How long can a cop follow you for an expired tage?
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How long can a cop follow you for an expired tage?
I drove by a cop who apparently has a plate reader. My tag was expired due to financial issues. I watched the cop for half a mile without him ever moving or even appearing to move. After driving for about a mile And on a separate road as when I passed the cop I see him speeding to catch up to me. I was literally right in front of my house when he pulled me over for the expired tag. I didn’t break any other laws, so I was wondering if this was a legal stop. I don’t see why he didn’t pull me over when he first saw me. Why did he wait for me to get over a mile away from him only to catch up to me and stop me?
Asked on October 9, 2019 under General Practice, Florida
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
There is no limit on how long a police officer may choose to follow you before pulling you over; it is up to the officer's discretion. This is true whether you are being followed sue to speeding general suspicious behavior or even for just an expired registration tag. Further, driving with expired tags marks you for extra attention from the police. While they can stop you if your tags are expired and issue a citation, it also opens you to more potentially problematic concerns. The officer who pulls you over over can issue additional ticketss based on his observations, which may include tickets for inadequate proof of insurance and driver's license violations, etc.
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
There is no limit on how long a police officer may choose to follow you before pulling you over; it is up to the officer's discretion. This is true whether you are being followed sue to speeding general suspicious behavior or even for just an expired registration tag. Further, driving with expired tags marks you for extra attention from the police. While they can stop you if your tags are expired and issue a citation, it also opens you to more potentially problematic concerns. The officer who pulls you over over can issue additional ticketss based on his observations, which may include tickets for inadequate proof of insurance and driver's license violations, etc.
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