Why would a police officer carry a tape recorder... ??

Question

to a car that he pulled over for a minor traffic violation and record everything? I'm just curious of reasons he would do this?

Answer 1

so he has proof of the interaction. I knew a guy who was accused of telling a drunk chick if she gave him a bj he would drive her home. However, luckily for him, his dashcam recorded the whole thing and it was the other way around - she offered him a bj to not arrest her

Answer 2

Many departments now record, both video & audio, all traffic stops. This helps provide an accurate record of what happened. This is to protect both the officer & the motorist.

- David

Answer 3

Carrying a tape recorder is a very easy way to back up every allegation made by the officer and an even easier way to disprove all the false allegations made against the officer.

Answer 4

Because people lie.

Answer 5

I do it every time I talk to anyone, and it's damned sure not for the other person's protection - it's for mine.

I'm tired of people twisting my words or attributing something to me I didn't say.  In this day and age everybody has such fun thinking the police are liars and thieves and there's no better feeling than being able to play a video or an audio recording to show who the real liars and thieves are.  

I've been recording my interaction with the public now for close to ten years, in one way or another.  I've actually had defense attorneys come up to me after court and tell me they've learned that if I say it happened, it happened - even when their clients tell them otherwise.

Sorry - you asked for reasons:

1.  C.Y.A. (as indicated above)

2.  You never know what's going to come out of someone's mouth, and you may not have a chance to get it again.  

3.  Sometimes, the things that come out of their mouths are things they can be convicted of.  They sure as heck won't repeat them in front of a judge or jury.

4.  It does help to give that little "edge" during a conversation.  If the officer knows he's being recorded, he's less likely to be a smartass with the public.  We shouldn't be anyway, but sometimes people practically beg for smartassed responses to their questions and rolling tape really helps deliver a measured response.

5.  With the advent of digital technology, it costs nothing to preserve conversations with the public.  The recordings are downloaded to a hard drive and there they stay forever.  Back in the old days, video and audio tapes were expensive so they were often only used when something worth recording was expected.  Not anymore!

6.  Did I mention CYA?