Identifying yourself

[remdog]

Let's say I am walking down the street with my wife and kids. For some odd reason a police officer stops us and asks us to produce identification. Is it required by law to produce identification?

I had a situation where I was in a crowded area... walking from my house downtown to watch a parade. My wife and kids were with me. We were approaching an area where a police officer was raising his voice. There was little commotion so we weren't sure what the police officer was upset about. We assumed we missed the action and continue on.

The officer wasn't out of control by any means but he stepped forward and asked us to stop walking. He told us to move to the side. We weren't sure what the side was but we sort of went in the direction he pointed.

He was looking around which seemed to me he was looking for another officer I think. We just stood there and he told several others to stop and come over. My wife was trying to get my attention as she wanted to know what I thought was happening. It was so odd because the crowd was calm and the officer was acting ticked off about something. I was beginning to get a bit nervous. My poor kids were staring at the officer and my oldest daughter who is 9 started to panic and look at us for reassurance. So I started talking to her about where she wanted to stand to watch the parade.

The officer finally turned back to us and asked us to produce identification which I assumed was a drivers license. I paused but then said... "Sure"

My wife said her name but wasn't carrying her purse. So I gave him my license. I pulled it out real fast and gave it to him. He asked where I lived. I told him it said on the license. He said he would ask me again where I lived. I told him I didn't want to yell it out since there were people around and if he could just look on the license. He started freaking out and telling me I wasn't complying.

So I just blurted it out. By then I determined the officer might be a greater threat than some stranger hearing my street address.

I then asked him what the problem was which he then ignored. He then gave back my license and sent us on our way. He proceeded to ask the same questions to others who were stopped and waiting. Some were really nervous looking.

So my question is what do you think was happening? What did I miss and why on earth was I stopped and asked to produce ID? This is very odd since I haven't ever really experienced any bad things when it comes to officers. I find most very helpful. But this guy was obviously concerned about something that happened or was going on and most oddly of all I have my wife and 6 kids with me. It's not like I look like a threat. It's not like all those who were stopped looked similar, all had blue hats on, or was wearing jeans. We were all different. Some alone... some with others... some had kids.

By law do I have to produce ID when asked by an officer??? If I am not driving why should I need to produce a legal drivers license?

Looking forward to your replies. Thanks in advance. :cool:

[Sgt. Slaughter]

Let's say I am walking down the street with my wife and kids. For some odd reason a police officer stops us and asks us to produce identification. Is it required by law to produce identification?
It depends on the situation. If it's really that big an issue to you, ask the officer if he is requesting or demanding it. Generally speaking, we know when, where and under what circumstances we can compel you to produce ID.

So I just blurted it out. By then I determined the officer might be a greater threat than some stranger hearing my street address.
A threat? REALLY? Wow. That's a bit overdramatic.

So my question is what do you think was happening? What did I miss and why on earth was I stopped and asked to produce ID?
There's no telling. We're a bunch of random dudes and dudettes on the interwebz. Unless that cop posts here, you probably won't get an answer.

This is very odd since I haven't ever really experienced any bad things when it comes to officers. I find most very helpful. But this guy was obviously concerned about something that happened or was going on and most oddly of all I have my wife and 6 kids with me. It's not like I look like a threat.
Hmmmmm. And what exactly DOES a threat look like?

By law do I have to produce ID when asked by an officer???
Each state has its own statutes regulating exactly when people are required to verbally ID themselves or physically produce ID.

If I am not driving why should I need to produce a legal drivers license?
If the statute requires it, then that's what you produce. I don't know of any state that requires a driver's license plus a separate state-issued ID card.

Looking forward to your replies. Thanks in advance. :cool:
You're welcome.

[remdog]

"A threat? REALLY? Wow. That's a bit overdramatic."

It sounds like it doesn't it. But the officer at the time was the only one who was causing a commotion. Whether it was based on rational thinking or fear, that was what entered my mind at the time. It was almost as if I wanted to pacify the officer so I could move on. Any confrontation at that point could cause things to escalate....

I also didn't ask for specifics and why he did it. I wanted to understand some possibilities. Maybe he received a call looking for something in particular? Maybe 30 seconds before I got there an issue had occurred and he was still trying to resolve it including us?

Of course I will never know for sure.

