PintoLover
New Member
I was recently pulled over and searched illegally without cause or reason (obstructed tag) when I returned to my home state (MO) I took high resolution photos showing that the tag was not obstructed and then filed the following complaint with the Thomas County Undersheriff: (any advice would be helpful)
RE OBSTRUCTED LICENSE PLATE PULLOVER BY OFFICER TOM****** BADGE *** 3-3-10 1917 HRS
I COLLECT FORD PINTOS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. ON THE ABOVE DATE AND TIME, MY FRIEND AND I WERE RETURNING FROM ST GEORGE UTAH WITH A YELLOW 1972 FORD PINTO RUNABOUT ATTACHED TO THE BACK OF MY 1986 DODGE PICKUP.
THE PHOTOS WILL SHOW THAT WE WERE PULLING THE CAR PROPERLY WITH A TOWBAR AND A 2 INCH BALL. THE PHOTOS WILL ALSO SHOW THAT WE WERE USING PROPER MAGNETIC LIGHTS AS WELL.
MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, THE PHOTOS WILL CLEARLY SHOW THAT THE LICENSE PLATE WAS MOUNTED PROPERLY AND WAS IN NO WAY OBSTRUCTED OR HIDDEN FROM VIEW.
WE WERE TRAVELING ON I-70 AND WERE PULLED OVER BY OFFICER GRAHAM, COMING TO A STOP IN A REST AREA NEAR COLBY KANSAS.
THE OFFICER TOLD US THAT HE STOPPED US BECAUSE THE REAR LICENSE PLATE WAS OBSTRUCTED FROM VIEW AND ASKED FOR BOTH OF OUR LICENSES AS WELL AS THE REGISTRATION AND PROOF OF INSURANCE AND PROOF OF WHERE WE GOT THE FORD PINTO FROM.
THE OFFICER PLAYED A LITTLE GAME WITH US BY ASKING:
"WHERE ARE YOU COMING FROM" - ST.GEORGE UTAH
"WHERE ARE YOU GOING? - EL DORADO SPRINGS MISSOURI
"WHAT ADDRESS IN EL DORADO SPRINGS MO?" - …ETC
I PROCEEDED TO TELL HIM THE FULL ADDRESS INCLUDING ZIP CODE AND TELEPHONE NUMBER.
HE RESPONDED SARCASTICLY "IS THAT IT OR DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE NUMBERS FOR ME?
WE SHOWED THE OFFICER THE ACTUAL EBAY AUCTION WHERE WE BOUGHT THE CAR FROM. THIS CLEARLY PROVED TO THE OFFICER WHAT WE WERE DOING AND WHY WE WERE IN KANSAS AND ON I-70.
HE THEN TOOK OUR INFORMATION TO HIS CAR AND WAS THERE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. WHEN HE RETURNED HE GAVE MY FRIEND A WARNING FOR A "OBSTRUCTED LICENSE PLATE" AND THEN SAID "HAVE A NICE DAY", WALKED 3 STEPS AWAY FROM THE TRUCK LIKE HE WAS GOING BACK TO HIS CAR, TURNED AROUND AND CAME BACK TO MY TRUCK AND BEGAN TO ASK US IF WE HAD ANY DRUGS, LARGE SUMS OF MONEY, OR GUNS IN THE TRUCK.
WE SAID NO.
HE THEN DEMANDED TO SEARCH THE TRUCK BY SAYING "DO YOU MIND IF I SEARCH YOU AND YOUR TRUCK?"
WE THEN COMPLIED WITH THE OFFFICER'S DEMANDS BY STEPPING OUT OF THE TRUCK AND STANDING ABOUT 20 FEET AWAY FROM IT IN THE FREEZING COLD.
KEEP IN MIND THAT WE WERE IN A PUBLIC REST STOP AND THAT A CROWD WAS FORMING TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON.
THE OFFICER THEN PROCEEDED TO RIFLE THROUGH ALL OF OUR PERSONAL BELONGINGS NOT REALLY CARING TO PUT THINGS BACK. HE TURNED ON MY FLASHLIGHT AND DID NOT EVEN BOTHER TO TURN IT OFF. HE JUST THREW IT BACK ON THE SEAT.
