DFW NORML's "Truth Enforcement Vehicle"
I’m always thrilled when I get word from one of our local NORML chapters about their new creative projects to capture the public imagination. This latest treat from Dallas/Fort Worth NORML, however, is one of my favorites.
It’s the “Truth Enforcement Vehicle”, a former police car bought at auction. DFW NORML replaced the red’n'blue lights with green LEDs and christened it vehicle #420 (of course).
A Dallas/Ft. Worth police officer checking out the 420 car
David Sloane, public information officer for DFW NORML, tells us about the reaction from the public and from the police:
This weekend, besides the meeting, I drove it to the local Ford Dealership, O’Riley Auto Parts, and Walmart to pick up incidental parts and stuff for the meeting. Each time when I came out I found a crowd around it snapping pics with their cell-phones. The best reaction has been the cops… seen 4 so far. Each time at first glance I get a big-ole “Good-Ole-Boy” wave! Then anywhere from 1/8 to 1/2 second later they whip that head back around at me with a “WTF!?” expression on their face.
Truth Enforcement at the Dallas/Ft. Worth Marijuana March
David’s been forwarding us progress reports on the Truth Enforcement Vehicle and in response, NORML Founder Keith Stroup warned that such a brazen appropriation of police imagery might bring with it some extra attention from cops, so be very careful to obey the law and not allow contraband in the car. Sure enough, Papa NORML knows best, judging by today’s report from David:
Well, Keith Stroup’s crystal ball seems to be in fine working order. I just got stopped in 420 TRUTH CAR on Loop 820. I was driving under the speed limit and a FTW PD traffic unit working stationary radar on the shoulder started kicking up dirt and gravel coming onto the freeway before I even past him. (Indicating to me they’ve been watching for that car.)
His whole demeanor and tone was very friendly as he approached but was still somewhat official when he asked me to “turn the light bar on.” I coulda been a dick and asked him if he had a warrant but I really wasn’t getting a “tude-vibe” from the guy at all. What the hey…the GREEN lights are legal. Once they were on he looked at them for a good three seconds doing the math. (I really think he was expecting red/blues in the batch somewhere.) Then he just kind shook his head and chuckled.
WTF?!?
Then he noticed an old City of FTW vehicle inventory sticker on the dash. “371… was that a traffic unit?” I said no it was a Low-Jack car… but I re-numbered it to 420. He kinda chuckled again and said he noticed and something to the effect of everyone’s entitled to their own opinion. Then he asked if he could get some pictures! I told him sure and turned the light bar back on for him. He pulled out his phone and began snapping away. (I got a shot of him… gettin a shot of me… attached!)
We exchanged cordial adieus and I was on my way. He wasn’t menacing or harassing at all. I think they are just curious. I’m sure those pics got the FTW-PD most-forwarded award for the afternoon shift! Now just three more shifts to go! LOL
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I got pulled over by just about every trooper in the valley for the first few Months, now I think they have me on the computer as “Mostly harmless”. This is Alaska wayhigh Patrol II, AWP I had a terrible accident.
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I imagine a lot of cops out there have a very reasonable PERSONAL view about weed. They see a great deal of drug related violence / neglect etc etc etc in the line of duty. Obviously they cant speak out on it and are largely bound by .
I’m sure they don’t like to waste time on dragging in someone who is hurting no one and have all that paperwork to do.
I was pulled over one time awhile back for a very minor traffic violation. Problem was I’d just got done blazing! OH Shit! I thought I was busted, I had a chance to air out the car, but it stunk like a skunk!
The cop had to have smelled it! Believe it or not, I was there and I still cant comprehend my luck. The nice officer didnt say anything about it! I got my traffic ticket and went on my way.
I think my very respectable appearance and behavior probably helped me out!
So theres some good cops out there!
I missed this when it was originally posted so I’m a bit late but wanted to say I think it’s a great idea! Sure it turned some heads. The more attention grabbing ideas like this to promote awareness the better I think
you know guys its almost counter productive. You keed to take off the word Enforcement and put Education in its place.
[...] NORML great article ! Dallas/Fort Worth NORML’s “420 Truth” Cop Car draws police attention | The NORML S… This is from May 10th, 2011. But I was just randomly browsing and found it, I think it's [...]
Im sure you know he was just playing you to get info and pics…
Finally a marijuana reform group with an original bold way to market reform!!! Marijuana reform groups across the country should copycat this like crazy and use it to promote reform on college campuses, county courthouses, nightclub scene and everywhere else.
I swear your post read to me like a great novel, and of course I’m stoned (Yes !) However, with that said I generally don’t take the time, when I don’t have it to take at moment so really ‘read’ through all … Nicely written and handled.
I got popped the other day, for a turn signal. I saw him waiting there and I KNEW what he was there for. Shoulda used the hand signal, oh well he was trollin’ for a fat ticket so he just woulda made something up anyway. So I pull on down the road to a wide spot where we don’t block traffic while he’s robbing me, and stop.
