When Police Pull Over A Veteran

[uechibear]

I don't get pulled over while driving very often, but when I have, I almost always have gotten a warning rather than a ticket. I've attributed that partially to having veteran's license plates on the car — thinking that many police officers are also veterans, and maybe they were giving me a break for that reason, but I'm also very polite and compliant, so maybe it's more because of that.

Anyway, for my next extremely fast car, I'm considering NOT getting veteran's plates, but I don't want to lose any benefits they may provide. There is a very small "Veteran" symbol on my driver's license. For officers and others who have first-hand knowledge, when looking at someone's driver's license, does whether or not they're a veteran come into play when deciding your course of action, and is it standard practice to look for a Veterans symbol on the license?

[Artemas2]

I don't get pulled over while driving very often, but when I have, I almost always have gotten a warning rather than a ticket. I've attributed that partially to having veteran's license plates on the car — thinking that many police officers are also veterans, and maybe they were giving me a break for that reason, but I'm also very polite and compliant, so maybe it's more because of that.

Anyway, for my next extremely fast car, I'm considering NOT getting veteran's plates, but I don't want to lose any benefits they may provide. There is a very small "Veteran" symbol on my driver's license. For officers and others who have first-hand knowledge, when looking at someone's driver's license, does whether or not they're a veteran come into play when deciding your course of action, and is it standard practice to look for a Veterans symbol on the license?

Been out of the job for a while; within reason (your are getting a ticket if going 60- 35/residential area) driver attitude/license history was very much a factor. Any type of perceived "get out of jail free" was a non starter for me any and if you knew better, then you really should. Results may vary by officer/dept.

[jeep45238]

I don't get pulled over while driving very often, but when I have, I almost always have gotten a warning rather than a ticket. I've attributed that partially to having veteran's license plates on the car — thinking that many police officers are also veterans, and maybe they were giving me a break for that reason, but I'm also very polite and compliant, so maybe it's more because of that.

Anyway, for my next extremely fast car, I'm considering NOT getting veteran's plates, but I don't want to lose any benefits they may provide. There is a very small "Veteran" symbol on my driver's license. For officers and others who have first-hand knowledge, when looking at someone's driver's license, does whether or not they're a veteran come into play when deciding your course of action, and is it standard practice to look for a Veterans symbol on the license?

Pretty sure not driving like a jack wagon, and driving with traffic instead of "through" traffic, is the answer, to "does my veteran/FOP sticker get me out of trouble?" (not really a factor unless you've been tailed for a bit).


Never had trouble with a bright red, loud, supercharged V8 in several states near military bases, no identifiers on it. Be smart about surroundings, and how much you're pushing something.


Only pull over/court appearance was a small town cop claiming I was going 25 mph, which wasn't possible in the vehicle I was driving at the time and how many people were in it (2013 Fit 5 speed, 4 people inside, going uphill in 5th gear). Magistrate threw it out and admonished the cop. Prior to that, I was pulled over for speeding as a teenager, none otherwise.

[Le Français]

There’s a certain image that comes to mind when I think of places where past or present government jobs get you preferential treatment in the application of the law, and the thought of the USA falling into that category makes me uncomfortable.

When I was in uniform and making traffic stops, it was definitely not standard practice to look for veteran indicators on a license plate or elsewhere. The only time I think it would come up is when planning an arrest or search warrant, to be aware that someone had military training.

[EMC]

In my state we optionally have veterans status listed on our drivers license so in my case they know with or without the plates. I have experienced the same and wondered if any of that factored or if it was just my lucky day.

[BehindBlueI's]

I don't get pulled over while driving very often, but when I have, I almost always have gotten a warning rather than a ticket. I've attributed that partially to having veteran's license plates on the car — thinking that many police officers are also veterans, and maybe they were giving me a break for that reason, but I'm also very polite and compliant, so maybe it's more because of that.

Anyway, for my next extremely fast car, I'm considering NOT getting veteran's plates, but I don't want to lose any benefits they may provide. There is a very small "Veteran" symbol on my driver's license. For officers and others who have first-hand knowledge, when looking at someone's driver's license, does whether or not they're a veteran come into play when deciding your course of action, and is it standard practice to look for a Veterans symbol on the license?

It mattered to me. It took more for me to write a veteran than a non-veteran. I also had a higher bar to write someone with a CDL, because a moving violation punishes a CDL holder more than a non-CDL driver.