And thanks for answering the producing ID thing. It's obvious that it is really up to the discretion of the officer and even if there is no real reason to ask it is in the best interest of the person to just be like sheep and produce it since heck there really isn't anything to hide right? :rolleyes:

[Sgt. Slaughter]

It sounds like it doesn't it. But the officer at the time was the only one who was causing a commotion. Whether it was based on rational thinking or fear, that was what entered my mind at the time. It was almost as if I wanted to pacify the officer so I could move on. Any confrontation at that point could cause things to escalate....
It's possible, but not knowing what information that officer had or what type of situation he was working with, neither you or I can make a fair assessment of what happened and whether his reaction was prudent or not.

I also didn't ask for specifics and why he did it. I wanted to understand some possibilities. Maybe he received a call looking for something in particular? Maybe 30 seconds before I got there an issue had occurred and he was still trying to resolve it including us?

Of course I will never know for sure.
There are innumerable things that it could have been. If you had taken the time to call the police department and politely ask for an explanation so you can understand what's going on in your community, you may have received an answer.

And thanks for answering the producing ID thing. It's obvious that it is really up to the discretion of the officer and even if there is no real reason to ask it is in the best interest of the person to just be like sheep and produce it since heck there really isn't anything to hide right? :rolleyes:
I never said anything like that. It's not the officer's discretion. There is case law in addition to state statutes that dictate when we can ask for as well as compel identification from a citizen. If you would like to quit acting like you were victimized, you might take the time to research the law at your local library to find out what affects your particular state. YOUR misunderstanding or lack of comprehension of laws that affect you is no excuse to try and point a finger at a cop with whom you have less than a stellar appraisal of, let alone try to jam us all into the same mold if he was in fact, incorrect in asking for identification.

[lawduck]

Look up case law about requiring you to ID yourself.
Sometimes it can land you in jail if you don't produce it.

[Legoate]

You see a commotion ahead of you involving the police, and yet you decide to walk right into it with your wife and kids. Not too bright.

You don't know what was going on, we don't know what was going on. But I'm betting the officer didn't just go there to "cause a commotion" and bother you because you don't look like a threat.

You remind me of the people that walk behind people we have at gunpoint then yell at us because guns are pointed at them. Use some common sense.

[remdog]

hmmm maybe I didn't make myself clear. I understand you want to defend all police officers and that's fine. If you dont' want me to group all officers into one category then you shouldn't either by coming to the defense of every officer in every story.

The commotion came from the officer. The crowd seemed calm and I was following others and others were following me. It wasn't until after the officer pointed us out when I realized what was happening. You make it sound like I walked into the middle of a riot or something.

I am not trying to start anything with you guys... it's obvious you take me for an idiot.

[Sgt. Slaughter]

hmmm maybe I didn't make myself clear. I understand you want to defend all police officers and that's fine. If you dont' want me to group all officers into one category then you shouldn't either by coming to the defense of every officer in every story.
I didn't defend the officer here, but you're too obtuse to see that. I personally stated that we (the internet cops) weren't there so we didn't know what happened prior to your arrival, just as you agreed you didn't know, either. You were referred to investigate your local laws and learn for yourself what they are.

The commotion came from the officer. The crowd seemed calm and I was following others and others were following me. It wasn't until after the officer pointed us out when I realized what was happening. You make it sound like I walked into the middle of a riot or something.
Having no clue what he was doing is your issue. Because we won't feed you with mindless supposition, you assume we're somehow "covering" for that cop. Again, feel free to take a few minutes to call that jurisdiction and ask what happened. There are many reasons to have people clear a certain area, especially in a large crowd of people. You won't get the proper answer until you call THEM and ask.

I am not trying to start anything with you guys... it's obvious you take me for an idiot.
If you would take the advice already offered to you, you would seem less and less like one.

[remdog]

Sure I will call. I have no problem with that. But I am talking about several replies with things like:

You're too obtuse to see that:

I didn't defend the officer here, but you're too obtuse to see that.

Calling me not too bright:

You see a commotion ahead of you involving the police, and yet you decide to walk right into it with your wife and kids. Not too bright.

Claiming I have no common sense:

You remind me of the people that walk behind people we have at gunpoint then yell at us because guns are pointed at them. Use some common sense.

Calling me over-dramatic:

A threat? REALLY? Wow. That's a bit overdramatic.

