There is the common rumor that you can curse at a cop if you phrase it as an opinion like: "I believe you are a ___". The rumor goes that you will be in violation of the law if you just blurt out curse words. This of course seems absurd, but is there even a law against cursing at cops? Logic follows that since it is not illegal to curse at citizens, it is not illegal to curse at cops. It seems like the first amendment covers this. Does anyone know of any state statutes that forbid someone from cursing at law enforcement?

I will not curse at an officer, but I would like to discredit anyone that brings up this silly nonsense. My style is to outwit and intellectually humiliate anyone that opposes a decision I make, not resort to name-calling.

 

I am not really sure the point of this thread.

But, I can answer your question as it relates to Texas. I don't know what state you are in so the law may be different there.

A peace officer's (cop, state trooper, sheriff etc.) peace cannot be breached. In other words you can cuss, say whatever you want, shoot the finger, etc. at the cop..........AS LONG AS..........he/she is the only person around to observe it or see it. If there is another person standing by that could be offended by your silly tirade......then you could be cited or arrested for "Disorderly Conduct". Now remember, of course, that any discretion that the officer had after you do such a thing would probably have gone out the window...........so you dang well better not have anything else wrong or have committed ANY kind of other offense that you May or MAY NOT be aware of. Get my drift?

Actually......in Texas....did you know that it is not against the law for a woman to expose her breasts? That act, in and of itself, is not "indecent exposure". That only applies to the "other" areas of a male or female's anatomy. However, if someone (I can't imagine who) was offended by the act of the exposure of the breast..........then technically.....that offender could be cited or arrested for "disorderly conduct".

Again....the laws may vary from state to state. Personally, I think I would be as cordial to the officer as possible and hopefully he will do the same to you. And, again...........personally, if a woman wanted to expose her breasts I certainly would not be offended. Well some I might...LOL.

 

Depends on the state guys.
Indiana has a harrassment law...
If you cuss out a cop expect to get hooked up.

 

I would say it depends on the state AND the state of mind of the officer. There are plenty of different charges on can assign to any particular behavior.
1) Disobeying a lawful order.
2) Rude and lascivious behavior.
3) Disorderly conduct.

These may be called different things in your State, but in some form they exist.

The obeying a lawful demand (order) is a decent one, it pretty much means that the Police are acting in the best interest of public safety and something you did or didn't do has compromised their ability to do so.


Cool LEO's are going to be cool 99 times out of 100, you might catch them on a bad day, you might take them too far for their comfort.
It's a job, I turn around and walk away from people that don't respect me, they don't have that luxury.

http://www.officer.com/article/artic...&siteSection=1

 

I thought states had laws about public profanity or something? I guess it depends if your in or out of your car then??

 

The Law: If you aggravate a cop, you loose. Legality is irrelevant.

 

I am a cop and i understand that people do not like getting tickets because it gets in their pocketbook.
But you have to have to realize that if you are breaking the law then you are in the wrong. Take your ticket and go on, it is your fault and nobody elses but your own.
I specifically give 15mph over the speed limit in most cases. If you hit 16 over your getting a ticket. But each officer is different.
Around christmas time I dont write tickets unless it is warranted.

As far as cursing me? Well there is the old catch all, disorderly conduct.
I seldom have used it because you are in and out in about an hour, but I have been known to stack, which is stacking tickets when someone cusses me.
Examples are when I stop you for speeding and you cuss me, well you say your insurance card is at home? another ticket, you were not wearing your seatbelt? another ticket, sir, your tires do not have the legal tread, another ticket, sir your brake light is out, another ticket, sir you dont have a rear view mirror, another ticket, sir, your exhaust is to loud, another ticket, sir you failed to signal when you pulled over, another ticket.....you see the point..
When they get to court that little temper tantrum cost them about 2 grand. Tough lesson huh?

Cops have a job to do, just as you do when you go to your job.

 

Thank you Mr. Policeman for fully justifying my paranoia about Policemen...

 

In Texas, it is against the law to say profanity in a public place with other people around that "might" be offended. But if it is just you and the cop, you can say whatever you want. His/Her peace cannot be breached.


So you can cuss the cop out all you want (with no others around), but you dang better do what he says. If he says to sit here, you better sit down where he tells you etc. or that would fall under a separate law.

 

I can definitely agree with that 100% Cops have a dangerous job to do and they put their lives on the line every day, sure some are crooked or abuse their power. But for the most part they are honest and fair. Just because someone thinks they are being treated unfairly doesn't mean they are. I've heard peoples stories about speed traps and everything else. The fact of the matter is, if you are breaking the law you deserve that ticket or worse, regardless of who you are (other cops or cops family) or how you are caught...anything less is corruption. The cop is just doing his or her job in writing you that ticket and people thinking its OK to be cursing that cop for doing their job is wrong.

I'd get pretty ticked off if people were cursing me for doing my job, wouldn't you?

 

If you are dumb enough to curse at a cop then you deserve what ever you get.....Frankly I think that warrants being handcuffed to your tailgate and left standing on the side of the road with your pants jerked down around your ankles...

But thats just my opinion

 

There are some people who you just plain do not curse at or around, no matter what the legalities are. Grandmothers, preachers, and cops are a few. If you are dumb enough to curse at a cop, you'll probably only do it once. Talk about a lack of respect, that's a bad sign of the times right there.

 

While the first amendment does cover free speech is does not cover slander or violent (curse) words.

 

Anybody ever notice a mustache on your ID picture after you've gotten it back?

 

Be polite and respectful and you will never have any trouble in a traffic stop situation. The cop just wants to write you a ticket (or maybe even just warn you) and get on with his life. At worst he may have suspicions that you are involved in illegal activity. Getting rude, uppity, or argumentative is just plain stupid and will annoy the cop.

The important thing to remember is that a traffic stop is no big deal to the cop. So don't turn it into one.