What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New Jersey
I am a woman. On my way home from work one exhausting night (second shift, STEM field), a young male officer in a marked vehicle noticed me as he was pulling out of a lot, and began tailing too closely behind. As a relatively new driver who was already very upset over the sudden and recent death of my father (this was the eve of his funeral), I got nervous and changed to the right lane so he could pass, but put on the turn signal too late in my nervousness. He turned his siren on and pulled me over. He shined a huge flashlight in my face, in my purse, back in my face, continuously screaming accusations at me that I was not licensed (I was licensed in the state I'd moved from, so he couldn't find me in his database). I was frightened. I didn't remember to turn on my overhead light, so I couldn't see my license, which was, in fact, in my wallet the whole time (my wallet is huge, but I flipped through 4-6 times). He found my license on record due to further information I gave, but issued me a ticket for failure to display license. I said nothing, but after driving away, began shaking so hard and crying that I bumped a curb and got a flat tire 2 blocks away, then had a meltdown as soon as I got home and called my mother. I'd intended to fight the ticket, researched extensively, planned my file requests for discovery and questions for the cop. Today, as soon as I sat at the prosecutor's desk, he looked at my license, immediately thrust a paper at me and said he'd told the judge I was pleading guilty and recommended vacating the fine since I had a valid license. I asked if I could have time to think, and he said "30 seconds...before I go." I had second thoughts and signed. I was charged $88 in fees, which is some "vacation." The judge didn't even ask me my side.
I'm outraged at the way I was treated by the cop, as if I were a criminal or not human. Then I was funneled through the process unheard, like an item on a factory line, because all they care about is getting my hard-earned money. I'm a black woman who resides in the suburbs. Most cops have been very friendly and helpful. This cop was unnecessarily aggressive, rude, hostile and frightening as if I were in an interrogation room, with his nasty accusations and light in my eyes (until the end of the stop, when he got polite). Now, I must pay $88, when I would have found my license had this uncouth being not conducted himself like a rabid animal. I want to file a civilian complaint against the cop, as I apparently can't retract my guilty plea, confront my accuser about his behavior, or get it on record that as a public servant, his attitude toward the public is atrocious. How can I file a civilian complaint if I can't find the town's civilian review board information online, or know if it has one? Also, do they usually harass or retaliate? In what ways?
I am a woman. On my way home from work one exhausting night (second shift, STEM field), a young male officer in a marked vehicle noticed me as he was pulling out of a lot, and began tailing too closely behind. As a relatively new driver who was already very upset over the sudden and recent death of my father (this was the eve of his funeral), I got nervous and changed to the right lane so he could pass, but put on the turn signal too late in my nervousness. He turned his siren on and pulled me over. He shined a huge flashlight in my face, in my purse, back in my face, continuously screaming accusations at me that I was not licensed (I was licensed in the state I'd moved from, so he couldn't find me in his database). I was frightened. I didn't remember to turn on my overhead light, so I couldn't see my license, which was, in fact, in my wallet the whole time (my wallet is huge, but I flipped through 4-6 times). He found my license on record due to further information I gave, but issued me a ticket for failure to display license. I said nothing, but after driving away, began shaking so hard and crying that I bumped a curb and got a flat tire 2 blocks away, then had a meltdown as soon as I got home and called my mother. I'd intended to fight the ticket, researched extensively, planned my file requests for discovery and questions for the cop. Today, as soon as I sat at the prosecutor's desk, he looked at my license, immediately thrust a paper at me and said he'd told the judge I was pleading guilty and recommended vacating the fine since I had a valid license. I asked if I could have time to think, and he said "30 seconds...before I go." I had second thoughts and signed. I was charged $88 in fees, which is some "vacation." The judge didn't even ask me my side.
I'm outraged at the way I was treated by the cop, as if I were a criminal or not human. Then I was funneled through the process unheard, like an item on a factory line, because all they care about is getting my hard-earned money. I'm a black woman who resides in the suburbs. Most cops have been very friendly and helpful. This cop was unnecessarily aggressive, rude, hostile and frightening as if I were in an interrogation room, with his nasty accusations and light in my eyes (until the end of the stop, when he got polite). Now, I must pay $88, when I would have found my license had this uncouth being not conducted himself like a rabid animal. I want to file a civilian complaint against the cop, as I apparently can't retract my guilty plea, confront my accuser about his behavior, or get it on record that as a public servant, his attitude toward the public is atrocious. How can I file a civilian complaint if I can't find the town's civilian review board information online, or know if it has one? Also, do they usually harass or retaliate? In what ways?
