Sheriff's deputies from Oregon create iPhone app 'Ask-A-Cop'

[Joe Link]

Original Story Here: <broken link removed>

By Melica Johnson KATU News and KATU.com Staff

SALEM, Ore. - If you’re getting pulled over by the police and don’t know what to tell the officer, just pull out your iPhone.

A new iPhone application called Ask-A-Cop tells drivers what they should do to avoid a ticket.

Who would create such an app? Why, two Benton County deputies, of course.

“The point of the app wasn’t to let out any secrets,” said co-developer Daniel Dodson. “It was more or less to help citizens interact with us.”

Co-developer Mark Luna and Dodson asked a number of police officers for advice before creating Ask-A-Cop.

According to the app, a cop’s decision to cite you almost always comes down to your attitude.

“Part of the discretion is gauging how well that person is being educated at that moment,” said Luna. “Are they going to learn best by a warning or learn best by a citation?”

To improve your chances of getting out of a ticket the app says, “A friendly greeting and courteous behavior will often be all it takes to get out of the citation.”

It also says that “crying does not work. In fact, it usually only secures your ticket.”

If you’re pulled over for speeding and the officer sees your radar detector, forget it, you’re likely getting a ticket.

“If it looks like you’re trying to get out of a ticket right out of the gate, that doesn’t help your situation by any means,” said Dodson.

And how fast can you really go? The app has that too.

On highways with posted speed limits between 55 mph and 65 mph you can usually go 8 mph to 10 mph faster.

On freeways with limits of 65 mph and 75 mph you can go 5 mph to 7 mph more.

What about if you’re parked in a 30-minute parking spot too long and you get a parking ticket? Can Ask-A-Cop help you there?

“No. You can’t even get out of parking tickets even if you have a badge,” said Luna.

Benton County Sheriff Diana Simpson says she encouraged the deputies to create the app if it makes their job easier. Besides, she said she can’t regulate the content since they’re doing it on their own time.

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[Cougfan2]

From personal experience, I would say it is mostly true that your attitude plays a big role in whether or not you get a ticket, but it is also the cop's attitude. Cops are just like the rest of us. Some of them will give a person a break from time to time and others will break it off in you every time.

The speed limit info is good. That's just about exactly what I do.

 

[dario541]

Remember this, a cop's career depends on writing so many tickets. So that is his job security.

 

[RockKrawler]

Remember this, a cop's career depends on writing so many tickets. So that is his job security.

You have an axe to grind with law enforcement?
Because your statement has to be one of the most ridiculous things i have ever read.
Have you ever worked as a LEO,in any capacity?

 

[wayoutwest]

To improve your chances of getting out of a ticket the app says, “A friendly greeting and courteous behavior will often be all it takes to get out of the citation.”

Isnt this common knowledge, being courteous goes along ways in just about any field.

And when the Officer or Deputy is standing outside you window the last thing he will want to see is you messing around on your phone trying to figure out what to say to him/her.

 

[RevJimII]

"Just a moment officer, I need to phone a friend."

 

[ORBrit]

I got 3 tickets the first 5 years I moved over here - all for about 12 mph over in a 55 mph 4 lane highway with center divider, and each time it's,

"license and registration please"
walk back to their vehicle
come back and hand me the citation with a brief explanation of my options.
I never get a chance to be polite and courteous before the ticket is written.

I haven't been pulled over since I got my CHL though so that's a good sign that my driving has calmed down with the added responsibility

 

[dario541]

You have an axe to grind with law enforcement?
Because your statement has to be one of the most ridiculous things i have ever read.
Have you ever worked as a LEO,in any capacity?

Well, let's see now. In one of the local papers a few years ago there was an interview of a State Police Captain. The reporter asked him if it was true that an officer had to average one citation for every one and one-half hours on the road. The captain said "We don't have a quota system, but if one of my officers can't do better than that, I'll fire him!"
A few years ago the Oregonian had an article titled (paraphrasing) "It's true! Police do have a quota system! They call it 'Counting beans'"!
In the little flyspeck town of Jordan Valley in eastern Oregon a while back, the Chief of Police wrote so many tickets that he made more money than the Governor! This was reported in one of the papers (I don't remember).
In the town of Coburg, just north of Eugene, the cops started patrolling I-5 and writing out so many tickets (for "safety" of course) that both Lane County and the State Legislature had to get involved to slow them down. The Coburg Police were finally required to send ALL of the tickets they wrote to Lane County. Without the profit motive, the Coburg police quickly lost interest in "safety"!
A couple of years ago I was in Newport and the local paper had an article about how the town of Yachats (on the coast) would trap people passing through their town. All for money - oops - safety!
The last few years cops have made seat belt violations their number one priority. They often go on rolling roadblocks looking for people who aren't buckled up. My question is: "Is that more important than fighting crime?" It may be safer, but why aren't these officers being used to protect us from criminals? I don't realy feel very threatened by some guy who is not wearing his seat belt! I wear mine, not because it's the law, but I feel it is generally safer. I'd rather see the cops go after drunks, speeders, red light runners and other reckless drivers. They worry me a lot more than someone who doesn't click his seat belt.
And I could go on and on with these kinds of stories. And, so could many others.
I have never been in law enforcement. Why would I be? I think I have enough brains that I could do better at other professions. How much intelligence does it take to write out tickets?
Sorry about the rant, but you asked!

 

[Tactical SS]

The captain said "We don't have a quota system, but if one of my officers can't do better than that, I'll fire him!"

