Today about lunchtime, my brother and I decided on a whim that we would ride up to Pigeon Forge for the Rod Run for a few hours. We had a nice drive up until we ran into Townsend. We had to stop at the gas station right where you take a left onto Wears Valley Road. Upon leaving the gas station, within less than a 1/4 mile, we were pulled over for speeding. Naturally, the bright yellow car is going to get picked out of the pack regardless of everyone speeding.
The big problem came from the police officer, Officer X (got to find the ticket to get his name). This officer was the most arrogant, disrespectful officer I have ever came in contact with. Sure his attitude is enough to tick you off, but it actually was his complete prejudice towards us that was the tipping point.
The officer naturally would be a little jealous of someone less than a half his age driving the type of car that we were in, but I had no idea that political affiliation would persuade an officer’s attitude like it did. Naturally, we sport a very large Ron Paul decal on the Corvette. But this officer had the stones to assume that because you believe in and support someone that believes in Liberty across the board, that you have something inside the car that you shouldn’t have.
The officer, very firmly threatened to get the dogs out should he suspect that we were being untruthful when being asked the question, “Now you better think about this when I ask you, and you better tell me the truth, because I WILL get the dogs out if I think you’re being untruthful, and they WILL scratch this pretty car. Is there anything in the car that you shouldn’t have?”
Apparently Townsend City Officials need to train their officers a little more than they do, or at least this one officer in particular, because the 4th Amendment protects you from unreasonable searches without a warrant. The last time I checked, driving a little over the speed limit doesn’t give officers the right to search your vehicle without your permission or without a search warrant.
As a citizen of a free country, one that still believes that the US Constitution is the law of the land, I would suggest that Townsend make sure their officers know that they are not above the law, and officers that believe that they are, should be suspended immediately, before they make an embarrassment out of the police force. Townsend should be glad that I handled the situation like I did, because if he had forcefully searched my car, damaged it, etc., there would be legal actions.
It’s absolutely disgusting to be pulled over by an impolite officer, threatened to be searched without probable cause, permission, or a warrant, threatened with property damage, all because I am a younger guy, driving a nice car, supporting a man that supports the US Constitution. Townsend Tennessee is a disgrace to the principles this country was founded on.
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