Courtesy badges

[Ducowti]

When someone you pull for speeding produces a license and a courtesy badge (i.e. the little badge) - and is courteous, respectful, and making your job as easy as possible notwithstanding the cause for attention :D - how do you respond? Grill him about it? Be a bit more lenient?

[Legoate]

I'm not sure what you mean by "courtesy badge". Do you mean a non-cop with a badge? Or do you mean a cop with a small badge?

[Ducowti]

I'm not sure what you mean by "courtesy badge". Do you mean a non-cop with a badge? Or do you mean a cop with a small badge?

Non cop w.a small badge.

[Old Trooper]

I am very courteous in return, as I write.

[Johninaustin]

Non cop w.a small badge.

We're looking at impersonating an officer here. Where is this done?

[R1364]

Deleted by poster

[Ducowti]

are you refering to the "loved one of a cop" badge? like mini badges that say your the husband/wife of a cop?

We have a winnah! Yes, courtesy badge as in above. Not talking about impersonation.

[K-9MALY]

My wife was pulled over by a local here in Buffalo, and he noticed my F.O.P sticker on which differs for LEO and Supporters. LEO's have the word "Member" on the bottom of the star. He asked if she was a LEO (PC at its finest I guess) and found out I was. He let her go after a stern finger shaking and her promise to slow it down. I went to the station where he works and thanked him personally for the courtesy he gave my wife. I still owe him a beer and a free night of bowling.

[Legoate]

I've never had this happen, maybe this is an east coast thing or something. I don't grant special courtesy to anyone because they say they are the friend or wife of a cop any more than I grant courtesy to everyone. Some people get warnings, some people don't. Depends on the infraction.
But, that being said, nothing irritates me more than when people name drop some cop's name during a stop. Almost certain to get a cite.

[CTUCop]

I had one stop where the operator produced a "courtesy badge". It's not too common here in CT, but there's one PD that uses them. The operator was a friend of an officer that gave him the badge. It was like a mini badge and although I don't remember exactly what all of the wording on it was, it was obviously not a Police Badge.

The operator was DUI and I arrested him.

[steelcityk9cop]

Cite now, extend later.

[mcsap]

Iv'e never seen one but have heard about them.

If it isn't a genuine badge, then it isn't a genuine badge.

[Nole795]

I have seen a Sheriff Department hand out honorary deputy badges with ID, they were smaller but had the same insignia as the regular badges. I had one flash one at me when he caused a traffic crash.

He was cited...

[Ducowti]

If it isn't a genuine badge, then it isn't a genuine badge.

Of course.

I wasn't expecting it to be treated as such. Most of the examples I'm seeing here involve more than something like speeding which I would expect would warrant citations regardless of credentials. I was asking apropos speeding or something that wouldn't necessitate a ticket in every instance (e.g. failure to signal before changing, speeding, tail light out, etc).

This thought was an extension from the idea of a PBA card one gets after making a donation and whether those provide a modicum of consideration from a LEO. It was my impression these courtesy badges carried a little more weight than a PBA card (the regular kind joe citizen gets).

[MOCOP]

Never seen a courtsey badge. However a PBA Card/STICKER, FOP Card /sticker, or any LE related Card / Sticker that says supporter instead of Member doesn't gain the driver any automatic slack. Especially if they produce/display it expecting slack. Your attitude more than anything will dictate whether or not I write you.