Why do the police ask you your occupation?

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nate

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#42747 9-Oct-2009 15:52

This article reminded me of a question I've had for ages: why do you need to give your occupation after being pulled over?

As someone who has more experience-than-they-want-to-admit with the men in blue, why when dealing with the cops do you give your occupation?

I can't fathom how your job affects the outcome...

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Snowflake

#262803 9-Oct-2009 15:56

because some crim's are dumb enough to say "car thief" or "cat burglar" when they are arrested probably :) I remember reading about crim's who had done just that somewhere...

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Bee

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#262805 9-Oct-2009 15:59

Id love to know the answer too!

I was also gutted that I didnt get pulled over a little while ago so that I could say "unemployed" to that question!

I was "between jobs" for about 2 weeks :)

Next time I shall think up something random and see what happens... of course hopefully there is not a next time at all!

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rscole86

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#262809 9-Oct-2009 16:06

You do not have to answer that question.
Most people do not answer it, or the officer does not fill that field in, in my experience.

As to being unemployed? I would guess at 30% of people say they are unemployed, most thinking that they will get let off for not having money.

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#262816 9-Oct-2009 16:17

rscole86: You do not have to answer that question.

Correct, no obligation to answer that one.

rscole86: Most people do not answer it, or the officer does not fill that field in, in my experience.

Or sometimes the driver will give an answer like "a***hole" and the cop will be dumb enough to write that answer on the form, as happened in Upper Hutt a few years ago. The a***hole in question then goes to the media and says "look what this cop wrote about me..." etc.

EDIT:

nate: I can't fathom how your job affects the outcome...

It doesn't - it's just part of the statistics game.

freitasm

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#262817 9-Oct-2009 16:20

nate: As someone who has more experience-than-they-want-to-admit with the men in blue, why when dealing with the cops do you give your occupation?

Richgamer? Is that you?

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#262818 9-Oct-2009 16:25

It's to build a larger network of who works with, known associates etc....
National Intelligence Network has a lot more in it than just your criminal history

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#262819 9-Oct-2009 16:27

Bee: I was "between jobs" for about 2 weeks :)

If you are between jobs I wouldn't call that "unemployed"... Unless you left the previous job without a firm offer for a new one.

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corksta

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#262820 9-Oct-2009 16:30

Yeah this is so a richgamer question!!!

As others have said you don't need to. You are legally only required to give your name, address, and date of birth.

Occupation is asked for because it can, if nothing else is helping, be used to try and prove your identity. More so in the fact when your details might be similar to someone else's and you don't have photo ID, or family members trying to pass themself off as one another, the occupation recorded in the system can go some way to helping prove identity.

So it's not used for stats or anything like that Dratsab, just helps contribute to your identity.

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#262823 9-Oct-2009 16:37

corksta: Yeah this is so a richgamer question!!!

As others have said you don't need to. You are legally only required to give your name, address, and date of birth.

Occupation is asked for because it can, if nothing else is helping, be used to try and prove your identity. More so in the fact when your details might be similar to someone else's and you don't have photo ID, or family members trying to pass themself off as one another, the occupation recorded in the system can go some way to helping prove identity.

So it's not used for stats or anything like that Dratsab, just helps contribute to your identity.

Not stats but it still goes in the database.....

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#262825 9-Oct-2009 16:40

freitasm:
nate: As someone who has more experience-than-they-want-to-admit with the men in blue, why when dealing with the cops do you give your occupation?

Richgamer? Is that you?

I was thinking the same thing

Tahii

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#262834 9-Oct-2009 17:04

MikeyPI:
corksta: Yeah this is so a richgamer question!!!

As others have said you don't need to. You are legally only required to give your name, address, and date of birth.

Occupation is asked for because it can, if nothing else is helping, be used to try and prove your identity. More so in the fact when your details might be similar to someone else's and you don't have photo ID, or family members trying to pass themself off as one another, the occupation recorded in the system can go some way to helping prove identity.

So it's not used for stats or anything like that Dratsab, just helps contribute to your identity.

Not stats but it still goes in the database.....

You'll find it does go to stats as well, but its not a very important stat.

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#262846 9-Oct-2009 17:25

I thought it might be because everyone hates lawyers...so if you admitted to being one, the fine would increase exponentially...

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#262877 9-Oct-2009 18:47

Dratsab:
rscole86: Most people do not answer it, or the officer does not fill that field in, in my experience.

Or sometimes the driver will give an answer like "a***hole" and the cop will be dumb enough to write that answer on the form, as happened in Upper Hutt a few years ago. The a***hole in question then goes to the media and says "look what this cop wrote about me..." etc.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2520166/Officer-wrote-kitchen-bitch-on-traffic-notice

Something like this?

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#262880 9-Oct-2009 19:20

@rscole: yup - same same.

@corksta: everything is a stat :-)

nate

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#262942 10-Oct-2009 00:37

corksta: Occupation is asked for because it can, if nothing else is helping, be used to try and prove your identity. More so in the fact when your details might be similar to someone else's and you don't have photo ID, or family members trying to pass themself off as one another, the occupation recorded in the system can go some way to helping prove identity.

Ah that makes perfect sense.

I've always answered truthfully as I'm normally in enough trouble already without getting another fine :/

johnr:
freitasm:
nate: As someone who has more experience-than-they-want-to-admit with the men in blue, why when dealing with the cops do you give your occupation?

Richgamer? Is that you?

I was thinking the same thing

How did I know both of you would think the same thing?? And yes I moonlight as Richgamer on Fridays.

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