine. Guy gets out and is walking towards me asking who I am and what I'm doing. Flashes a MSP badge. Told him who I was and he's asking for a badge or something. Being a Saturday and having my personal vehicle, all I had with me was a vest and hard hat. Now he is asking for my license and taking pictures of my license plates. I even gave him my bosses name and number. Now keep in mind, all I did was walk from one side of the bridge to the other. Now he comes out with some sort of comment like "I'm going to come back later and see if anything is missing." To which I said, Are you F***ing Kidding Me!. The A-hole is implying that I am stealing. Then he starts asking me if metal is worth it and where I take my stuff. Didn't think anything of that question until later on. Now I'm thinking that if something is missing, he is going to be checking the yard I told him.

This all seems like a huge waste of time and money. He's going to go back on the clock, check the site, talk to the company, call my boss, run my information, all for what? I walked on State Property from one end of a bridge to another. To make matters worse, I work for the State and it is a project that My staff put out and some oversight on. I'm not one to bash police, but this seems a little ridiculous to me.

I hate to say it but it does make sense. I've been in public service jobs before. There are eyes all over the place and people are far too quick to mis-read a situation.

A good rule of thumb : Not only do you avoid any kind of impropriety ... you avoid even the appearance of impropriety.

Stay well away from the job unless you're on the clock and have a specific purpose for being there.

Not crazy about having the cops around just for that particular reason. They're only human and sometimes they make mistakes when they're reading a situation. That could get you jammed up on false charges that take awhile to get sorted out. The problem is that the damage is already done once your reputation has been called into question. People remember the allegation and not the final determination of innocence or guilt.

Originally Posted by hills

I hate to say it but it does make sense. I've been in public service jobs before. There are eyes all over the place and people are far too quick to mis-read a situation.

A good rule of thumb : Not only do you avoid any kind of impropriety ... you avoid even the appearance of impropriety.

Stay well away from the job unless you're on the clock and have a specific purpose for being there.

Not crazy about having the cops around just for that particular reason. They're only human and sometimes they make mistakes when they're reading a situation. That could get you jammed up on false charges that take awhile to get sorted out. The problem is that the damage is already done once your reputation has been called into question. People remember the allegation and not the final determination of innocence or guilt.

Hills - I would have to disagree with you here. This site is open (bridge open to traffic), no fence delineating areas that are closed. It is a public way. I walked from one end to the other. I did not pick up a single item. There was no appearance of impropriety.

There are numerous times that I check out sites after hours (i.e. on my own time). My job is such that I don't get out to sites very often due to other responsibilities. This will not change the way I do things.

Originally Posted by hobo finds

So the guy was in an unmarked vehicle? Was he working at the time? I would think maybe he was out shopping for metal on his day off? Just because he has a badge to chase you away for himself to get the metal. I would contact his supervisor and see if he was on duty that day.....

Personal vehicle and he stated he was Massachusetts State Police.

Originally Posted by mthomasdev

Personal vehicle and he stated he was Massachusetts State Police.

Small detail .... but can you remember the color of his shield ?

Notice any lights behind the grill or up near the top of the windshield on the inside ?

Younger guy -or - older guy ?

It's more likely that he would be working out of an unmarked vehicle if he was a detective.

He might have been on a surveillance operation of some kind.

Not saying that it's one thing or another but there are different ways that it makes sense that he would appear to be off duty in his own private vehicle when he's actually on the job.

Originally Posted by Patriot76

Personally, it is his problem and not yours if you have not done anything wrong. Just because you are on the up and up does not mean the next person he stops will be. It is situations like this that call for the serenity prayer and no that is not meant to be a religious reference. Consider it a stress modification technique.

Unfortunately, it is my problem. He called it in to our Highway Operations Center and from what I've been told indicated that I could have been arrested and did something wrong. This could adversely affect my fill time job and any future promotions. I am checking all of my legal options.

There is many grey areas of laws. Police will do what they want, when they want. Sometimes they are on your side for you, sometimes they are not. Documentation can often help.

Originally Posted by Patriot76

Maybe ask for a recording of the body cam, if he was on duty. If he was not on duty it might be considered harassment. If he claims you were doing something wrong and he could have arrested you, he will have to explain to his superiors why he did not follow through and why he had a right to contact the highway operations office without at least issuing you a ticket. I would still contend that if you did nothing wrong, it will be his problem.

He was off duty. Limited cell service where we were, so I don't think he was able to call anything at that spot. I am trying to get copies of reports and will try to get copy of the phone call recording.

Unfortunately there's a certain type of person out there that really relishes the opportunity to make another person's life hell. This guy might be one of them, or he might not. Your only real defense in any case is to document what you can and then stand up for yourself. Easy for me to say I know, but I have experience in this particular area, believe me. The first time something like this happened I was a deer caught in the headlights and probably couldn't have remembered my dog's name if asked. Now, a bit like how you come up with good comebacks and insults a half hour after an argument is over, I've come up with some good ideas on what to do in a situation like this.

One thing I recommend is to go on Amazon or eBay and buy a $30 dashcam with audio. I try to be as close to the front of my truck hood as I can and calmly ask or suggest that we move a few steps in front of my truck "for the dash cam" and motion over to my windshield. If it's a cop you don't turn your back or start walking away of course, but merely suggest or mention it, confidently.

My dash cam is a cheap wired $25 ebay deal that doesn't even pick up much "external audio", it's mostly just the fact that you're letting them know the interaction is being recorded that stops any aggressiveness or funny business. If I'm still in the car I simply pivot the cam towards the driver's side window. I'm not a lawyer but dash cams are legal in pretty much all states and I am not aware of anyone being successfully prosecuted for using a dash cam as they are in plain sight and have an obvious, stated purpose unrelated to covert surveillance. Also, someone outside of a vehicle on the street or in a parking lot, etc. is in a public place with no expectation of privacy.

Anyway I know this is probably stressful for you and you certainly have my sympathy. Let's hope the whole thing blows over faster than a patio umbrella from Harbor Freight Tools.