Something that we don't think about teaching our kids is how to interact with the police. This is information that we hope they will never need but the harsh realities of this world are that more and more kids are being arrested based on information that they unwillingly reveal during a routine traffic stop.
I recently found this out the hard way. I live in Lenexa, Kansas. Lenexa cops profile teen driver's. They will stop a teenager before they stop an adult. I know because I live on a very busy street and see blatant traffic violations on a daily basis. I have seen people get into fist fights in the middle of the road. I see unrestrained children standing in the car, passing school buses that are stopped and so much more. The residents try to get something done but we aren't successful and on the rare occassion that we do get cops out here they will stop the teens instead of the adults.
My child was stopped my the cops in January for a burned out license plate bulb. They searched her car, while he was searching her car he was asking her questions to which she was responding. She was arrested for possession of cigarette rolling papers. Her car was towed.
1) She could have refused the search
2) She did not have to talk to the officer nor respond to his questions in any way other than her name.
Our District Attorney's Office automatically refers these cases for diversion "this is not an admission of guilt" we will just throw your child into the juvenile justice system without a trial for the hell of it because it brings in lots of money for the county and the system. EXCUSE ME!!!
We have opted for a trial, I want the DA's office to prove why possession of something you can buy in any convenience store is illegal. I know people who have used Bible pages to roll joints so is possession of a Bible illegal?
Lenexa will arrest a minor for possession of tobacco products instead of writing a ticket. This is overkill. Do they not know how screwed up the Juvenile justice system is in this area? Do they care? I don't think so on either count. They are bullies in my eyes.
Less than 24 hours after her arrest she was once again stopped, the front tires of her car were on the white line at a stop light, not the pedestrian walkway, the white line way before it. Once again her car was searched but this time the officer let her call me on her cell phone, I sent my husband to where they had her stopped and they let her go.
So please talk to your driving teen about this... they do not have to allow a search without a warrant or probable cause and they do not have to answer any questions without you or an attorney present.
I have never trusted in the justice system or law enforcement but I have never passed this on to my kids. My daughter was in DARE which tries to make cops out to be your friends, this also places the kids at a disadvantage as they get older... that view will land you in jail.
We punished her over this issue, 1 month of grounding and she missed her spring break trip. Who knows when it will go to trial for the court to do their thing. I will keep you posted on the outcome.
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