Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Community Conversation => Transsexual talk => Male to female transsexual talk (MTF) => Topic started by: kitty007008 on May 01, 2015, 12:06:53 AM

Title: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: kitty007008 on May 01, 2015, 12:06:53 AM
Last week a friend of mine was pulled over for speeding, the cop pulled her over, and while talking made a remark about her being trans, she is one of the most passable people ever, no one would know, it had to do with her file, she has everything changed over (name, lisense, social sacurity, etc)

My question is:
Is there anything left over after all that, can people find out you're trans no matter what?
Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: katrinaw on May 01, 2015, 12:17:24 AM
Hey Kitty, The protection forces, medical and gov. agencies would have access to all histories... it's unfortunate, but true.

Sorry  :-*

Hope your friend has not been affected to much by it...


L Katy
Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: kittenpower on May 01, 2015, 12:22:07 AM
I'm guessing that when the officer checked for wants and warrants that all aliases and AKA information was reported.
Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: Mariah on May 01, 2015, 12:25:34 AM
Yes, anytime they are doing a background check it's taking into account info from state and federal databases which included aliases to help track people more closely. Hugs
Mariah
Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: Autumnleaf on May 01, 2015, 12:27:16 AM
Yup what Kittenpower said.  Being in law enforcement most of my life, when you run a warrant check, all aliases pop up so her former name/names, social security, etc would show along with criminal history and everything else. 
Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: stephaniec on May 01, 2015, 02:01:34 AM
police have access to your records that go back to when your next store neighbor was an Neanderthal . about 5 years ago I was taking a class at Northwestern University and the computer lab was open all night so I use to go the lab after midnight, well one night a school cop stopped me and ask me what I was doing and he checked his computer and found that I'm flagged by the FBI, which I had no idea they were watching me. some 40 years earlier I was a Vietnam protester and was jailed by the FBI . I didn't know that they had me tag so when ever I get stopped by the police the FBI is alerted. I haven't driven a car for 40 years so I never been stopped by the police. so yea if you were eating Mammoth steaks for diner the police have your number.
Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: suzifrommd on May 01, 2015, 06:02:38 AM
Quote from: kitty007008 on May 01, 2015, 12:06:53 AM
Is there anything left over after all that, can people find out you're trans no matter what?

Short answer, yes.

However, unless it was germane to the situation, the police officer had no business commenting on your friend's history. If it was inappropriate, it should be reported.
Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: Cindy on May 01, 2015, 06:57:30 AM
I know this varies from place to place. I was stopped when driving and he ran my licence. After being told off, and being suitably contrite, he let me off with a warning and then said. Miss I'm not sure if you know but your licence says you are male. I told him that I had changed it. He replied that it sounds as if you are being discriminated against. Change it again and if there is a problem report to the police, we will deal with the DMV as it is illegal to discriminate against you and we take that very seriously.

I went to the DMV the next day and told them what had happened. The woman I dealt with was furious and very apologetic.
Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: katrinaw on May 01, 2015, 07:07:54 AM
Quote from: Cindy on May 01, 2015, 06:57:30 AM
I know this varies from place to place. I was stopped when driving and he ran my licence. After being told off, and being suitably contrite, he let me off with a warning and then said. Miss I'm not sure if you know but your licence says you are male. I told him that I had changed it. He replied that it sounds as if you are being discriminated against. Change it again and if there is a problem report to the police, we will deal with the DMV as it is illegal to discriminate against you and we take that very seriously.

I went to the DMV the next day and told them what had happened. The woman I dealt with was furious and very apologetic.

Probably inappropriate Cindy, but did you ask him for his phone #  :P

L Katy

Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: Cindy on May 01, 2015, 07:11:04 AM
There is another post I made a while back. He stopped me again and we had a dinner date. Never heard from him again. But he was nice but not my type.

Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: Sammy on May 01, 2015, 07:16:00 AM
I have another question - why he thought that is was necessary/important to casually mention her transgender status???Should not it be none of his business?
Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: nichellezelda on May 01, 2015, 07:32:25 AM
Emily: to me it just sounds like a blatant abuse of power.
Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: Mariah on May 01, 2015, 08:28:46 AM
Hi nichellezelda, welcome to susans. I look forward to seeing you around the site. Good luck and hugs
Mariah

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Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: ReDucks on May 01, 2015, 08:46:36 AM
it takes at least 2 weeks to get a background check deep enough to buy a gun or get hired, I highly doubt that information comes over during a routine traffic stop, unless maybe the gender change on the dl was made very recently or there were issues associated with the same driver's license number that brought up both names.

No need to get too worried about being pulled over, I've had several stops for speed over the years and it's never come up

Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: iKate on May 01, 2015, 09:17:28 AM
He acted unprofessional. I never would have done that. You can and should complain.

