If you're a police officer, you should have a body camera. Cuz you're not a police officer. It says right there you're a probation officer. I'm not on probation. I've never been in trouble for anything. Tell Tell my camera again how you're police officer. >> You're too agitated. You're too >> Oh, I am agitated but it's cuz a a pro- a probation officer pulling me over for going 48 miles an hour cuz he was in the left lane for the last 5 miles and wouldn't get over. >> In this video, a North Carolina probation officer thought he could act like a highway patrol officer after a driver passed him on the road. But the man he stopped immediately started questioning everything. Instead of identifying himself or accepting the situation, the driver wanted one simple answer that the probation officer seemed determined to avoid. As the stop dragged on, it became obvious that the officer was struggling to justify what he had done while the driver kept pressing him about his authority and whether he was actually being detained. Even after realizing the encounter was turning into a mess, the probation officer continued holding the driver on the side of the road until a real trooper finally arrived. What happened next raised even more questions about whether this stop should have happened at all. So, watch how this probation officer's attempt to assert authority unraveled in front of everyone. >> Yes, sir. >> So, I'm on the side of highway about 300 yards from a Georgia guy. This guy right here was in the left lane going about 40 miles an hour and I'm trying to go around him. He pulls his badge out, poke- points me to get over in this lane. He's been 5 miles in the right in the left lane and will not get over. And he jumps out says I'm a police officer, give me your license. He shows me a badge that says he's a probation officer and I called 911 and now they're sending a North Carolina state trooper out to the scene. >> So he's filming >> So he's going to start filming us now cuz he's got all butt hurt. Sir, you can film me all day long. If you're a police officer, you should have a body camera. >> I don't have a body camera. >> Cuz you're not a police officer. It says right there you're a probation officer. I'm not on probation. I've never been in trouble for anything. >> In the state of Alabama >> Tell Tell my camera again how you're a police officer. >> Well, you asked your question. I've I've answered yours. Now, let me ask you a question. In the state of Alabama what are your probation officers considered to be? >> I have no idea. We're not in Alabama. >> Okay. Do you live in Alabama cuz your tag says you live >> I guess when a police officer gets here we'll determine a whole bunch of stuff. >> Well, >> How often do you pull someone over? >> How often do I pull people over >> How often do you drive in the left lane for 5 miles going 48 miles an hour? >> I wasn't doing 48 miles an hour, sir. >> So how fast were you going? >> I was doing 55. >> And what happened? >> You come flying up on >> No, when I passed you I was going 48 miles an hour. But if your car here that's not a police car had the radar in it you would know how fast I was going. >> Yes, sir. >> And I'm able to do speed estimations. >> I'm sure you will be. I guess when your real police officer gets here I'm sure I'm going to get some tickets. >> Well, you just sit tight. Just hang tight, okay? >> What's your name? Would you like to identify yourself? >> If you're going to give me your driver's license >> You're not a police officer. >> Okay, then. You just sit tight. >> So you're refusing to identify You're refusing to identify yourself. >> Just sit tight. >> You're refusing to identify yourself even though you pulled me over. >> Sit tight. >> Now, this guy knows he's messed up, but his buddy here bail me out with a whole bunch of tickets. Am I being detained? Am I being detained, sir? Cuz I've got to go home. Am I Are you detaining me? Are you detaining me? Am I being detained? Hey, I'm going to step out. Cuz you're >> We acting crazy. >> Am I being detained cuz I need to be on my way. Is it a Is this a lawful stop? Am I being detained? Are you detaining me? Are you detaining me? Is that hard to understand? Because you know this is not legal. This is not legal. And you know this. Will you answer my question? Am I being detained? Am I being detained? >> I can ask you to stop. >> No, you No, you're not trying to. Am I being detained? Because you know the law on that. Am I being detained? Hey, I'm going to leave now. Because you won't tell me if I'm being detained or not. >> Well, evidently you are being de >> Am I being Are Am I being detained? >> Evidently >> Say it. Say it. Uh Sir, am I being detained? Will you say those words? You can either Am I free to leave? Am I free to leave? So, I am being detained. Why don't you answer that? You're not talking to anybody now. How How long can you keep me on the side of the road as a prisoner? Am I free to leave right now? Am I being detained? Why don't you say that? Am I being detained? What am I being detained for? >> Well, if you'd paid attention to me and listened to me a few minutes ago, I was trying to explain all this to you, sir, but you did not wish to listen to me. You wanted to talk over me. >> Am I being detained? How long does a Terry stop last? Yes, I need to go home. Cuz we're on vacation. Am I free to leave? Am I being detained? Why won't you say those words? You know you're well versed in the law. You are a law officer. You told me that. Am I being detained? It's a yes or no question. >> I told you you're not free to leave yet. >> So, am I being detained? Why can't you say that? You're You're mincing words. >> Sir, do me a favor. Have a seat. >> I will. Am I being detained? I'll get back in my car. Am I being detained? What's so hard to answer? >> She's giving You're giving her a headache. >> That's fine. That's fine. You're just answer Why can't you answer my You know you're in the wrong. You know you're in the wrong. That's why you're sitting there with that fake smirk. >> Just sit tight. >> I I want to go home. >> Well, >> How long does a Terry stop last? >> to take it a lot of you to take it and endanger other people's lives on the road. >> Am I free to go? Am I being detained? Those are yes or no questions. For how long? >> Well, get there when we'll get there. >> I'm going I'm going to go home now. I'm going home now. Am I free to go? Am I being detained? So, now he's