OpinionStory

Why Cops Leave Fingerprints on Your Car 😳

Shawn Ryan Show

A police officer explains that cops touch the back of vehicles during traffic stops to collect fingerprints and DNA for identification purposes, and discusses the safety concerns and heightened alertness officers experience during every traffic stop due to the potential for violence.

Summary

The transcript features a police officer addressing a common question about why law enforcement officers touch the back of vehicles during traffic stops. The officer explains that this practice serves an evidentiary purpose—touching the back of the car allows officers to leave fingerprints that can later be used to definitively identify the vehicle and place the officer at the scene if needed. Beyond the procedural explanation, the officer shifts to discussing the psychological and safety dimensions of traffic stops from a cop's perspective. He describes the heightened state of alert officers maintain, noting that 'Spidey senses' kick in during every approach. The officer emphasizes that officers are primarily concerned about their personal safety, constantly evaluating the risk of being shot during the interaction. He illustrates this with examples, noting that even seemingly safe encounters—such as with an elderly woman described as 'nice and sweet'—still carry the potential danger of lethal violence. The officer explains that this vigilance stems from experience, as he describes waiting for gunfire to come through the windshield during every traffic stop he ever approached, underscoring the constant threat assessment that characterizes police work.

Key Insights

  • Police officers touch the back of vehicles during traffic stops to collect fingerprints and DNA that can be used to definitively identify the vehicle and place the officer at the scene
  • Officers experience heightened alertness and defensive mindset during every traffic stop, with 'Spidey senses' activated as they approach vehicles
  • The primary concern driving officer behavior during traffic stops is the constant evaluation of whether they are about to be shot
  • Officers perceive a potential lethal threat in every traffic stop encounter, regardless of how cooperative or non-threatening the driver appears to be
  • The officer's experience includes waiting for rounds to come through the windshield as a standard mental preparation during every vehicle approach

Topics

Police procedures during traffic stopsFingerprint and DNA collection practicesOfficer safety concernsLaw enforcement perspective on dangerTraffic stop interactions

Transcript

[0:00] You know, a lot of people ask why do cops touch the back of the car for DNA? For if for shot or fingerprints on the back of that car, so when they find it, they can for sure say that is the vehicle. There's Cook's fingerprints. >> Man, every traffic stop that I walked up to, my Spidey senses kicked in. People ask, you know, why are cops so aggressive when they get up to the car? Because when they touch the back of your car from the front of their windshield, do you know what they're thinking about? Am I about to get shot? When the window comes down and it's old Miss Betty and she's all…

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