Ever been ticketed for no front plate? This guy video's cops doing the same thing.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=728_1237486337

LOL... And yes, I have been ticketed for no front plate - I now always have a front plate displayed.... Lesson learned

Guys please note that law eforcement looks for reasons to make a stop. Whether it is no front plate, windo tint, or mexican....JK. Remember they are just trying to either check for DUI's or make the "point system", I'm sorry the "productivity scale". So if you have no front plate and get stopped, just let them know that it is on order and it will be coming. Just act stupid like you didn't know.

Cops really don't like dealing with little crap like front plates and turn signal violations (too much paperwork when they have better things to deal with). They will use it as a reason to pull you over for something else, if they feel the need (DUIs mainly, especially here in Idaho). If you are polite they usually won't give you a ticket, but just tell you to fix it. If you get the ticket, order a plate and then go to the court date, it will be dropped.

I haven't had a front plate since ~03 and have been pulled over twice. Once because I was doing 75-80 in a 55, but the cop didn't have his radar gun on. The second time was in Idaho and the cop was a dick (apparently I look like a total pothead), but couldn't do anything because I still have Wyoming plates.

lol that video was pretty good.

And yes i have got numerous warnings about no front plate on the maro, but never a ticket

I'm sorry, but I've never been cut any slack. I guess that's what happens when you're a younger guy driving a flashy new Mustang Cobra. I refuse to put a plate on the front of my car and have gotten several tickets for it. I've never received a warning and I am always as nice and respectful as I can be. That is, until they write the ticket. One time I was literally leaving the parking lot of Spradley Ford here in town and was pulled over (I was stopped maybe 50 feet from the dealership). I explained to the officer that I did not have a front license plate bracket and that was my reason for visiting the dealership. I had actually gone to order some other random part, but my Cobra was barely a few weeks old and I had just gotten the plates for it. I had the front plate laying on the passenger floor and showed it to him. He said he didn't care and generally acted like a huge dick. When he came back with the ticket I spoke my mind. But when I told him I knew he was pulling me over because I was a young guy driving a nice car with a good-looking girl in the passenger seat and he was just jealous, he got defensive and started screaming about arresting me. Real professional.

I don't care what anyone says, profiling definitely exists. And it's not just African Americans or Mexicans. I have something like 36 tickets for traffic violations. Sure, I deserved a few of them, but 90% were for going 5-10 MPH over the speed limit (usually coasting down a hill) or something that was completely false and fabricated in the officer's mind. I have always owned newer Mustangs and apparently there are a lot of LEOs that don't like the idea of a young male driving something like that. It's funny, I've only been pulled over twice when I wasn't in a Mustang and I usually drive much faster in my truck or daily beater. I didn't receive a ticket either time. Hmm....

^^^ I agree profiling exists. Back when I had the formula, my mom was driving the car and the cop was surprised to see her in the car and not me, he even asked about me during the stop. (She claims she was going ~40 in a 35.)

I'm sure that your driving record has a load to do with how much slack they cut you, and cops in Cheyenne are dicks.

I know this is a small town and the police keep some people in mind. But I wasn't always pulled over because they knew who I was. The cop that wrote the "no front plate" ticket I got when I was leaving the Ford dealer could not have possibly known who I was (I had just gotten the car). I was pulled over simply because I was a young guy driving a nice car. And guess what? I got another ticket for not having a front plate two days later, even though I had the plate on my dash visible through the windshield.

Don't get me wrong. I realize what LEOs have to deal with and I know it's a tough job that doesn't pay what it should. I have a lot of respect for most cops. But some just seem to have a personal vendetta against people who drive certain cars. They shouldn't be writing tickets just because they are jealous or angry or something. And they do. There were at least two tickets I was issued from the same officer that were complete and total bullshit. He knew it as well as I did, but he seemed to get some kind of enjoyment out of fucking with me and jacking up my insurance premiums. I of course fought both tickets in court, but we all know how that goes. It's your word against the judges' buddies.

Ok here you go. Here is some insight on the local LEO. The Cheyenne Police Department (CPD) makes damn good money. A beginning officer makes approximatley $4000 a month. The vet makes at least, if not more, close to $60k a year with out over time, ie. training, grants, ect. CPD has a lot of new rookies out there that are trying to make a name for themselves. You also have to realize that they are on a "productivity scale". Which in reality is a point system. Which is not legal in the state of Wyoming, don't get me started on this or their traffic cars. Yeah, you know the ones. The ones that are slick tops with that little bitty badge on the front quarter panel. Read the state statute on that. There are cops out there that will let you go and the rookies that just don't care and will write a ticket because it makes there "stats" look good. Oh, sorry, there productivity scale increase.

