Cop Pulls Over Driver for Brand New Plate, Then Threatens Arrest

Added: 2026-05-31

[00:00:00]This is illegal. I'm telling you my license plate is right, so I don't know what's the problem. No, I don't have any warrants, so I got a plate on my car.

[00:00:06]I'm here I'm here illegally, sir.

[00:00:07]>> A Detroit driver was ordered out of his vehicle, threatened with arrest, and forced to produce identification, all because his license plate allegedly returned no results in a database query.

[00:00:16]Under the Fourth Amendment, a traffic stop must be grounded in reasonable articulable suspicion of a specific legal violation, not a database error involving a plate the officer later admitted was only one day old. Watch what happens when a driver who knows Terry v. Ohio refuses to comply, and watch how the officer's own words dismantle the legal foundation of the stop in real time.

[00:00:35]>> What happened?

[00:00:36]>> What's up?

[00:00:37]>> What's going on?

[00:00:38]>> Well, >> What happened?

[00:00:40]>> All right, I'm Officer Kessel with the Detroit Police Department. The reason I pulled you over is >> Yeah.

[00:00:43]>> your plate is not coming back to anything.

[00:00:45]>> That's not right. That's not true.

[00:00:46]>> Okay, do you have your driver's license registration?

[00:00:47]>> Sir, that's not true.

[00:00:48]>> Okay, do you have your driver's license?

[00:00:50]>> You see my You see it? Would you run it again?

[00:00:51]>> Okay, do you have your driver's license?

[00:00:53]>> You can run it again, sir.

[00:00:54]>> Okay, do you have your driver's license?

[00:00:55]>> Can you run my plate again?

[00:00:57]Sir, you just opened my door.

[00:00:58]>> Yeah, go ahead and step out, then.

[00:00:59]>> Sir, what for what? Am I being under arrest?

[00:01:00]>> You're going to hand me your driver's license?

[00:01:01]>> Uh, this is a legal stop, sir.

[00:01:03]>> This is This is a legal stop.

[00:01:05]>> This is illegal.

[00:01:05]>> Okay, do you have your driver's license?

[00:01:06]>> I'm telling you my license My my plate is right, so I don't know what's the problem.

[00:01:09]>> Okay, do you have your driver's license?

[00:01:11]>> Did you run my plate already?

[00:01:12]>> It's not coming back to anything. Do you have your driver's license?

[00:01:14]>> Why Why you need my license for?

[00:01:16]>> Why? Because it's on a traffic stop. I'm asking you to identify yourself.

[00:01:19]>> No, I don't have any warrants, so I got a plate on my car.

[00:01:22]>> You have to identify yourself.

[00:01:23]>> I'm here I'm here legally, sir. I'm here legally.

[00:01:25]>> You're here legally?

[00:01:26]>> Sir, can you uh call your supervisor?

[00:01:27]>> Yeah, go ahead and step out, though.

[00:01:29]>> Like what I got to step out of the car for?

[00:01:31]>> Cuz I'm asking you to. It's a traffic stop, man.

[00:01:33]>> What you That's not how That's not how traffic stops work.

[00:01:35]>> something. So, so Go ahead and actually here I got it. Um >> That's not how traffic stops work, man.

[00:01:40]>> Okay, so go ahead and step out. I'm going to ask you one more time.

[00:01:42]>> I'm not I'm not going to step out of the car. What do I got to step out of the car for? I I don't feel safe to step out of the car, sir.

[00:01:46]>> Okay, so that's not how this works.

[00:01:47]>> How do What do you mean how this works?

[00:01:48]That is how it works.

[00:01:49]>> Okay, I'm going to ask you >> You said you You stopped me illegally.

[00:01:51]This is Terry stop. You know what Terry stop is? You know Terry v. Ohio? Have you heard Terry v. Ohio?

[00:01:54]>> okay, so listen.