I'm just going to say that at least around here it is VERY possible for any LEO to write one ticket every 30 minutes legitimately. When I drive the 30 minutes from work to home I see at least 15 people a day, everyday, do something that legitimately deserves (puts the safety of others at risk) some sort of ticket.

 

[Silver Fox]

iPhone app.... hmmm what will they think of next.

Wear a military haircut with more salt than pepper in it and say your 'yes Sir/Ma'am'

WA state trooper about fell over when I took my helmet off when he clocked me doing 85 in a 45 on HWY 512 right before the I-5 on ramp, kind of took the theory of young riders on Hayabusas.

SF-

 

[JohnWayne]

Well, let's see now. In one of the local papers a few years ago there was an interview of a State Police Captain. The reporter asked him if it was true that an officer had to average one citation for every one and one-half hours on the road. The captain said "We don't have a quota system, but if one of my officers can't do better than that, I'll fire him!"
A few years ago the Oregonian had an article titled (paraphrasing) "It's true! Police do have a quota system! They call it 'Counting beans'"!
In the little flyspeck town of Jordan Valley in eastern Oregon a while back, the Chief of Police wrote so many tickets that he made more money than the Governor! This was reported in one of the papers (I don't remember).
In the town of Coburg, just north of Eugene, the cops started patrolling I-5 and writing out so many tickets (for "safety" of course) that both Lane County and the State Legislature had to get involved to slow them down. The Coburg Police were finally required to send ALL of the tickets they wrote to Lane County. Without the profit motive, the Coburg police quickly lost interest in "safety"!
A couple of years ago I was in Newport and the local paper had an article about how the town of Yachats (on the coast) would trap people passing through their town. All for money - oops - safety!
The last few years cops have made seat belt violations their number one priority. They often go on rolling roadblocks looking for people who aren't buckled up. My question is: "Is that more important than fighting crime?" It may be safer, but why aren't these officers being used to protect us from criminals? I don't realy feel very threatened by some guy who is not wearing his seat belt! I wear mine, not because it's the law, but I feel it is generally safer. I'd rather see the cops go after drunks, speeders, red light runners and other reckless drivers. They worry me a lot more than someone who doesn't click his seat belt.
And I could go on and on with these kinds of stories. And, so could many others.
I have never been in law enforcement. Why would I be? I think I have enough brains that I could do better at other professions. How much intelligence does it take to write out tickets?
Sorry about the rant, but you asked!

Lets do this paragraph by paragraph.

OSP doesn't have a quota system but their main focus for road troops are traffic enforcement- so, that may be a low number for road troops. If you worked in a tire factory and your job was to make the tire, that would be your job, right? So if most people could turn out 100 a day but you only turned out 5, do you think you would have a job?

The town in eastern Oregon. Well, police chiefs and officers do not see revinue directly from speeding tickets. Now, he may have had to appear in court and the overtime generated from those court appearances bumped his income above the governor, but I'd have to see the article.

Coburg- this is one of my favorites. The reason the state stepped in was because OSP got torqued that Coburg was cutting into their money making. In the end, the two agencies came ot an agreement and that was why Coburg backed off from I5 enforcement.

The "speed trap" in Yachats. Speed trap exist when there is an UNPOSTED speed change that is being enforced by police. People commonly believe a speed trap is any time police are running traffic enforcement.

Roadblocks are not legal in Oregon for enforcement purposes.

80% of large drug seizures are made based on traffic stops. They also are one of the few PROACTIVE ways police can solve crimes. About 96% of DUII arrests are made based on traffic violations in one form or another, including seatbelt violations.

As far as brains go, I'll let other readers judge that.

 

[chiefchip]

The Jordon Valley story was true. The officers actually received a percentage of the fines from the citations they wrote. I was a LEO for 25 years and there was never a quota.

 

[4Freedom]

I was a real sweetheart (good boy I mean LOL) to a CHIP who pulled me over in the carpool lane. How are you officer, its a real nice day, boy California sure is a nice sunny state. He smiled and said, "Oh you're from Oregon", nice place. Great big smile, friendly personality, and ahh ,"heres your ticket', "Have a nice day".

Gotta love those guys

 

[JohnWayne]

The Jordon Valley story was true. The officers actually received a percentage of the fines from the citations they wrote. I was a LEO for 25 years and there was never a quota.

It be surprised. So, you are saying that the officer got, what a check, cash, for the percentage of bail collected? Again, I'd be surprised. Unless YOU received that money, cite one person who got the money.

 

[KomradRazvan]

Maybe LEOs should work on their driving skills rather than on iPhone apps... Going to work last night, I observed a Portland Police officer in a marked patrol vehicle make a right turn on red with out even signaling. I was at the intersection perpendicular to him, in the turn lane, before he turned and I saw that his window was open, so I yelled out "USE YOUR TURN SIGNAL!" He slowed down to almost a complete stop and looked at me. I was still looking at him with my head out the window. He just turned his head back toward the road and drove off. Then coming back from work this morning a Beaverton police officer made a left hand turn out of a parking lot on to Canyon Road without signaling and I almost ended up hitting him cuz he did it at the last second, instead of waiting for me to pass since i was going 40 (its a 45 there too) and there were no more cars behind me.... Its total BS. I see them doing stuff like that or changing through 3 lanes without signaling, speeding without being in code. I have a Criminal Justice degree myself, and am working on becoming an LEO, but I think they are setting a bad impression on the public.