Highland Park Cops Taking a Survey or Something?
An Overheardian is wondering if others have experienced this in Highland Park. I’ve had very little interaction with HP cops, I usually get pulled over by the UPPD and they know I’m the one that writes that column so they don’t ask, they just write the ticket.
In the past two weeks, I have had a conversation with two different women about being pulled over by an HP officer for speeding. The first thing they asked one of them was, “do you work” and the second, “where do you work?” Do you think this is strange? Wouldn’t a more important question be, “are you aware that you were driving over the posted speed limit?” Why would they need to know your working status? Does your work status or place of employment dictate whether or not you receive a ticket? One friend is a stay at home mom and the other is a work friend. One drives a Mercedes and one drives a Kia. One is white and one is black. Curious…
Anyone?
Could just be a routine question to have some alternate contact information for them — many years ago, when I was at SMU, I got a ticket from UP for not having my current insurance card on me (was still on my parents’ insurance — didn’t know how good I had it). Forgot to take care of the ticket, and prior to issuing a warrant for failure to appear, they called and left messages at both my home and work that I’d better get it taken care of ASAP.
Or, they could be trying to get them to say they’re late for work or something similarly incriminating in case the ticket it challenged — harder to beat a ticket when you’ve told the cop that you’re rushing to make an early meeting.
its a standard question even though it is odd. i got a ticket in october in hp and they asked the same questions.
I think they ask so they can make note of it in case they have to issue a warrant if you do not pay your ticket.
My working at a non-profit (batting eyelashes her) did not help me from getting a ticket.
Nor did being two seconds away from my home. That expired inspection ticket will get you every time!
They always seem to ask even though it’s none of their damn business and has absolutely nothing to do with receiving/paying a ticket.
You DON’T have to answer!!!
I have a friend who got pulled over in HP and asked those same questions. She answered that she is a nurse and the policeman told her that he would not ticket her as a “professional courtesy”.
Any mom can say she is — without blinking, blushing, or batting an eye — a CFO, COO, educational consultant, motivational speaker, BPI and carcinogenic chemical monitor, travel agent, sports rehab therapist, chef, mediator, conference coordinator, medical research analyst, personal shopper, global transporter of minors, and consumer products analyst. AND she would only just be getting started. This tactic, while completely truthful, may also serve to wear the officer out and persuade him to let her go on her busy way. I hear they hate paperwork and . . . if you throw in “tennis player impersonator” at the very end, that may just be the necessary irritant to make him go away. Our men in blue, like anyone else, can only tolerate so much paperwork.