Poll of the Day > US police officer arrests a driver from Ontario for being Canadian

(+) Yeah! (+)

Do they let literally any moron become a police officer in the US? Seriously how the fuck does this even happen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6ZuZD8_mFQ" data-time="
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http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44032839

Emily Nield, 27, was on a student visa when she was pulled over for speeding in Georgia on her birthday in April.

When she could not produce hard copies of her passport or birth certificate, she was handcuffed and taken to jail.

Charges were eventually dropped and her record cleared, but Ms Nield says she is still waiting for an apology.

After Ms Nield was pulled over for driving 87 mph (140 km/hr) in a 70 mph zone, the officer told her she could not drive with a Canadian licence.

"I tried to tell the officer this isn't right, my licence is legal, if she had just done a simple Google search, this would not have happened," she told the BBC on Monday.

According to the Georgia Department of Driver Services website, non-US citizens holding a valid foreign driver's licence are allowed to drive in the state of Georgia, but may be asked for proof that they are citizens of the country that issued it.

The highway she was driving on is frequented by many Canadians who vacation in Florida.

The officer did ask for proof that she was Canadian, and would not accept photographs of Ms Nield's immigration documents and passport. She was then arrested for driving without a licence.

"I was scared, I just kept thinking this (the arrest) is going to stay with me," she said. "It was the worst birthday of my life."

Ms Nield took a video of herself in the back of the officer's vehicle and posted it to Snapchat so her friends could arrange for a lawyer.

"I'm in cuffs. Help me! I don't want to go to jail," she says in tears.

She says she paid more than $778 (C$1000; 574) for bail and to retrieve her car from the impound. Three days later, the charges were dropped and her record has subsequently been cleared.

Ms Nield says she wants Canadians to know they do have rights driving in the US. She also says at the police station she was not allowed to contact the Canadian consulate, which she is legally allowed to do.

She also wants the officer to apologise for not knowing the law.

"I would love for her to reach out just say 'I'm sorry'," she says.

Wasn't arrested for being Canadian. Was arrested for not providing physical copies of her immigration documents and passport, which Georgia law enforcement officers are allowed request.

Wouldn't have been a problem if she 1. Wasn't speeding and 2. Had physical copies of her documentation.

The police station did fail in allowing her to contact the Canadian consulate, which she is legally allowed to.

Going by the story, the police officer was in the right.

You do not go abroad without valid id documents and it is the responsibility of the traveller to know what they need in a specific country.
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Literally did his job.

Why didn't you go with her being arrested for being a female driver? Woulda been just as valid of a topic title. After all, "she" didn't provide valid documentation of that, either.
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The law says they can drive with a Canadian license which she had on her person

The officer can request proof of Canadian citizenship but unless the law states that they must carry that at all times it shouldnt be an arrestable offense. It isnt like she had her passport and refused to show it.

Bad cop, no donut
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Mead posted...

The law says they can drive with a Canadian license which she had on her person

The law would also state whether a foreign driving license on its own counts as valid id.

Mead posted...

The officer can request proof of Canadian citizenship but unless the law states that they must carry that at all times it shouldnt be an arrestable offense.

For foreigners it usually is.
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Mead posted...

The officer can request proof of Canadian citizenship but unless the law states that they must carry that at all times it shouldnt be an arrestable offense. It isnt like she had her passport and refused to show it.

It is the law.

Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him pursuant to subsection (d). Any alien who fails to comply with the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction for each offense be fined not to exceed $100 or be imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.

There should probably be some allowance for having pictures in lieu of the physical documents, but at the moment that doesn't appear to be allowed. Either way, the charges were dropped.
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WastelandCowboy posted...

Wasn't arrested for being Canadian. Was arrested for not providing physical copies of her immigration documents and passport, which Georgia law enforcement officers are allowed request.

Wouldn't have been a problem if she 1. Wasn't speeding and 2. Had physical copies of her documentation.

Canadian licenses are valid in the United States. Just another cop being an asshat just to be an asshat.
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If they let her into the country in a car based on the documentation she had on her, there shouldn't be any grounds for arresting her.
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Revelation34 posted...

WastelandCowboy posted...

Wasn't arrested for being Canadian. Was arrested for not providing physical copies of her immigration documents and passport, which Georgia law enforcement officers are allowed request.

Wouldn't have been a problem if she 1. Wasn't speeding and 2. Had physical copies of her documentation.

Canadian licenses are valid in the United States. Just another cop being an asshat just to be an asshat.

I wasn't disputing that Canadian licenses are legal in the United States. The woman was speeding and didn't have the required documentation that she is required to provide to U.S. officers upon request.

The only fault that their department made was not allowing her to talk to the Canadian consulate.

adjl posted...

If they let her into the country in a car based on the documentation she had on her, there shouldn't be any grounds for arresting her.

Americans fear foreigners.
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