Agreed, though I've never been the target necessarily of the "productivity scale". But it does make sense. While the police department is technically here to protect and serve, it seems that a lot of municipalities (not just Cheyenne) use it as a means of revenue beyond what they really should be by using things like a productivity scale to scare officers (especially rookies) to have to write tickets to do a "good job".

4g63 - Just curious, but I get the que that you're involved with some type of law enforcement, just probably not the CPD, I'm guessing.

I was going to take the front plate off the VW and get a custome Euro plate, but one night at dinner I saw a group of local police officers sitting just a couple tables away from us and asked them if Wyoming was a two plate state and they very kindly told me yes and that it was like a $50 ticket to get caught without one....no euro plate for me.

So, in July I was driving to work one morning and when I got on to Dell range from College a police officer who was coming the other direction on College turned on to Dell Range right after me. I was in the right lane he was in the left and we were just about right next to each other the whole way down Dell Range when about a half a block before my turn (the mall) he gets behind me and flips his lights on. So I pull into the parking lot of the Mall and find myself a nice parking spot upfront. I was really confused as to why I was even getting pulled over, I didnt speed or run any lights or anything, and he was right next to me the whole way down the road. So, I get my license and registration out and he comes up to the window when I realize, holy shit, I went to school this the kid! He graduated in 04, a year a head of me, and he dated a really good friend of mine in Jr. high!! He pulled me over for a cracked windshield!! WTF! And tells me that I need to get it fixed....I was like 8 and a half months pregnant at the time and told him "Yeah! I will get right on that! After the birth of my son in about 6 weeks!" Well, I was so pissed that I over looked my insurance card and told him that I just didnt have it in the car and ended up just getting a $400 ticket for that (it was actually just right next to my seat) But honest to God, I'm a young white female driving a little red car. I dont look like a crack head or anything. Was there really nothing else to do that morning!! I just took my card to the court and didnt have to pay anything.But I ended up like 15 minutes late to work that day. Thanks for nothing!

SonicYeller I will get this out in the open for everyone on here. I was employed by the Laramie Count Sheriff's Department for 10.5yrs. I got into an argument with my LT about Federal law. My LT then wrote me up on insubordination because I would not sign a time sheet. A long story short, you can not make reserve military use their vacation and holiday to actively serve for the United States Armed Forces. Therefore I was terminated for insubordination. There is a lot more to the story but that is the most of it.

1slowGTI you have to remember that LEO's are looking for any reason to pull you over. ie. cracked winshield, tail light out, no front plate, crack head, rice..... . Ok not rice but I would pull someone over for that. The unfortunate thing is that a lot of LEO's are all about DUI's. They get recognition from the Gov. for it and a cute little plack. In the time that I have worked for the jail I would constantly hear LEO's come in a brag about how many DUI's they had for the year. One thing to remember is that CPD works of a "productivity scale". In other words they have to make so many conatacts with in a month. Yeah, this is a "points system". They just renamed it to beat the state statute. The Wyoming Highway Patrol has to make 8 contacts in a 10hr shift. No this also is not a "point system" just a "productivity scale" in order to get federal funding.............."BULL SHIT!!!!". The Laramie County Sheriff's Department is not on any typ of "scale". All monies from the tickets they write will go to the Laramie County School District along with the Wyoming Game and Fish. I hope this answers some questions. If not keep posting and I will anwer them. I have a lot of incite................trust me. I have been put off by LEO's and hate most of them. I have dealt with most of them and most of them are dumber than my dog's ploppies. That's right I said ploppies.

I am 38 years old now. If a cop writes me a traffic citation, I just lawyer up. In the long run it is cheaper (insurance etc). I don't care what kind of traffic ticket.

A improper displayed tag is not a traffic ticket which means they can give me as many as they want. No points just a fine. I will just pay unless my plate is displayed within the letter of the law and the cop has a "creative interpretation" of the law. Welp, then its time to lawyer up again.

You do know that if you beat a department out of a few tickets in a row that you can get a court order to ban that department from pulling you over?

I prefer the shittiest dirtbag lawyer money can buy. It really chaps the department's hide. I haven't used one in years. I don't even know if the guy I used is still alive.

