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Original poster

Pulled by Police - they left baby in car

23 replies

SadieJo · 28/07/2010 11:28

Hi All
Due to a very minor driving issue I was pulled over by the police and asked to get into their car (I was locked in rear) leaving by 9 month old asleep, alone, in my car in front. During the 30mins to check my documents and questions (all OK!) the second officer returned a few times, at my request, to check he was still asleep.
At the time I was too shaken to think clearly but now in hindsight I'm furious they left him alone in my car and may make a complaint.
Does anyone have a similar experience?
Thanks

OP posts:

stripeyknickersspottysocks · 28/07/2010 11:33

Did you ask to bring baby into the police car with you?

I'm guessing that the car was in view all the time, plus if baby had woken up and screamed you'd have heard him?

Was it really 30mins? I've been in the back of a police car once and it wasn't as long as 30mins and I'd run someone over!

Your son is fine, no harm done. Maybe don't speed/run red lights/whatever you did again?

CaptainKirksNipples · 28/07/2010 11:34

What was the driving issue?

I take it the car was in front of you and you could see it, and baby stayed asleep during the time it took your documents to be checked?

I don't think you have any reason to complain tbh!

annh · 28/07/2010 13:22

Why didn't you lift the baby seat out and take it with you? If you were concerned about the baby, wouldn't it have been better to have woken him (or risked it) rather than left him?

foxytocin · 28/07/2010 13:28

you mean the baby was asleep in a car a few feet in front of you and 2 police officers, one who went back several times to check on his well being?

As long as he was in no danger of overheating, and I assume you and the police officers were aware of the ambient temperature, then him asleep in this way is not much different from being asleep in a separate room in the house.

or am I being thick?

stripeyknickersspottysocks · 28/07/2010 13:34

I don't think you're being thick.

Sounsd to me like OP is pissed 'cos she got caught doing something naughty and got ticketed/told off for it and now wants to get her own back my moaning about the police.

I'm sure if you'd insisted that baby came with you they wouldn't have stopped you.

babybarrister · 29/07/2010 07:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

pooka · 29/07/2010 07:50

They didn't leave the baby in the car - you did.

Did you actually ask if you could bring him with you? I assume he was in a rear facing baby car seat - they're so portable that would not have been remotely difficult to take out of the car leaving your ds asleep.

Even left in your car though, no harm done or likely to be done. At your request the policeman checked on him, several times. He continued asleep. He was right next to the police car.

What would the basis of your complaint actually be, because I can't see much to complain about in your OP?

littleducks · 29/07/2010 07:53

I can see why you are upset but tbh i think its fine. With a newborn i would have felt differently, i was still paranoid about SIDS/baby choking etc but a nine months asleep should be fine as long as car is in full view and baby is checked

I would revise my opinion if you were on the hard shoulder of a motorway but otherwise its ok imo

Flighttattendant · 29/07/2010 08:02

I hate these harsh replies based on assumption. Why not treat the OP as though they are genuinely upset, as they say, without reading stuff into it about how they want to get their own back etc?

SadieJo - I'm sorry this happened. Fwiw it sounds as though baby was thankfully asleep the whole time, it must have been very uncomfortable leaving him though. But I expect the police thought he was better left undisturbed, and they did check him when asked.

You'd be unlikely to get anywhere with a complaint - the police are quite good at wriggling out of stuff IME, but I do understand how bad you must feel.

thephoenix · 29/07/2010 08:13

agree with littleducks. Assuming your car was parked safely (one would have thought so if the police pulled you over there) then surely your LO was better off tucked up safely sleeping in the car.
Would it have been preferable to wake him and take him into police car. Have to say I'm surprised it took so long, the average stop check shouldn't be longer than about 10 mins.

Northernlurker · 29/07/2010 08:19

I don't think you can complain about your baby being safe and happy whilst you answered questions the police felt they needed to ask. Exactly what do you think could have happened? Some rampant paedophile could have sidled up to the car observed the baby and beamed your car up to his starship before the police could intervene? Get a grip.

seeker · 29/07/2010 08:20

What did the police officer say when you asked if you could bring the baby into the police car with you?

DorotheaPlenticlew · 29/07/2010 08:20

It must have been upsetting for you. Try not to let it preoccupy you though -- it's over and no harm came from it, so it might be best for your own sake to just rise above and move on (I know, easier said than done and you prob just want to vent). I wouldn't really think a complaint would get very far tbh, and you might find it prolongs the anxiety/upset.

Am assuming (do tell us if this is wrong) that if you had not been taken by surprise by the whole situation, you might have been more insistent about bringing his seat into the cop car with you -- and I doubt very much they would have dug their heels in if you had emphatically stated that you did not wish to leave him. Live and learn? Although hopefully it won't happen again.

seeker · 29/07/2010 08:20

What did the police officer say when you asked to bring the baby into the police car with you?

mumblechum · 30/07/2010 19:37

at Northern Lurker

blametheparents · 30/07/2010 19:43

Baby fine.
You're fine.
All over.

BuzzingNoise · 30/07/2010 19:49

If the police wouldn't allow you to take the baby out then you should be cross, I think. If you didn't ask to take him, or it was your choice not to move the baby, then you can't complain.

Original poster

SadieJo · 02/08/2010 15:31

Thanks for some helpful (and not so helpful) comments...
Some of you are right, I was annoyed that I got pulled for going down an 'Access Only' road to avoid a broken down vehicle blocking the exit at a junction, with potential charge of 'Careless or Dangerous Driving' on NIP - when boy racer chavs and people on their phones were also all over the place that day, while I'm doing 5mph down an empty side road!

But I'm genuinely trying to find out police policy for this type of situtaion. What if the kids were older, would they then be left in my car, danger of handbrake off etc or have to get locked in the back of the police car too while the parent is questionned?

OP posts:

SixtyFootDoll · 02/08/2010 15:34

There is no policy.
Just use common sense.
No one came to any harm.
If you had asked to take the baby with you the Police wouldnt have stopped you.
I think you are making an issue over nothing.

rainbowinthesky · 02/08/2010 15:35

Did you not ask to bring the baby with you or to go and get it? You werent arrested so could have got it.

rainbowinthesky · 02/08/2010 15:36

You say they left it in the car but if they had physically unstrapped it and brought it to the police car I expect you'd have been cross too.

ConnorTraceptive · 02/08/2010 15:41

What Sixtfootdoll said.
There can't possibly be a definitive policy for every situation a police officer may encounter so common sense should always prevail.

Now I wouldn't be happy about tleaving my baby in the car either but would have asked to bring him with me. If you asked and were refused it's reasonable for you to be pissed off.

deemented · 02/08/2010 15:47

I've had this happen to me, DD was about a year old at the time and was fast asleep in the car - policeman asked me to get into their car and i said my DD was asleep and they said that she'd be fine as she was asleep - policeman popped back a couple of times to check on her whilst i spoke to his colleauge.

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