He gets out of his car as I get out my wallet and roll down the window and as he walks up to the truck he’s sayin’ ” Do you know why I pulled y…(sniff) You got weed in there? To which I replied Doesn’t that take us into fifth amendment territory? And he said ” smells like you got about four or five pounds of weed in there”.
Well of course it does, I said ,I own one of the last dispensaries on this side of the state (Y’know how ya don’t notice the smell of the litter box after awhile when you have a cat? Same thing happens when your surounded by weed all day). So he asks me about my “card” and I say sure no problem and start diggin’ through my wallet. No luck THE DAMN THING’S NOT THERE AGHHHH . So now I’m busted. He’s got me for a GRAM AND A HALF of pretty good weed.
While i”m desperately clawing through my wallet I see a glimmer of interest, in my business, in this young cop so I go for the pitch and by the time it has been established that I have no card on me I have already built something of a rapport with him.
Now he wants to search the truck(Now I know you’re all going to scream in unison NOOOOOO, DON’T LET HIM DO IT WITHOUT A WARRANT!!!) But I love to waste the time of these people when the time leads to so little reward for them. “Protocol requires, he informs me, that I restrain you in the back of the cruiser” and I said If you’ve got protocol issues then you’re going to hate this, pulling aside my jacket to reveal an empty holster(There’s a mandatory five year addition to any federal sentence for including a firearm in it in any way, or so I’ve heard). The empty holster is a statement to the fact that they took away our bank (closed our account, THERES another whole story) and left us with a wide array of threats and only clubs and hope to defend ourselves) Much to my surprise he didn’t freak out and in fact commended me for finding a non-threatening way to make such a statement…then he cuffed me and stuffed me in the back of his car.
So now I’m sittin’ in the back of this car and the first thing that occurs to me is “Holy crap, This damn car probably cost more than my house”. Then I remembered all those videos that make it to youtube from the back seat of police cars and I started talking. I talked about the wasted lived they can never fix. The fact that my kids grew up in a home without alcohol. Big pharma, the tobacco industry, money , power, lobbying, took about fifteen minutes and he came back and asked if I was “Too hot?,too cold? and I replied “you forgot to ask me how angry I am” and he thanked me for keeping it to myself. I asked him if he found my favorite steel pipe in there somewhere and he said if he did he would have to keep it just like the soapstone one he already had. A few minutes later he tells me that he can take off the cuffs and let me out of the car, he’s convinced that I am just what I said I am and doesn’t seem to have a problem with it. So now we switch vehicles and he tells me to wait while he” calls in” I have a scanner in my cellphone and he never called, he did however spend about as much time in that car as I did,. I’m pretty sure he listened to the whole thing. When he came back he handed me a ticket for TWO HUNDRED FIFTY BUCKS. I thanked him for his time reached out and shook his hand asking “So, I can get a jury for this, rightI? And he says “Well yeah, you can but you don’t wanna do that,do ya? to whicfh I replied Ohhh but I dooo. I smiled at him, tipped my hat, got in my truck and drove off.
On my way home I found my steel pipe in the glove box, on top of some stuff he stuffed back in there after(I assume) looking for and not finding my pistol. Civil disobediance doesn’t necessarily need to be uncivil.
I’m glad to see that these cops aren’t just snobby drug warriors, most aren’t. the first judgment people make about cops is that they don’t care… but you really see it in some officers that they truly try to make communities a better place.
Around my town cops are known for being “dicks”. But, really if you respect them, they respect you. I’ve talked to many of them and they say that for the most part, if your caught speeding, and you tell the truth, you’ll probably get off with a warning.
Hey everyone! First off, I have to say great job! You have done a magnificent job gathering awareness of the use of marijuana. There are too many times I hear people speak about how “bad” or “wrong” it is…What is so wrong about it?? Thousands of people die every year in alcohol related accidents, or acts of violence…I may be a little biased, but I have not heard of one incident occurring either way with pot.
..I am a 23 year old single mother, who gets up and goes to work and school every day. I get good grades, and I work hard. Marijuana, JUST like alcohol will only hinder your ability to succeed, if you allow it too..its the individual, not the drug!..but I know, I’m preaching to the choir..
So I was sitting at the light at Park Row and Cooper yesterday and I saw this cop car pull up next too me, I looked as usual only too find a gigantic pot leaf on the hood! I sat there and read everything on the car, with the biggest smile on my face. I just thought it was the coolest thing in the world to see, basically an in your face coming out to the world, mobile message about marijuana. I would drive that car EVERYWHERE!! I want too! Can I?? lol…
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Proud of the officer for being such a sport. Most cops know someone who smokes that is a friend or relative they wouldn’t haul in just because they are in the know about it. Maybe there are more potential LEAPers than we realize. Personally I don’t understand why cops aren’t supporting each other more on speaking out. They see themselves as this supportive network but don’t stand up for each other’s right to free speech on an issue that they understand more about than many.
And, MJ Truth in Texas…go figure.
This is awesome!!