Is there a record of it?

[haikuI]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? WA

If you got pulled over, bunch of teenagers in a car with some sealed alcohol bottles, and police took you to the station and then let you go home with your parents with just a verbal warning - what's recorded of that?

If I were to get in trouble with police again (which I won't) will there be a record of having been given a verbal warning another time? Is that even a formal thing?

And if there's a question, on like applications and things, of 'have you ever been arrested' we can honestly say 'no' right? We weren't handcuffed or anything, no miranda rights thing, they were just like "you'll have to come down to the station and your parents will have to pick you up from there".

I would have asked these questions at the time but I really had other things on my mind then...

[CdwJava]

Originally Posted by haikuI

If you got pulled over, bunch of teenagers in a car with some sealed alcohol bottles, and police took you to the station and then let you go home with your parents with just a verbal warning - what's recorded of that?

If they are properly recording the detention/arrest and transportation, then a report or - at least - a contact report or form is completed. It depends on the laws in your state and the policy and practice of the agency. In my state the police agency would be best advised to write a report to justify the detention, the transportation, the seizure of the contraband, and the release to the parents. I imagine the same is true there.

If I were to get in trouble with police again (which I won't) will there be a record of having been given a verbal warning another time? Is that even a formal thing?

Almost certainly, there would be a record of this contact. Unless you get in trouble many years down the road, this will almost certainly be looming in the background. But, it's likely a local thing. Outside the city or county where this occurred, it is unlikely to pop up unless som other agency is doing a serious look into your history.

And if there's a question, on like applications and things, of 'have you ever been arrested' we can honestly say 'no' right?

If you were not cited and are not going to go to court, I'd say that you were not arrested. But, you may have to find out the details of the detention before you can say for sure.


- Carl

[haikuI]

Originally Posted by CdwJava

If they are properly recording the detention/arrest and transportation, then a report or - at least - a contact report or form is completed.

Oh so that's considered detention of a person? When we got to the station we were just sitting in this waiting area part, we could have walked out the front door when they turned their backs on us. They were acting like it wasn't that big a deal, we co-operated with them all the time. When they talked to us it was just sort of like "this is what CAN happen", it made it seem like they were giving us a break and it wasn't going to be something that would be sitting there...(although I guess if you don't have a record of kids you gave a chance to you're not going to remember who had one already...) Is a contact report about ME or about THEIR actions/procedures?

Originally Posted by CdwJava

Almost certainly, there would be a record of this contact. Unless you get in trouble many years down the road, this will almost certainly be looming in the background. But, it's likely a local thing. Outside the city or county where this occurred, it is unlikely to pop up unless som other agency is doing a serious look into your history.

Ok, 'local thing' sounds better. I already was nervous and worried about this before you said looming. So if I got MIP in the same place they could pull this contact up? But maybe they wouldn't know in another city? (I sound like I plan to go out and get trashed, No! I'm just curious about what this all means for me! I don't want any MIPs).

Originally Posted by CdwJava

If you were not cited and are not going to go to court, I'd say that you were not arrested. But, you may have to find out the details of the detention before you can say for sure.

We weren't cited, we don't have any court dates. I don't even think there was any paperwork of any kind that my parents got or anything...

[CdwJava]

Originally Posted by haikuI

Oh so that's considered detention of a person?

If they made a transportation of a minor they had to have lawful cause to do so. That requires an arre3st, consent, or som other legal authority. being a minor and out and about out of your parent's control os likely covered under one statute or another in your state.

Is a contact report about ME or about THEIR actions/procedures?

A report would be standard procedure where I have worked,but that does not mean every department will do it the same way.

So if I got MIP in the same place they could pull this contact up? But maybe they wouldn't know in another city? (I sound like I plan to go out and get trashed, No! I'm just curious about what this all means for me! I don't want any MIPs).

If someone looks hard enough, and they have legal reason to search for juvenile contacts, someone might find this contact. There is no way to say whether it will or it won't.

We weren't cited, we don't have any court dates. I don't even think there was any paperwork of any kind that my parents got or anything...

Then call this an early Christmas present (or whatever) and learn from it.

- Carl