What do you do if a cop approaches you and starts questioning you while you're sitting in your car in a public parking lot?
Unfortunately, I drive a ghetto minivan which causes the police to profile me and has caused people in small
towns to call the police on me if I am in a public park or in their neighborhood. I even had someone call
the police on me at campground that I had pre-paid for and the police were not sympathetic at all to my right to
just exist.
I am aware of stop and identify laws and know that a cop needs reasonable suspicion to demand to see your ID. However, can't the cop just make up some lies about reasonable suspicion?
If a cop approaches me can I immediately start with:
"Officer, do you have reasonable suspicion that a crime has occurred, is in the process of occurring, or is about to occur?"
It seems like that will immediately escalate things even if technically the law is on my side.
I just want a damn right to exist law and to not be a target for an overactive imagination by the police which treats
me like a criminal until they can check me for warrants.
Honestly, I want to tell them to fuck off right away but I also don't have money for a lawyer.
Best bet?
Get some local PD/Sherrif or PBA (or equivalent) stickers and place near the rear license plate and on the glass by the driver side A pillar.
The only time that might work is if it's a nice, expensive and well kept car. But then with that I doubt you're too worried about being harassed in the first place.