Gift Cards to Good Drivers

Certain local police departments are pulling drivers over and giving them gift cards for being “good drivers.” On the surface this sounds like a great idea, especially at Christmas time.

It has been suggested that I am not a very trusting person and perhaps that is the truth. However, when I hear about police pulling drivers over to give them gift cards for safe driving, it gives me pause.

What is to prevent a police officer from using the gift card for good drivers as a pretense to stop a car that the officer would not otherwise have probable cause to stop. Once the car is stopped the officer can arrest the driver for anything illegal that is in plain sight or smelt.