3 Criminal Laws That Cops Hate to Enforce

No matter what you think about cops, you have to admit it's a tough job to enforce criminal laws -- especially laws that some view as a waste of precious time and resources.

Ever been curious about what kinds of crimes police dislike enforcing the most? A recent Forbes guest article offered some insight, and the topic has fueled Internet discussion by law-enforcement officers as well.

Here are three types of criminal offenses that officers generally do not find fun to enforce, and how that can affect you:

• Leaving the scene of an accident. A hit-and-run is an additional criminal charge on top of the moving violation that must have happened to create the "hit" part. If you leave the scene, you're forcing the officer to do a bit more paperwork, and if the other person involved got your license plate, then you'll likely be arrested. Instead of fleeing the scene, stick around and deal with the crash like an adult -- it may just help you stay out of jail.


• Fireworks on July Fourth. No, it's not that police officers get really angry at people who illegally set off fireworks -- or at least it doesn't appear that way. According to the retired police officer's Forbes column, cops get annoyed with people who call and turn in their neighbors instead of just enjoying the holiday. Before making a call about a noise disturbance like that, consider whether there is some actual (not potential) danger involved. If the answer is no, consider whether you can do something other than calling the police to address the problem.


• Small-time drug offenses. Police officers don't have a lot of discretion when it comes to drug crimes. In general, if there is reason to believe a drug crime has been committed, they must make an arrest. That includes drug offenses in which the amount confiscated is incredibly small and is unlikely to be prosecuted. That's bad news for cops, but it could be good news for those busted over a small amount of drugs: with an experienced criminal defense lawyer, there's a chance you could walk away with just a warning for a first-time offense.

Related Resources:

• Point Laser at Cops? Get Sent to Fed Prison (FindLaw's Blotter)
• Man Tried to Kill Bike Cops with Fireworks (FindLaw's Blotter)
• No Jail for Mom in Son's Hit-and-Run Death (FindLaw's Blotter)