The obtuse one and not too bright are both personal attacks. The "use common sense" is borderline. It is more of a command but its intentions framed within the content shows that the poster thinks I have no common sense.

Over-dramatic isn't so bad but I came here to discuss an incident and all I get are replies that are personally attacking me.

I find THAT to be over-dramatic to be honest.

[charlydevo]

I'm putting my 2 cents in, not because the Sergeant didn't give a good answer, but because I don't want to see you get banned from this site for not getting the hint. What he is trying to tell you is that he (and everybody else on here) has no idea why the officer demanded your ID and your address, or what the heck was going on. He might have been wrong. But, he might have been right. His demands might have been legally justified, and they might not have been.

Keep in mind that many of the posters who come on here to ask these types of questions tend to leave out some details in a strange effort to negate their culpability and earn some sort of vindication to make them feel better about themselves. Nobody on here is going to play into that game.

As you were already told, check the laws out for yourself. Maybe the officer was wrong. Sometimes cops can have a bad day and do something wrong, just like everybody else. All in all, it doesn't seem like he really did anything to hurt you or violate your rights. If you feel otherwise, call Ron Cuby.

[Sgt. Slaughter]

You're too obtuse to see that:
That's not a personal attack. That's me being curt with you. I don't want to waste anymore time than that which is necessary to get my point across. On the internet you can't see my body language or hear intonation. The fact is, you are posting in a cop house and accusing us of "coming to the defense of every officer in every story". That's lumping us together and is just factually incorrect. Now you accuse us of personal attacks. They're called "opinions" and many of us are more direct with them than what civilians are often used to. If you're gonna get butt-hurt over people's opinions on the internet, I'd suggest you find a kinder, gentler place to hang out.

Surely you wouldn't go to a discussion board of physicians and surgeons (only assuming there is one in existence, somewhere) and randomly question the very manner in which a practitioner provides his service. On the other hand...maybe you would.

Calling me over-dramatic:

Would you have preferred the term "sensationalized"? They are one in the same, really. You colored the story according to your perspective and personal opinion of how you felt it should have been handled - you obviously were not pleased with it.

As I hope you understand, I cannot speak for the other gentlemens' statements, only my own.

Not that you owe us anything, but I would be curious to hear what you find out from the department once you speak with someone and find out what happened. It certainly seems to have raised quite the ruckus for you.

[txinvestigator1]

Remdog;

In Texas under the circumstances in your first paragraph you would not be required to produce ID. Unless you were engaged in a licensed activity (driving, hunting, carrying a handgun under a CHL, etc) you would not have to even POSSES any type of ID. You would also not be required to give your name or any other information unless engaged in a licensed activity.

However not all states are like Texas. I prefer not to read all the drama in the other posts to see if you ever named your state. Perhaps if not, you should and then you can get a definitive answer.

[RoadKingTrooper]

hmmm maybe I didn't make myself clear. I understand you want to defend all police officers and that's fine. If you dont' want me to group all officers into one category then you shouldn't either by coming to the defense of every officer in every story.

The commotion came from the officer. The crowd seemed calm and I was following others and others were following me. It wasn't until after the officer pointed us out when I realized what was happening. You make it sound like I walked into the middle of a riot or something.

I am not trying to start anything with you guys... it's obvious you take me for an idiot.

At last, m/something you have stated that I agree with wholeheartedly;)

ps. you are 100% correct

[FJDave]

Look, many people come here to get views and opinios from cops...verified cops at that. And since we have this area where we like to relax, yet VOLUNTEER to give said advice and views, sometimes we get rather blunt. We get really blunt in cases where we see certain "red flags." Your post had a few of those "red flags." Sorry about that, but cops tend to be very frank....sometimes it hurts feelings. We don't really care about feelings much when off-duty, and mostly we really do try to be empathetic. We handle stuff like that...handle the call as quickly as we can, then on to the next call. It is nothing personal....after all, we don't know you, nor have we ever seen you in person. All we know is that you can type a cohesive sentence, and I for one appreciate that ability. So, please do not take anything personally here, or anywhere on the interwebbz....just friendly advice :D

[Legoate]

You are right.... A lone officer decided to "cause a commotion" because nothing else was going on. Very common in my area. Seen it happen a million times. I'm sure you have the WHOLE story about what was going on.