HE THEN PROCEEDED TO OPEN THE PULL THE SEAT COVER UP AND THEN OPENED THE HOOD OF THE TRUCK.
THE CROWD THAT HAD FORMED NO DOUBT THOUGHT WE WERE AMERICA'S MOST WANTED AS WE WERE CERTAINLY BEING TREATED AS WE WERE.
WHEN HE WAS DONE WITH THE TRUCK HE LOOKED OVER AT US AND DEMANDED WITH A SMILE, "DO YOU MIND IF I SEARCH THE PINTO AS WELL?"
WE COMPLIED WITH THE OFFICER'S DEMANDS BY NODDING OUR HEADS.
THE OFFICER THEN PROCEEDED TO RIFLE THROUGH THE PINTO IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE TRUCK AND PULLED THE SEAT COVERS OFF.
ALL THIS TIME HE WAS MAKING CONDENSENDING COMMENTS LIKE "THIS PINTO IS RUST FREE" AND "THEY MUST HAVE REALLY NICE PINTOS IN UTAH"
AFTER HE WAS DONE DISREPECTING OUT PERSONAL PROPERTY HE THEN CALLED US OVER TO THE DASHCAM IN HIS CRISIER AND BEGAN TO VERBALLY DISREPECT US PERSONALLY.
FOR EXAMPLE HE SAID TO MY FRIEND:
"THE REASON I ASKED (DEMANDED) TO SEARCH YOU IS BECAUSE "NORMAL RESPECTABLE PEOPLE" DO NOT TRAVEL FROM STATE TO STATE WITH NO LUGGAGE."
"WE HAVE A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH PEOPLE LIKE YOU RUNNING DRUGS, WEAPONS, AND OTHER ILLEGAL ITEMS THROUGH OUR STATE. "
WHEN MY FRIEND RESPONDED MY SAYING THAT HE HAS BEEN DRIVING OVER 30 YEARS AND IN THAT TIME HAS NEVER BEEN TREATED LIKE THIS, THE OFFICER RESPONDING BY SAYING:
"I TREATED YOU LIKE THIS BECAUSE YOU ARE A CRIMINAL WITH AN EXTENSIVE CRIMINAL HISTORY"
HE THEN TURNED TO ME AND TOLD ME THAT MY DRIVERS LICENSE WAS "FAKE AND INVALID" I ASSURED HIM IT WAS NOT.
HE THEN TREATED ME LIKE I WAS SOME SORT OF FOOL BY ASSURING ME THAT IT WAS INDEED FAKE AND INVALID AND THAT I HAD NO LEGAL PRIVILEGE TO DRIVE.
THE OFFICER THEN JUMPED BACK INTO HIS CAR AND TOOK OFF LIKE A ROCKET OUT OF THE REST STOP EVEN THOUGH THE REST STOP WAS FULL OF PEOPLE.
BASED ON THE ABOVE INFORMATION, HERE ARE THE ELEMENTS OF MY FORMAL COMPLAINT AGAINST OFFICER GRAHAM:
1.) WE WERE PULLED OVER ILLEGALLY AND WITHOUT REASON AS CLEARLY SHOWN BY THE PHOTOS.
2.) AFTER WE STOPPED WE WERE BOTH VERBALLY DEMEANED AND DISRESPECTED BY THE OFFICER
3.) THAT THE OFFICER CONDUCTED AN ILLEGAL SEARCH OF OUR BELONGINGS
4.) THAT THE OFFICER WITHOUT REASON AND WITH CLEAR INTENT LIED OR OTHERWISE ATTEMPTED TO DECEIVE ME BY MAKING UP A STORY AND ACCUSING ME OF HAVING A "FAKE AND INVALID" DRIVERS LICENSE.
THIS IS A CLEAR CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATION.
BY THE WAY, THE STATE OF MISSOURI HAS CONFIRMED THAT THEY ARE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF ISSUING FAKE DRIVERS LICENSES OR ANY OTHER FAKE DOCUMENTS FOR THAT MATTER.