going to get my tag number. How long does a Terry stop last, sir? >> I'm not doing a Terry stop. >> What was I So, what am I being detained for? You want Am I being detained? >> Aggressive driving. >> Am I being detained? >> Aggressive driving is what you done, sir. >> Am I being detained? Are you making a citizen's arrest? >> Sit tight. No, I'm not making no citizen's arrest. >> Sir, you know you pulled me over over 15 minutes now. How long is a Terry stop? Can you call your supervisor? Call your supervisor, please, right now. Thank you. I don't see you making a move to call your supervisor. >> I'm not calling my supervisor right now while I'm using this phone to film you. >> So, you can't call on the radio your supervisor? Sir, I might leave here with a couple of tickets, but you're going to leave with a bunch. Hey, you see that? If you're out here patrolling the highways, >> Yeah, I got one one person at a time that I can deal with, sir. >> How fast was that car? You're an expert on speed. How fast was that car going? >> Don't you tell me. Because >> I don't have radar. I can't I can't judge speed. Sir, I'm asking you again, will you call your supervisor? I should leave now. It's It's over 10 minutes on this on this recording. I'm so nervous. I'm shaking so bad right now. So, how long do we sit here? >> Until the state trooper gets here. >> Sir, will you call your supervisor? >> What is this, sir? I'll get the sir. >> So, how long am I going How long am I being detained? That's That's not the way the law reads, and you know what a Terry stop is. A Terry stop is 15 minutes or less. Yes. So, am I free to go? Am I free to go? I don't have to go to college to get a law degree to know the law. 15 minutes, Supreme Court ruling, Terry versus the state of Ohio. All right, how about that? Where'd you get your law degree? >> Where did I get my law degree? >> Yeah. Western Carolina University. I'm glad you have a law degree. So, I have to have a law degree to know the law? >> But I You're the one taking a quiz with with you. >> No, I All I want you to I'll Will you answer one question? >> That's the thing. That's your problem. Just calm down. >> Just calm down. >> Yeah. If you'd have relaxed and had a conversation with me here, we'd probably both going about our ways doing our jobs. You going home and me going doing my job. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you? >> I understand what you're trying to say. >> The only thing I was doing was stopping you, getting you pulled over so one, you calm down and quit endangering other people's lives? >> I wasn't endangering nobody's lives. >> Yes, we sure >> We're in more danger with you got me pulled over right here than we were out here going up and down this highway. >> of truth. >> So, I'll tell you what I'll do. >> look, look. >> Since we're talking and being calm, will you answer one question for me and I won't say another word to the state trooper? Am I being detained? >> You have been stopped until I can get a trooper here to talk to have a talk with you because you cannot talk to me. >> Why is that not a yes or no question? >> Well, cuz I've done answered that question. You asked me, "Are you being detained?" I said, "You are being stopped." >> But you won't say, "Am I free to leave?" then, since you won't answer that. >> answered that question. >> So, you won't say if I'm being detained or not. >> answered that question, sir. >> No, you haven't and you know it. >> I have. >> One question. >> You got me agitated. >> You're too agitated. You're too >> Oh, I am agitated but it's cuz a a pro a probation officer pulled me over for going 48 mph cuz he was in the left lane for the last 5 miles and wouldn't get over. >> You sent time into me. And we'll get to the bottom of it. >> Here he is, good. So, here's state trooper. >> calm down and keep your license and all that all that stuff out. >> So, it don't matter. He's back there telling his version, so >> Hey, sir. >> Yes, sir. >> How are you? >> I'm good. >> Good, good. Now, you look, I don't really fully understand what what we're Me either. What we're doing right here. Okay, so uh He just felt like you were aggressively coming up on him. He's a probation officer, okay? Um so I'm not going to write you for anything. I'm not doing anything like that, okay? You like you got your insurance here. >> I'm wound up and I'm You're unwinding me. I appreciate that. >> okay? So, where you headed to? You headed back home? >> Home to Alabama. >> Okay. All right, so look. One of those things, okay? He may come up on him a little quick. He may have you know, it's one of them things, okay? So, as long as I mean, like I said, I >> I'm good. I'm good. I'm on my way down. >> I don't have anything to write you for. I don't have anything like that. Um I'm not going to do any Even if I I'm not It's not my stop. He just felt, you know, >> He just felt like you come up on him a little hard. >> Um you might have been a little aggressive. So, if if that is the case, let's just back it down a little bit. You're nearly to Georgia anyway, so >> I just want to say thank you. I appreciate it. >> All right, so >> All right. >> I mean, uh What do you do for a living? >> Uh we own a restaurant. >> Restaurant, I got you. Okay. All right, sir. Well, I'm going to I'm going to let you carry on your way, okay? >> All right. Well, I appreciate it. >> All right, sir. >> Thank you. >> All right. >> I apologize to him if he'll walk up here. >> Ah, well. >> I know I'm sorry you had to come out here and deal with this stupidity. >> I mean, he's wound up. I was wound up. When he pulled up, he got up in my thing and I'm like, I don't know if this guy's a police officer. >> Okay. All right. All right, understandable. >> All right, thank you. >> Take care now. >> I don't know Look at him hands on his side. I think he's mad that he couldn't uh get nothing. >> Well, you're lucky. >> What started as a probation officer trying to pull over a driver for passing him ended with serious questions about whether he had any authority to make the stop in the first place. The driver never gave him what he wanted, kept challenging the legality of the detention, and remained focused on getting answers the entire time. By the time a trooper arrived, no citation was issued and the driver was sent on his way, leaving the probation officer's actions under scrutiny and turning what should have been a routine drive home into a public embarrassment.