4g63... Can you explain the rationale of Cheyenne having an enormous police force, especially for the size of the town and the crime rate? This is something I have always wondered about.

I know you asked him. But I would like to butt-in and answer with one simple word... "revenue"

When the Laramie County Sheriffs Dept. has a shooting, robbery or murder they many times have a suspect in custody within 24 hours.

When the Cheyenne Police Dept. has the same, usually we have Monchichi on TV telling us "that its an ongoing investigation at this time..."

If you get you shit wrecked or stolen CPD will send you a little card saying your case has been closed due to lack of evidence within 3 working days.

I know some of you are no friend to the Sheriffs department. But all of my experiences with them recently I saw nothing but professionalism.

The reason for this is that the CPD is ill equipped for actual investigation because its sole purpose and poise is based around generating revenue, no actual crime prevention/investigation. It is self perpetuating as well. The more revenue they draw, the more police they can hire, the more revenue they can generate. Cheyenne has a police force similar to what you would find in a city 3x this size. Driver training and education being so poor makes it a perfect storm raining money. I am not sure but I believe Cheyenne has no traffic school either, so its not going to get any better for repeat offenders.

According to statistics from Allstate insurance and Mens Health Magazine, Cheyenne, WY had the 5th worst drivers in the USA in 2007

Here is a news article about it: http://www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2007/04/04/top_story/01local_04-04-07.txt

They have a vested interest in keeping people driving crappy.

Silverlegacy at one point in time, still up for discussion, is that the city is going to annex the counties part of SGH and make it city. The city is very worried right now about that. The other thing is that the city has always been undermanned. They have finally brought their manning up to what it is supposed to be. One reason is they just got a %17 increase in their pay. That is huge. The CPD also just went through a hiring phase and a lot of new rookies are out on the street. You will see an increase but eventually like all LE agencies that number will thin again. The city does offer a traffic class. When you go to court you will have to request it. Take in consideration that if you are a repeat offender this is not your way out of a ticket.

It just seems that there are an inordinate amount of cops floating around Cheyenne. Everywhere else I have lived or even visited I see less cops than I do in Cheyenne. The metro area I live in currently is roughly 600,000 people and I see maybe one or two traffic cops a day. Where as in Cheyenne you can't go five minutes without seeing at least one.

I as well have noticed an increase in patrol cars as well. I know that the traffic guys have a blue, maroon, gold, white, and gray slick tops. That there alone is over kill. They work different shifts as well. They used to just work monday through friday, 8-5. Now they have split their shifts. Wednesdays are the worst. You have two shifts that overlap. So you have twice as many officers on that day alone. Do we have more officers than other areas? Yes it is a possiblity. Yet other bigger areas ride two to a car. I am probably not answering your question. I don't have exact numbers to compare the CPD to say Denver PD. I can say that the LCSO is well manned. Even though they act like they are not. They just have to travel further to calls. Honestly look at the average shift on for LCSO. There is 9 per shift. Now squeeze them all onto SGH. Exactly! Don't get me wrong you have what they call a float car. Which basicly takes those calls that are away from SGH/ 505 Williams.

505 williams?? isnt that that trailer park LOL

Yes it is and that is where most of the calls go. Funny I know.

Kind of off topic, but I looked on the sex offenders site last night. I noticed that Cheyenne is littered with child-related sex offenders all over the place. If you look in Ft Collins or Loveland they are pretty much non-existant. I wonder if this has to do with the way police handle things differently up there or if Cheyenne just has a whole bunch of pedophiles.

Yeah, my sister-in-law's boyfriend is one of them.

505 Williams is famous. Live here for more than a couple years and you're bound to figure that out.

I realize that a ticket for no front plate is not a moving violation. But, $50 is $50 to me. It starts to add up when you get three of those in less than a month.

Also, I don't think it's any big secret that cops have quotas (or whatever they choose to call them) to meet. But this idea that handing out more tickets makes the streets safer is rediculous. It is simply to bring in more cash (like Tom explained). Isn't it our governor that keeps pushing for more traffic enforcement? I don't like that guy. I heard a while ago that Cheyenne has the highest number of traffic cops per capita in the US. Now, I don't remember where I heard that and I have no idea whether it's true or not. But I wouldn't doubt it.

1slowGTI, I'm sure you were pulled over because you drive a bright red car with a loud exhaust and aftermarket wheels. The officer was probably just looking for an excuse to pull you over. Is a cracked windshield enough ground to even pull somebody over, though? Is that really a primary offense or whatever they call it?