I was pulled over by a cop and had a strange interaction, can I file a complaint?

I was driving home from a friend’s house & was driving home at 2:30 AM. Not drunk but I knew this is the time bars close so the cops are usually on the prowl. I was driving through an area well known for cops, but like I said, I wasn’t driving drunk or erratically in any way. The cop was stationed outside a burger joint, where there is ALWAYS a cop. He turned his lights on and I pulled over into a parking lot. I began to gather my documents to give to the officer, but as I rolled my window down this was the entire interaction: Officer: Hello, your name isn’t Scott is it? Me: Um, no, but that’s my dad’s name and he’s on the title and insurance of this vehicle Officer: okay, nevermind, have a nice night He then just...walked back to his squad car. As he walked back I asked if there was something going on with my dad or if I did something wrong and he said “no” and got into his car. Just for some context: I’m a 21 y/o female whose name would obviously not be Scott. I have never received a ticket for anything before, never been arrested, etc. My dad is not a criminal or wanted in any way, he’s a pilot that lives 3,000 miles away from me across the country and hasn’t lived in my state in years. I called my dad and he had no idea why this would happen. Can someone please explain to me why this could’ve happened? The officer was polite during our brief encounter but I feel like I was unfairly pulled over and I feel like I am owed at least an explanation for this.

Answers

Anonymous

Clearly, as the Cop was showing interest in your father he is not as innocent as you believe. And you are not due anything especially an explanation

STEVEN F

Why were the police looking for your father? They were looking for HIS vehicle to find HIM. The only thing even remotely odd is that they didn't check your license to make sure you were who you claimed.

He might have pulled up the records on the car's license plate, and since your father is the registered owner of the car, that is how they got his name. By the way, even though you are an adult, does NOT entitle you to any information on another person even if you are related to them. The cop did a fine job.

StephenWeinstein

This would happen because you were driving someone else's car. The car was owned by someone named Scott, and your name obviously wouldn't be Scott, so he was checking why a female was driving a car owned by someone named Scott.

Anonymous

I smell a troll.

T D

Does mommy know you are on her computer so late at night.

pmt853

And you have enough spare time to post this seemingly pointless question on Y!A.

Verulam

I don't think you have any grounds to complain. If what you write here is accurate, the cop was only doing his job. Obviously your number plate threw up an abnormality, 'Scott' with woman driving? Does your dad's insurance cover others driving his car? For all the cop knew, the car could have been stolen??

Anonymous

why file a complaint. he checked you out and let you go. Scott is also a last name.

james

He was fishing for coin. He ran the plates so knew the name to ask for. He seen you were not drunk. So wanted to get back to fishing as fast at possible. Time counts to cops when coin fishing for there Judge. They only have about a hour at bar close to catch as many as possible for the night. That is there job. To catch coin in America. Not stop crime but be the crime.

New World Man

Not a good situation to pick a battle in... I personally would LOVE to prohibit them from stopping anyone at all without a specific reason to suspect something (and no type of a search without a warrant that specifies EXACTLY what they are looking for) but in that case I wouldn't bother, nothing happened other than you waisted a few minutes. Now if you want to go on some campaine in an attempt to prevent that type of stop in general - that is one thing, but that particular incident - forget about it...

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