[00:01:55]>> Okay, you heard of v. Ohio before?

[00:01:56]>> I'm going to ask you one more time.

[00:01:57]>> I'm I'm I'm asking you, sir. Do you know what Terry Verso hired?

[00:02:00]>> You're going to end up going to jail.

[00:02:01]>> For what?

[00:02:02]>> I'm going to explain that, but right now I'm going to ask you to >> So, I'm under arrest. You see I'm you you you make me get out of the car under threat of arrest, right?

[00:02:09]>> Under threats of arrest?

[00:02:10]>> You just said I'm going to re-arrest if I don't get out of the car.

[00:02:12]>> So so >> You tell me to >> I'm giving a lawful order, okay? Because I have to I verify >> Are you making me get out of the vehicle under threat of arrest?

[00:02:19]>> I can't identify you, man.

[00:02:20]>> Sir, are you making me get out of the vehicle under a threat of arrest?

[00:02:23]>> Because I can't identify you, please step out of the car.

[00:02:25]>> No, I'm saying are you making me get out under threat of arrest?

[00:02:27]>> Are you going to step out?

[00:02:28]>> Am I under arrest or am I am I seized or am I seized on a probable cause?

[00:02:30]>> I cannot verify who I'm speaking to because you won't give me your driver's license.

[00:02:33]>> My my my my ID is right there on the back of the car, sir.

[00:02:36]>> Okay, you want to grab it?

[00:02:37]>> Would you No, my ID the the plate is that's my ID. That's my identification for you.

[00:02:40]>> So, is there a reason why there's a temp plate on the car?

[00:02:42]>> Why not?

[00:02:43]>> You want to give me that information?

[00:02:44]>> Why not?

[00:02:45]>> Okay, go ahead and step out.

[00:02:46]>> Am I under threat of arrest?

[00:02:47]>> I'm asking you to step out of the car.

[00:02:48]>> Why don't step out am I >> And then you're going to go to jail.

[00:02:50]>> What would you What would you grab me for?

[00:02:52]>> Cuz I'm asking you to step out of the car.

[00:02:54]>> Okay, that's fine. Sir, so you made me get out under threat of arrest?

[00:02:57]>> Yep, step out of the car. Face the door, please. Hands down, make sure you don't have weapons on you.

[00:03:01]Go ahead and walk to the front of my car. Just walk to the front of my car, please.

[00:03:04]Okay, so this is where we're at right now. So, I cannot >> can you stand back for me? Can you I I I feel threatened, man. No, you just you just you just threatened to grab me. You just threatened to put your hands on me.

[00:03:12]I feel I feel very very vulnerable right now, sir.

[00:03:14]>> That's fine. Okay, so so this is where we're at.

[00:03:17]>> Where we at is you got me out here for an illegal stop. I don't answer questions by police officers. So, if you ask me any questions, I'm not going to answer.

[00:03:22]>> Okay, that's fine. So, take your hands out of your pockets.

[00:03:25]So, right now the reason I stopped you is cuz when we run the plate, it doesn't come back to anything.

[00:03:29]>> Sir, my plate is is totally legit.

[00:03:31]>> Okay, is there a reason for the temp plate?

[00:03:33]>> It's no I don't have to answer any questions by police officers.

[00:03:35]>> Okay, um do you have your ID?

[00:03:38]>> Yes, I do.

[00:03:39]>> Okay, do you do you want to grab it? Do you want to identify yourself?

[00:03:42]>> Are you going to arrest me?

[00:03:43]Am I under arrest or am I am I being detained?

[00:03:45]>> If if you don't identify yourself, yes.

[00:03:47]>> Okay. There you go.

[00:03:49]There you go. I'll let you take it out.

[00:03:49]>> Thank you.

[00:03:50]>> Cuz I don't want you to feel threatened and I don't want to feel threatened.

[00:03:52]>> I appreciate that. Is it Mr. Palmer?

