Harrassed by Police While Jogging

Newbie

Greetings All,

I like to run very early in the mornings between 04:00 and 05:00 to get the workout done before work and to avoid the oppressive heat. I haven't had any problems until this month. I've been stopped 4 times on a public road. I'll just be jogging down the road in obvious running shorts, shoes, and tank-top and I'll be stopped made to explain what I am doing. Duh!

Getting stopped pretty much takes the joy out of running for me. I am clean cut, well into my 30s, and polite. This morning the policeman told me if I didn't want to get stopped I shouldn't be jogging after 11 pm. burning mad

Anybody else ever had this problem?

Thanks.

Excelent

I am out in the wee hours too, heck there have been times that I have been out riding my bike at 230-300 in the morning. Never been bothered by the police, actually I am glad to see them and I generally wave.

Not sure of the area you are running in when you are stopped, but 4 times seems like a lot.

The Movie Geek

Brian, do you typically run with a television under your arm?

Just checking.

Pyromaniac

I've been "pulled over" twice while out on early morning runs and asked what I was running away from. Confused

I also helped the popo nab a criminal - I saw this guy hauling ass down the sidewalk and duck into an alley. The police pulled up a short time later and asked if I had seen the guy and the description was perfect. I told them where he went, about 15 minutes later they drove by and he was in the back seat. Mr. Green

Member

about 5 years ago when i was a patrol officer, we had a nigerian marathon runner using our town as a place in which to run. he called our chief of police and gave him his name and told him wat he was doing and why.....our chief put out a memo and explained who this gentleman was and wat he was doing.

why dont u try something like that? if it is a big city area; call the area supervisor and politely let him know the same info...

police officers are trained to look at people in a suspicous manner; weve had people dress up like cable installers and use it as a ruse to enter a residence and then burglarize it. weve had people pretend to be joggers and approach other joggers (female) pull them into the bushes and rape them. many other things too, i just dont care to write about them.

maybe there is an increase in some type of crime in your area and they are trying to make law abiding citizens safe.

i dont agree with wat the cop told u about not running after 11pm. he is wrong and should not have made that comment (in my opinion).

as far as the way u look, i have taken many clean cut, 35+, polite males to jail. the polite ones worry me more because u cant tell what they are REALLY thinking; id rather deal with a blatantly rude one, u can see what they are thinking a mile away...

if you do nothing, EVENTUALLY the active officers will get to know you and leave you alone.....

good luck,
Kel

ps: when i was working night shift i got "pulled over" a few times myself for running....

Member

I've only been stopped once and it was much like Robp's. "did you run past a guy in a gray tank top" no, but when the popo left, I was like "should I now be worried? you're leaving me running by my lonesome."

Gone Fishin

Pyromaniac

Member

LOL
Kel

Adjunct

I have never been stopped, like Cappy I am glad to see them and always acknowlege their presence. (I know most of them anyway)

From my experience, we only stop people who appear out of place. You could be clean cut in your 30's but running with a bag or something in your hand. Pretty darn suspicious.

Consider that there may be a heightened police presence in an area because of thefts or other crimes, in that case you will likely be stopped and asked what you are doing.

FYI, If an officer stops you while you are running, you do not have to talk to him. You absolute right to walk away. But that in itself could be considered suspicious, but again, he/she has no reason to stop you again. If he wanted to ask you if you saw someone suspicious, he is only asking for information. Lots of time we encounter people just to see if they are okay.

We are they to serve and protect. Not to aggravate people. If you have nothing to hide deal with it and move on. Just be glad the guy is out there taking notice, it could be the same guy who saves your life if you are creamed by a car and the car leaves the area.

The Movie Geek

Oompa Loofah

Adjunct

The Movie Geek

The other side of the coin, of course, is that if we didn't have anything to hide we'd stop for the officer (despite being 7 miles into a 12 mile run, though at that point I'd stop for a turtle that looked at me funny). And obviously we've done something wrong if we keep going. Catch-22.

Member

respectfully pug but there are other ways of looking at this:

a good officer knows the law and how to use it properly and legally...

for instance:

good officer: hey could i talk to you for a minute? (request)
or
good officer: pardon me sir, could i speak to you? (request)

poor officer: hey, hold up a minute! (order)
or
poor officer:stop, i want to talk to you. (order)

as pd113 says there are times when an officer can order a subject to stop (terry stop); based on evidence that a crime is, was, or is about to be committed. there are other times when it is considered a consensual encounter (person does not have to stop) and it is just a request and the person has the right not to stop.

this is a fluid situation though. one night stopping a runner who is on the road, running along is a consensual encounter, the next week or even night (lets say there was a burglary with someone that matched the jogger/runner/lol description) now there is a little more to go on and it changes to a terry stop where the police officer is investigating a past burglary (w/description) and can detain subejct against his or her will.

i wont argue that there are poor officers out there (just like there have been poor presidents, poor preachers, poor moderators, etc). but there are also GOOD officers out there that just want do their job.

sometimes it takes a few years for a young officer (as in time in service, not age) to understand what is proper and improper...

and there are some officers that are not sensitive to others feelings too (if it's any consolation, these types usually leave in a matter of years); the job can be done in the right way and still be polite to others (most of the time).

i hope you dont have a negative feeling about all police officers, some of us try very hard to to be considerate to others and still do our job. Very Happy

Kel

Harrassed by Police While Jogging

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