THEE STATE OF MISSOURI HAS CONFIRMED THAT MY LICENSE IS REAL AND VALID AND HAS AN EXPIRATION DATE OF ********
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
RE OBSTRUCTED LICENSE PLATE PULLOVER BY OFFICER TOM****** BADGE *** 3-3-10 1917 HRS
I COLLECT FORD PINTOS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. ON THE ABOVE DATE AND TIME, MY FRIEND AND I WERE RETURNING FROM ST GEORGE UTAH WITH A YELLOW 1972 FORD PINTO RUNABOUT ATTACHED TO THE BACK OF MY 1986 DODGE PICKUP.
THE PHOTOS WILL SHOW THAT WE WERE PULLING THE CAR PROPERLY WITH A TOWBAR AND A 2 INCH BALL. THE PHOTOS WILL ALSO SHOW THAT WE WERE USING PROPER MAGNETIC LIGHTS AS WELL.
MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, THE PHOTOS WILL CLEARLY SHOW THAT THE LICENSE PLATE WAS MOUNTED PROPERLY AND WAS IN NO WAY OBSTRUCTED OR HIDDEN FROM VIEW.
WE WERE TRAVELING ON I-70 AND WERE PULLED OVER BY OFFICER GRAHAM, COMING TO A STOP IN A REST AREA NEAR COLBY KANSAS.
THE OFFICER TOLD US THAT HE STOPPED US BECAUSE THE REAR LICENSE PLATE WAS OBSTRUCTED FROM VIEW AND ASKED FOR BOTH OF OUR LICENSES AS WELL AS THE REGISTRATION AND PROOF OF INSURANCE AND PROOF OF WHERE WE GOT THE FORD PINTO FROM.
THE OFFICER PLAYED A LITTLE GAME WITH US BY ASKING:
"WHERE ARE YOU COMING FROM" - ST.GEORGE UTAH
"WHERE ARE YOU GOING? - EL DORADO SPRINGS MISSOURI
"WHAT ADDRESS IN EL DORADO SPRINGS MO?" - …ETC
I PROCEEDED TO TELL HIM THE FULL ADDRESS INCLUDING ZIP CODE AND TELEPHONE NUMBER.
HE RESPONDED SARCASTICLY "IS THAT IT OR DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE NUMBERS FOR ME?
WE SHOWED THE OFFICER THE ACTUAL EBAY AUCTION WHERE WE BOUGHT THE CAR FROM. THIS CLEARLY PROVED TO THE OFFICER WHAT WE WERE DOING AND WHY WE WERE IN KANSAS AND ON I-70.
HE THEN TOOK OUR INFORMATION TO HIS CAR AND WAS THERE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. WHEN HE RETURNED HE GAVE MY FRIEND A WARNING FOR A "OBSTRUCTED LICENSE PLATE" AND THEN SAID "HAVE A NICE DAY", WALKED 3 STEPS AWAY FROM THE TRUCK LIKE HE WAS GOING BACK TO HIS CAR, TURNED AROUND AND CAME BACK TO MY TRUCK AND BEGAN TO ASK US IF WE HAD ANY DRUGS, LARGE SUMS OF MONEY, OR GUNS IN THE TRUCK.
WE SAID NO.
HE THEN DEMANDED TO SEARCH THE TRUCK BY SAYING "DO YOU MIND IF I SEARCH YOU AND YOUR TRUCK?"
WE THEN COMPLIED WITH THE OFFFICER'S DEMANDS BY STEPPING OUT OF THE TRUCK AND STANDING ABOUT 20 FEET AWAY FROM IT IN THE FREEZING COLD.
KEEP IN MIND THAT WE WERE IN A PUBLIC REST STOP AND THAT A CROWD WAS FORMING TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON.
THE OFFICER THEN PROCEEDED TO RIFLE THROUGH ALL OF OUR PERSONAL BELONGINGS NOT REALLY CARING TO PUT THINGS BACK. HE TURNED ON MY FLASHLIGHT AND DID NOT EVEN BOTHER TO TURN IT OFF. HE JUST THREW IT BACK ON THE SEAT.