[JRB]

I didn't join the Army until my mid-20's. I was also mild-to-moderately knuckleheaded about enjoying the fast cars I owned before and after joining.

Active mil/Veteran or not didn't really seem to be a factor in whether or not I got a ticket.

What did factor in, in my experience:

==Totality of conduct after 'being made' by the LEO.

-Did I stop somewhere quickly and safely, and in a place that made sense for both my safety and officer safety? Did I turn on the dome light and keep my hands on the wheel with the windows down until the Officer gave me further instructions?

-In most states, CHL/CCL is connected to license plates, so if I'm packing I declare it immediately to that Officer, regardless of whether or not I've a legal obligation to do so. I do this while my hands are on the wheel and I verbally explain the location of the weapon(s). Keeping my hands at 10 and 2 on the wheel and saying 'Sir, I've got a loaded handgun in my (location) and a knife in my pocket, how would you like me to proceed?' goes light years all by itself, IME.

-Did I conduct myself respectfully and take 100% ownership of my speeding or whatever I was doing? Playing dumb to the Cop asking 'Do you know why I pulled you over?' when you were doing 15 over, etc is straight-up stupid. It suggests that you're either that unaware of your driving or you think the officer is an idiot. Neither are conducive to getting any slack, and IMHO, rightfully so. Sure, I've caught myself going 5-10 over unexpectedly in a particularly smooth or fast car on a nice piece of highway. I've never been surprised when I looked at the speedo and saw I was doing 85+mph.
IME, admitting 'I was driving a little fast, Officer' has never once made anything worse than it was already going to be.

==Was I just a bit 'over the line' or was I doing something truly gat-damn stupid?

-Do all of the above 'right' and if you're just over the line (say, 7-10 over) you've got a decent chance of getting a warning or otherwise getting cut some slack.
If I was doing something gat-damn stupid, I expect nothing and no slack.
I recall in particular a time I was pulled over for some truly spectacular speeding on a clear highway with virtually no traffic. It was well above the threshold in that state to get towed/license suspended/etc. But I pulled over immediately, conducted myself respectfully and deferentially, and completely owned my actions to that Officer. The Officer cut me a massive break by just writing me up for a speeding ticket that was a fraction of the total violation. I was surprised and very grateful, and opted to just send in payment and take my lumps like a grown up. The guy riding shotgun as I did that was astonished that I was happy. He was upset that I got a ticket at all - and try as I might, I couldn't explain it to him. Is what it is.

So, cliff notes, I'd say acting the way you'd want someone to act if you were an LEO pulling someone over, and being a grown adult about owning your actions are the best practice in general. Following that best practice is likely, in my experience, to be cut a little (or a lot) of slack. I can't recall a single time that my Mil ID etc seemed to have any measurable effect on the outcome of a stop.

That also said, friends of mine in LE routinely laugh about the dumb stickers and other crap people put on the outside of their vehicles. If you've got an 'F*$@ the Police' bumper sticker you shouldn't be surprised if you get a ticket *every* time.
If you've got stickers glorifying illegal drug use and act like a total asshole to the cop, you shouldn't be surprised if you're asked to submit to a search or stay stuck in a stop until RAS or PC is established with a drug dog or similar.

[Trooper224]

I'm a veteran too, so it didn't mean a damned thing to me when I pulled one over. Too many veterans wear their service like a chip on their shoulder. Whatever happened to, "it was an honor to serve."?

The best thing you can do is slow the fuck down like a responsible member of the motoring public, because that's all you are.

[Cory]

I'm a veteran, and had a brief stint in LE. I hated writing tickets in general. I tried to give a break to most folks. Like anybody I had things I would write for regardless. Blatent stuff like passing in a no passing zone.

I didn't cut other veterans a special break. I cut breaks to nearly everyone who didn't smell like weed, and didn't have past of dealing meth. Because finding actual bad guys is alot more fun.

[gtmtnbiker98]

I'm a veteran too, so it didn't mean a damned thing to me when I pulled one over. Too many veterans wear their service like a chip on their shoulder. Whatever happened to, "it was an honor to serve."?

The best thing you can do is slow the fuck down like a responsible member of the motoring public, because that's all you are.

A fucking men! Nothing irritates me more than those who want “thanked for their service” from 20, 30, 40 years ago. Get over it and move on, there is more to life.