[00:03:54]>> Yes.

[00:03:54]>> Okay.

[00:03:55]Tell you what, my partner is going to run your name.

[00:03:57]>> Oh, you need to No, you need to Google my name first. That's what you need to do. You need to Google it first.

[00:04:00]>> Google it?

[00:04:01]>> Yeah, oh yeah, you're definitely going to hear me.

[00:04:02]>> Here's this back.

[00:04:02]>> Okay.

[00:04:03]>> So, my partner is going to run your name. If everything checks out >> I have to file seven federal cases. I won all seven of them. So, I don't And whatever you want to do, you can do.

[00:04:09]>> have your registration?

[00:04:10]>> Huh?

[00:04:10]>> Do you have the registration?

[00:04:11]>> Of course I have registration. My vehicle is right here. It's You see the vehicle is legal right here.

[00:04:14]>> Do you have Do you have the the certificate of registration?

[00:04:16]>> I have everything, sir.

[00:04:17]>> Is it in the vehicle?

[00:04:18]>> Yes, it Yes, it is in the >> in the vehicle?

[00:04:20]>> Everything, sir.

[00:04:20]>> Okay, I need to see that.

[00:04:21]>> Okay.

[00:04:22]>> Are you willing to grab that?

[00:04:23]>> Uh I got to do it under threat of arrest?

[00:04:25]>> If you don't do that, you're going to get tickets. I don't want to do that.

[00:04:27]I'm not a big ticket writer, man.

[00:04:28]>> I'm going to get tickets for what?

[00:04:30]Everything is legitimate on my vehicle.

[00:04:31]>> no proof of insurance.

[00:04:32]>> Huh?

[00:04:33]>> Okay, you might have insur- You might have insurance on the vehicle, but I need to see proof.

[00:04:37]Does that make sense?

[00:04:37]>> Okay, if you run my plate, you'll see it has proof of insurance.

[00:04:41]>> No, so so the plate >> only one day old.

[00:04:43]>> But I need to see like a hard copy >> Have you ever got a Have you ever Have you ever got a plate for a tag plate for your car?

[00:04:48]>> I have not.

[00:04:49]>> So, you never you So, you never had a new car in your life?

[00:04:50]>> I have had a new car.

[00:04:51]>> Okay, so you had So, you had a tag plate.

[00:04:53]>> I've never had a temporary plate.

[00:04:55]>> Okay.

[00:04:55]>> Are you going to show me >> Did you Did you actually look at the plate? You haven't even looked at the plate all the way correctly, have you?

[00:04:59]>> I was behind you waiting.

[00:05:00]>> All right, do you see the blue stamp on that plate from the Secretary of State?

[00:05:03]>> So, listen.

[00:05:03]>> Sir, do you see the blue plant from the Secretary of State on there?

[00:05:06]>> going to go back and forth.

[00:05:07]>> You All right, you can do whatever you want to do.

[00:05:08]>> You're going to get some tickets.

[00:05:09]>> Go ahead, do whatever you want to do, sir.

[00:05:10]>> Um so, you you have a warning on the >> You can call whatever you want to do. Do whatever you want to do, sir.

[00:05:14]>> I'm not going to take you to jail on >> I don't care about the warning. That's the point. It's It's like 20 years old.

[00:05:17]So, go do whatever you want to do, sir.

[00:05:18]>> Okay, I'm not going to take you to jail on >> I don't care I don't care about none of that.

[00:05:20]>> I'm going to cut you a couple tickets, and we'll let you get out of here.

[00:05:22]>> You write me a ticket for what? Did you You haven't even looked at my plate. It says Secretary of State right there.

[00:05:26]>> So, I'm going to grab the VIN off of there.

[00:05:27]>> That's what the Secretary of State branch uh plate. Do you Have you looked at the plate? You haven't looked at the plate either, have you?

[00:05:31]>> I did, sir.