And yes, old names do show up. They really have no choice, because some people change their name to try to avoid old warrants, child support etc. Plus arrest warrants may have been issued in other jurisdictions who don't know your name under your old name. I have encountered people who changed their name and it shows up. Nowadays everything is stored in NCIC managed by the FBI.
Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: iKate on May 01, 2015, 09:23:54 AM
Quote from: ReDucks on May 01, 2015, 08:46:36 AM
it takes at least 2 weeks to get a background check deep enough to buy a gun or get hired,

Background checks for firearm sales are instant, as they are done through a different system called NICS (National Instant Criminal Background Check System). NICS is used only for firearm transfers and results are instant or in some cases within a couple of hours. Sometimes if there are problems with your file or the system it may take days or weeks but that is rare. Some states have a waiting period but that is different. That is in case someone gets angry at their spouse or whatever and figures they'll go buy a gun and deal with it. At least in theory.

And today cops have access to databases like NCIC which is more or less instant. They can run your license and get back results fairly quickly. In fact, in some places they are going around with license plate reading camera pulling up things like deadbeat parents (child support), outstanding warrants and the like. It's very useful for law enforcement but very scary for privacy.
Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: marsh monster on May 01, 2015, 09:24:43 AM
He behaved like a lot of cis people would and he wanted her to know that he knew, kind of like "you ain't fooling me..."   


I would send a letter or email to someone at the department if I were her, let them know that it wasn't appreciated, it was improper, etc. and maybe they will do something about it.

The only time I have been pulled by a cop and given a ticket since transitioning, they did not mention the M on my license and avoided gendering me at all, but was very polite and even made sure I got back out into traffic safely since it was on an interstate. I can't change my marker until I get surgery in NC.
Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: iKate on May 01, 2015, 09:28:16 AM
I would complain to the police chief and the mayor of that town. If it is the state police I would complain to the attorney general and the Governor. If it is a sheriff dept, complain to the sheriff and county officials, and maybe the governor. You are supposed to be treated with respect and telling you about your trans status is not respect. In NJ we have a complaint (or commendation) form you can use.
Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: JoanneB on May 01, 2015, 07:51:29 PM
An official name change, as in through the courts, is part of the public record. In fact, it needs to be published in "A paper of record". When a cop runs your license, Every name associated with it is there, as well as all name changes, also known as "Also Known As", a great line from many a cop show/movie.

Ergo, in this post 9/11 world, there is absolutely no thing as stealth
Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: StrykerXIII on May 01, 2015, 07:54:45 PM
It's all in the government...my fiancee's stepdad had to go through an FBI interrogation to get clearance for his last job, and they managed to bring me up, asking him things like, "Your stepdaughter is engaged...[his] name is -------, and he's transgender, has a facebook profile under the alias Julia, correct?"...I was furious. Livid.
Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: Emily E on May 01, 2015, 09:35:02 PM
Quote from: StrykerXIII on May 01, 2015, 07:54:45 PM
It's all in the government...my fiancee's stepdad had to go through an FBI interrogation to get clearance for his last job, and they managed to bring me up, asking him things like, "Your stepdaughter is engaged...[his] name is -------, and he's transgender, has a facebook profile under the alias Julia, correct?"...I was furious. Livid.

Yes that's standard your fiancée's stepdad had to fill out a form where he listed his family (Mom, Dad, Sister, Brother, Wife, Daughter, Son, etc..) and when they checked on them (your fiancée) you came up either on her Facebook account or from interviews with one of her family, friends or neighbors and they are just verifying that that have your information correct.  Don't take it personally they are just making sure no one can have undo influence over him (some people would freak at the mention that some one in their family was or could be Transgender making them vulnerable to coercion) so unless your really a bad person (Crime, drugs, sedition, etc.) they could really care less about you and just do a cursory check on you before moving on.
Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: katiej on May 01, 2015, 11:54:44 PM
There's a comedian who has a whole bit about former aliases.  In college he was drunk and got arrested after a bar fight. And when he was being booked into jail they asked his name, and he was just being a drunk idiot and said, "They call me 'Tater Salad.'"   Then 20 years later he was arrested again, and after looking him up in the system, the cop says, are you Ron "Tater Salad" White?

Yup...it's all in the system.


Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: iKate on May 02, 2015, 11:25:09 AM
Quote from: JoanneB on May 01, 2015, 07:51:29 PM
An official name change, as in through the courts, is part of the public record. In fact, it needs to be published in "A paper of record". When a cop runs your license, Every name associated with it is there, as well as all name changes, also known as "Also Known As", a great line from many a cop show/movie.

Ergo, in this post 9/11 world, there is absolutely no thing as stealth

I believe though in some states (California?) the newspaper notification requirement is waived for transgender people.

I don't like it. I don't mind it being recorded for law enforcement purposes but essentially publishing a newspaper notice saying, "(I am trans) this is my new name, that was my old name" is not nice. What's worse is that in NJ and other states the press association keeps a searchable database of public notices.
Title: Re: The Police Know, But How?
Post by: LizMarie on May 02, 2015, 07:36:19 PM
This is yet another reason why "true stealth" simply isn't possible. There is too much accumulated data out there.

Just live your life, be ready to admit it if confronted with it, and go about your business. It's not your fault you were born this way. You don't have to flaunt it but you may as well own it, if someone is going to throw it back at you. Don't be ashamed of who you are if you have to admit it. If someone is uncomfortable, it's their problem.