Forum Discussion
wa8yxm wrote:
I know times change but last I checked Canadian Driver's licenses were both confirmable from US law enforcement teletype terminals and valid in the US. Same for ours in CA. however that may not apply to all states or provinces (I dealt mostly with Ontario citizens in Michigan).
But I will say this.. I have, in my many years on this earth had friendly chats with many police officers.. From Michigan State Police to various city and county officers.. I've had dinner with 'em. Chatted with 'em in stores, and coffee shops. Gone to assorted meetings (Clubs) and such. and some of them are indeed well informed as to laws, rules and regulations.
Some are very lacking in said knowledge.. I mean I wonder how they qualify for a badge..
Example: I had one officer once, while we were looking up a law. we came across another law, he commented "Gee I did not know that I thought I was getting away with it cause I was the only cop around"... (I was only 20 years old at the time, waiting on a tow truck for my GF's car that would not start).
I have been issued a ticket for disregarding a traffic control device.. that did not exist and by the same cop for failure to signal a turn,, but I did not turn. (Both dismissed by the judge)
So though I know some very good Law Enforcement officers, Some who are very well trained. SOME WHO ARE ALSO LAWYERS... (Yup,, Just like Jamie on Blue Bloods the exist) ... I also know a few who do not deserve the badge.
True. (including cops who have passed the Bar)
In my former life (profession) knew lots of LEOs and/or had "dealings" with plenty (in Calif), from the city I was employed by, County (Sheriffs), and CHP. My neighbor, and good friend, was a Deputy DA.
During that time I also met (in chambers) one-on-one with a/the senior presiding municipal court judge - regarding an issue which eventually went to the State AG (who would eventually become Gov.) - and succeeded in passing a law (municipal ordinance) which the City Attorneys said couldn't be done.
I'll rate LEOs (cops) as .....Good-bad-ugly.
"Good": You rarely hear about the "good".
"Bad": May simply be having a bad day, etc.
"Ugly": Sometimes it just takes a while for the "ugly" to get sorted out - and genuinely "out".
Lots of examples of good & bad - fewer of "ugly" - but they usually *do* get the axe. Sometimes just not soon enough.
~Flan wrote:
What would of happened if it were the other way around?
What does your question mean?
If the young lady stopped stopped the LEO and asked for the LEO's drivers license?:h
One of the attributes of a good LEO is to allow common sense to prevail. Apparently this one did not have any.
His/her time would have been better served stopping the idiots on the road dangerously cutting in and out of traffic!!!- CBC news, usually reliable, has an article saying US police forces depend on money collected from drivers to meet their operating costs. Could this be true?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/american-shakedown-police-won-t-charge-you-but-they-ll-grab-your-money-1.2760736 toedtoes wrote:
According to this, the woman states that the officer was declaring that "Canadian licenses are not accepted". I think the officer was confusing the "entry into U.S. requirements" and "valid driver license requirements". She's heard so many times that "you can't use a driver license to cross the border" so she believed that made driving with the license illegal also.
This police officer was completely incorrect, or perhaps simply ignorant of the facts. Most if not all of us here in Ontario now have an "enhanced driver's license" and as such can cross into the US without a passport, using just our DLs. My wife and I do carry our passports but it's not mandatory as the enhanced driver's license is part of a reciprocal agreement between the US and Canada that allows Canadians to drive anywhere in the US with just our DLs. Further, IIRC correctly from that CBC video the young lady in question also holds a NEXUS card so that alone should have been a clue to this police officer that this young lady's identity has been researched and is on record ... unless of course she (the police officer) doesn't even know what a NEXUS card is. Ridiculous. :R- Let's remember this is ONE side of the story.
SoundGuy wrote:
toedtoes wrote:
According to this, the woman states that the officer was declaring that "Canadian licenses are not accepted". I think the officer was confusing the "entry into U.S. requirements" and "valid driver license requirements". She's heard so many times that "you can't use a driver license to cross the border" so she believed that made driving with the license illegal also.
This police officer was completely incorrect, or perhaps simply ignorant of the facts. Most if not all of us here in Ontario now have an "enhanced driver's license" and as such can cross into the US without a passport, using just our DLs. My wife and I do carry our passports but it's not mandatory as the enhanced driver's license is part of a reciprocal agreement between the US and Canada that allows Canadians to drive anywhere in the US with just our DLs. Further, IIRC correctly from that CBC video the young lady in question also holds a NEXUS card so that alone should have been a clue to this police officer that this young lady's identity has been researched and is on record ... unless of course she (the police officer) doesn't even know what a NEXUS card is. Ridiculous. :R
I agree with you. I wasn't saying otherwise - simply pointing out that when we expect our police officers to be immigration enforcement, we might want to provide training because otherwise they will misconstrue things and create issues where none should have been.
And I do believe it's completely possible for an officer in Georgia to not know what a Nexxus card is. Heck, I bet the majority of folks in the U.S. don't know (forums like this are misleading because they cater to people who travel).
This officer was wrong. But there's a bigger problem behind her mistake than just ignorance.spud1957 wrote:
Flan wrote:
What would of happened if it were the other way around?
What does your question mean?
If the young lady stopped stopped the LEO and asked for the LEO's drivers license?:h
One of the attributes of a good LEO is to allow common sense to prevail. Apparently this one did not have any.
His/her time would have been better served stopping the idiots on the road dangerously cutting in and out of traffic!!!
I believe the question was "what would have happened if this had been an American arrested in Canada for driving with a U.S. Driver license?Cummins12V98 wrote:
Let's remember this is ONE side of the story.
According to the CBC report I linked to above, it seems to have been validated as her arrest was completely wiped.toedtoes wrote:
And I do believe it's completely possible for an officer in Georgia to not know what a Nexxus card is. Heck, I bet the majority of folks in the U.S. don't know (forums like this are misleading because they cater to people who travel).
This right here is one of the issues. There are hundreds or more laws to learn in the several weeks of academy and months/year of on the road training. There is absolutely no way for an officer to learn all of the local, state and federal laws including all the corner cases, let alone Canadian reciprocity particularly in a southern state. Anyone who could do that should be a judge or lawyer instead.
That said the officer should have used some judgement in dealing with this and if there was legitimate concern about her driving status, contact a supervisor to get instruction. Then if there's still doubt, let it favor the accused.Cummins12V98 wrote:
Let's remember this is ONE side of the story.
Just watched the story again on Global Toronto 6pm news and the story hasn't changed. All charges were dropped, the young lady now has a hard copy letter shown on camera that absolves her of any wrong doing, and her costs have been reimbursed. That however does not erase the unnecessary trauma she was put through and when asked by the reporter if there's anything else she wants the answer was simply an apology from the arresting officer. Lotsa luck with that. :(
