The Meaning of American Police Officers’ Gesture: Ensuring Safety During Traffic Stops

The gesture of American police officers, which is repeated almost every time a car is stopped, has several meaningful explanations. But it is almost always about safety.

Traffic checks overseas tend to have their own specifics, one of which occurs as soon as the police officer approaches a stopped car. If you didn’t experience it personally, you could have noticed it in footage from the dashboard cameras of company cars, personal cameras of police officers, or in higher quality films and series.

On the way from their car to the driver’s or passenger’s window, American police officers practically always reach or tap on the car’s tail light, trunk lid or other rear part of the stopped car. They have several reasons, and they all make good sense.

One of the main reasons is to create evidence that the police officer actually checked the car. That is, he was physically present with him. Nowadays, this role is played by on-board cameras, but it is a safeguard from the past, which is not dependent on modern technologies and electronics. Moreover, it has become a tradition for many police officers.

If there is a shooting, which is not unusual overseas during traffic checks, an attack on a police officer or if the driver tries to drive away from the scene, the policeman’s fingerprint on the rear light or fender will clearly prove that it is a stopped car.

As another reason, the so-called “intimidation” of the crew, which is to be checked, is mentioned. If there were any illegal substances or objects on board the car, be it drugs or weapons, it is very likely that the crew will try to hide them before the arrival of the police. But an unexpected knock on the car can startle the crew, make them unsure and stop for a while.

The policeman thus gains more time to observe what is happening on board, who is handling what and possibly what or where the crew is trying to hide. For drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs, this tapping on the hood can lead to greater nervousness, which will betray them. After all, according to The Law Dictionary, this approach has helped increase the number of drivers arrested for driving under the influence and transporting prohibited substances or unregistered weapons.

Last but not least, police officers can check whether the trunk is closed by tapping on the back of the car. It may sound paranoid, but the police want to make sure that no one jumps out of the trunk and ambushes them during the inspection. As mentioned above, American police officers have a lot of experience with checkpoints that turn into a shootout.

Recently, however, there has also been criticism of this practice. Some critics say that trying to leave a fingerprint on the taillight can lead to the officer standing directly behind the car. There is a risk that the stopped driver will hit him and drive away. Tapping on the body then indicates the position of the police officer, which could easily be exploited by an armed person in a car.

2023-07-18 16:59:36
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