A botched DUI arrest reveals a 'dirty little secret' about policing

[wnylib]

26. It happened back then, too. It happened to me

way back in the mid 1980s. It was in the summer. A tavern about 7 blocks from my home was having a contest of local bands. I drove alone to meet some friends there. I drove an old Plymouth Fury.

I arrived early, around 5 pm, had a cheeseburger and fries and a vodka and tonic with my meal. I did not have another alcohol drink the rest of the night. Switched to only coke bc I would be driving myself home I was there for the music and my friends, not for the drinks.

Thee bands stopped playing around midnight. I stayed to talk with a friend who sang in one of the bands. I left around 1 am. When I turned the corner at the end of the block, a police car stopped me. There were two male cops. One asked, "Do you know that you ran up over the curb when you turned the corner?" I knew that I had not. My low hanging Fury would have had muffler or tail pipe damage if I had.

But I was alone. NO witnesses. I said that I had no knowledge of going over the curb and would have heard and felt the scrape.

The other cop said that I did not know about the curb because I was intoxicated. He said that my car reeked of beer. I said that nobody else was in my car and I do not drink beer because I am allergic to it. He and his partner were clearly trying to fake a DUI case.

He got angry and asked if I was claiming to spend an evening in a tavern without drinking. I said that I had one vodka drink at 5 pm. With a meal, then drank coke. He ordered me out of the car for a sobriety test. Heel to toe for 10 paces. Touch my fingertip to my nose. I aced it. I requested a breathalyzer test bc I knew I would pass it. He ordered me to do the heel to toe again, then touch my toes, etc., etc. No breathalyzer.

Finally his partner said to let it go. He said he would let me off with a warning but would ticket me next time. They followed me to my home and watched me go inside, then drove away.

I am a White female. If I were a POC, I am sure it would have been worse. It was scary enough being alone with 2 lying cops and no witnesses.