The most frequent opportunity for interaction between an officer and a citizen is during a traffic stop.

I feel these few minutes of interaction between a citizen and law enforcement are crucial to the overall reputation of law enforcement. As they say, a first impression is a lasting impression.

One of the most frequent conversations or questions I get from citizens is regarding the do’s and don’ts and the rights and wrongs during traffic stops.

I am pleased to report that the majority of the scenarios I have heard were positive. Some people will even shake the officer’s hand after receiving a citation.

It is rewarding to me to hear a person say that they receive a citation and the officer was extremely professional.

We use traffic enforcement as a tool to reduce accidents due to the large number of accidents in the parish, especially on the interstate.

It’s never good when there is an accident on the interstate system and we have to send two or three units up there for hours at a time when they are supposed to be patrolling the residential areas of St. John Parish.

It’s even worse when they have to assist on the Bonnet Carre Spillway and drive all the way to Loyola Drive to return back to the Parish.

However, it is due to the number of complaints that we decided to conduct multiple interviews with law enforcement personnel in order to develop departmental standard responses to questions or statements from motorists. Here are just a few:

1) Citizen: I know an important person.

Officer: I respect that, but I am obligated to take enforcement action. If you disagree with the citation, you should appear in court.

2) Citizen: You should be catching murderers.

Officer: I am assigned to the traffic division. We have a fully staffed Detective Bureau that investigates murders.

3) Citizen: Can you give me a break.

Officer: The actions you committed warrants a violation.

4) Citizen: You are only writing me this ticket because of my race.

Officer: No sir/ma’am, I am stopping you because of the violation you just committed. I have taken an oath to fairly and impartially enforce Louisiana traffic laws.

5) Citizen: I want to see the radar.

Officer: It is not the law or our policy to show you the radar. It is also unsafe for you to approach my vehicle.

These are only five of ten responses we have found to be the most effective in de-escalation in a heated moment.

In my next editorial I will provide the next five standard responses to common traffic stop scenarios.

I would ask for your continued prayers for Deputy Stephen Hughes who was injured in a car crash while chasing an armed suspect and, most recently, Deputy Benjamin Teekell who was off duty driving his personal vehicle when another vehicle crashed into his car, killing his 5  -year-old daughter Addisyn.

His 8-year- old daughter Ashtyn was hospitalized and is recovering.

Benjamin Teekell was not seriously injured in the accident.

Mike Tregre is sheriff of St. John the Baptist Parish. Reach him at sheriff@stjohnsheriff.org.