HE THEN PROCEEDED TO OPEN THE PULL THE SEAT COVER UP AND THEN OPENED THE HOOD OF THE TRUCK.
THE CROWD THAT HAD FORMED NO DOUBT THOUGHT WE WERE AMERICA'S MOST WANTED AS WE WERE CERTAINLY BEING TREATED AS WE WERE.
WHEN HE WAS DONE WITH THE TRUCK HE LOOKED OVER AT US AND DEMANDED WITH A SMILE, "DO YOU MIND IF I SEARCH THE PINTO AS WELL?"
WE COMPLIED WITH THE OFFICER'S DEMANDS BY NODDING OUR HEADS.
THE OFFICER THEN PROCEEDED TO RIFLE THROUGH THE PINTO IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE TRUCK AND PULLED THE SEAT COVERS OFF.
ALL THIS TIME HE WAS MAKING CONDENSENDING COMMENTS LIKE "THIS PINTO IS RUST FREE" AND "THEY MUST HAVE REALLY NICE PINTOS IN UTAH"
AFTER HE WAS DONE DISREPECTING OUT PERSONAL PROPERTY HE THEN CALLED US OVER TO THE DASHCAM IN HIS CRISIER AND BEGAN TO VERBALLY DISREPECT US PERSONALLY.
FOR EXAMPLE HE SAID TO MY FRIEND:
"THE REASON I ASKED (DEMANDED) TO SEARCH YOU IS BECAUSE "NORMAL RESPECTABLE PEOPLE" DO NOT TRAVEL FROM STATE TO STATE WITH NO LUGGAGE."
"WE HAVE A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH PEOPLE LIKE YOU RUNNING DRUGS, WEAPONS, AND OTHER ILLEGAL ITEMS THROUGH OUR STATE. "
WHEN MY FRIEND RESPONDED MY SAYING THAT HE HAS BEEN DRIVING OVER 30 YEARS AND IN THAT TIME HAS NEVER BEEN TREATED LIKE THIS, THE OFFICER RESPONDING BY SAYING:
"I TREATED YOU LIKE THIS BECAUSE YOU ARE A CRIMINAL WITH AN EXTENSIVE CRIMINAL HISTORY"
HE THEN TURNED TO ME AND TOLD ME THAT MY DRIVERS LICENSE WAS "FAKE AND INVALID" I ASSURED HIM IT WAS NOT.
HE THEN TREATED ME LIKE I WAS SOME SORT OF FOOL BY ASSURING ME THAT IT WAS INDEED FAKE AND INVALID AND THAT I HAD NO LEGAL PRIVILEGE TO DRIVE.
THE OFFICER THEN JUMPED BACK INTO HIS CAR AND TOOK OFF LIKE A ROCKET OUT OF THE REST STOP EVEN THOUGH THE REST STOP WAS FULL OF PEOPLE.
BASED ON THE ABOVE INFORMATION, HERE ARE THE ELEMENTS OF MY FORMAL COMPLAINT AGAINST OFFICER GRAHAM:
1.) WE WERE PULLED OVER ILLEGALLY AND WITHOUT REASON AS CLEARLY SHOWN BY THE PHOTOS.
2.) AFTER WE STOPPED WE WERE BOTH VERBALLY DEMEANED AND DISRESPECTED BY THE OFFICER
3.) THAT THE OFFICER CONDUCTED AN ILLEGAL SEARCH OF OUR BELONGINGS
4.) THAT THE OFFICER WITHOUT REASON AND WITH CLEAR INTENT LIED OR OTHERWISE ATTEMPTED TO DECEIVE ME BY MAKING UP A STORY AND ACCUSING ME OF HAVING A "FAKE AND INVALID" DRIVERS LICENSE.
THIS IS A CLEAR CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATION.
BY THE WAY, THE STATE OF MISSOURI HAS CONFIRMED THAT THEY ARE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF ISSUING FAKE DRIVERS LICENSES OR ANY OTHER FAKE DOCUMENTS FOR THAT MATTER.
THEE STATE OF MISSOURI HAS CONFIRMED THAT MY LICENSE IS REAL AND VALID AND HAS AN EXPIRATION DATE OF ********
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME