"They are starting to use that as an excuse to make contact at night/early morning for DUI arrests"
They will pull you over here after midnight if you have a license plate bulb out on your car! Or if they EVEN THINK you may have swerved a slight amount. We have 8 bars downtown, and the cops swarm after midnight.
Non iliminated plates, any light out, Snow covering plates, are just a few of reasons they pull you over looking for a DUI. Pretty chicken shit some of the excuses.
When I was still a cop, I'd key on a car start the dash cam to prove weaving, then pull them over. I'd account for a few weaves dur to drift, but if you weaved a few too many times in a short amount of time I'll pull the car over. Not once did I use a vehicle defect to make contact. I led two departments patrol units for DUI arrests. Probably could have gotten more, but I believe in that probable cause thing. Not the "you have a 20w bulb on your plate not the 55w that it's supposed to have".
Up here they're popping ppl with .06 BrAC and taking them in for DUI, then trying to prove imparement. what people don't know is that the DMV can and has pulled licenses for a DUI arrest even though the person was aquitted. Same with insurance companies raising rates on the driver.
I've been pulled over by a cop at 2am leaving a bar. He thought he had one. I've drank about a 12 pack in the last 3 years and nothing at all that night. He gave be some BS excuse for the reason for the stop then you could tell he was fishing. I really loved the "I smell alcohol on your breath, how much were you drinking?" and other smart ass comments.
I gave him a hard time with the FST's due to my back and leg. eventually I told him to get out the PBT and lets see how she rolls. After blowing .000 he was shaken up and wanted to get a drug recognition expert called to the scene (determined lil guy, I'll give him that) after the request was denied I was let go.
I knew his super, and he got a call the next day To let him know how the smartass kid was treating the public. Sometimes you get a good cop, sometimes you get the prick or the guy who's there to collect a check. LEO roulette I guess.
A few of them are getting tricky, they're nailing kids for street racing using thier own youtube vids against them. Can't fight the camera when your being filmed from the other car and that your mug behind the wheel, LOL