[00:05:32]>> All right, so you see the Secretary of State stamp on there?

[00:05:36]Huh?

[00:05:36]>> And then uh if you show up to court um with the insurance and the registration, I'll waive the tickets.

[00:05:41]>> Sir, it's no waving. It's my my plate is right here.

[00:05:44]>> I'm not going to go I'm I'm going back and forth, okay?

[00:05:47]>> Oh, you see me in court. You see me downtown, federal building.

[00:05:49]>> Okay, cool.

[00:05:50]>> Yeah, for sure.

[00:05:51]It's called 1983.

[00:05:52]>> Cool.

[00:05:53]>> All right.

[00:05:53]>> Where you Where you stay at?

[00:05:54]>> Don't worry about that. I don't ask questions about police stuff. Don't worry about police stuff. My place right here, you you can see everything right there.

[00:05:58]>> Mhm.

[00:05:59]Do you have registration?

[00:06:00]>> Do you know this is you helping him with an illegal stop? Do you know you're going to go to court with him?

[00:06:04]Oh, so you you don't you vouch for everything he does. Thank you.

[00:06:07]>> Do you have the the insurance?

[00:06:08]>> Sir, where's the supervisor?

[00:06:10]>> Um so >> Sir, I want to see a supervisor.

[00:06:12]>> Okay, that's fine. Give me Give me Give me a couple minutes.

[00:06:15]>> Yes. All right.

[00:06:16]>> What's So what's the reason you want the supervisor?

[00:06:18]>> Because you give me you stopped me illegally.

[00:06:20]>> So So I didn't. Um >> Yes, you did. You are stopping me illegally.

[00:06:23]>> I'm not stopping you.

[00:06:24]>> You You passed stopped me illegally. I told you I filed seven federal cases. I won all seven of them. I filed them all myself. I go down to federal building and file them myself for officers like you. So if you're ready to go ahead and go down there, we can go down there. It don't matter.

[00:06:33]>> Okay. I mean if that's something you want to do, then >> I'm going to do it. It's not It's not a >> [laughter] >> I'm going TO FILE IT, DON'T YOU?

[00:06:38]>> OKAY.

[00:06:38]>> OKAY, YEAH. All right.

[00:06:39]>> So So what's the reason for the supervisor?

[00:06:41]>> I want a supervisor down here.

[00:06:42]>> I don't believe in that.

[00:06:42]>> Oh Oh no, I want him to come down here.

[00:06:44]Yes, I want cuz you give me two You're trying to give me tickets for something that clearly I have insurance and clearly I have a registration.

[00:06:49]>> need to see proof.

[00:06:50]>> What do you need proof? It's proof right here, Secretary of State.

[00:06:53]>> No, so the insurance.

[00:06:54]>> Sir, this says Secretary of State on it.

[00:06:56]>> I'm saying do you >> Sir, Secretary of State, right there.

[00:06:59]It's clear as that. You can't You can't miss it.

[00:07:01]>> Do you have the >> I even I even got it laminated for you.

[00:07:03]Nice laminate, nice and clear for you. I even took it out the window. You see the window? You had a stick It was stuck in the window. I put it on laminate just for police officers like you.

[00:07:09]Just for you.

[00:07:10]I have insurance. I have registration.

[00:07:12]You want to keep playing this game, you can play it all you want to, man.

[00:07:15]You You see how clearly I have it.

[00:07:17]I'm at work right now, actually.

[00:07:19]Sir, can you call your supervisor? How long is it going to be? How long am I being detained?

[00:07:23]Sir, can you get the supervisor down here, sir?

[00:07:25]Sir.

[00:07:26]Officer.

[00:07:27]>> All right, so you can have a good night, okay? I'm not going to cut you any tickets. Make sure you get that warrant taken care of.

[00:07:32]>> All right.

[00:07:32]>> Okay. Have a good night.

[00:07:33]>> You know you're still going to court, right?

[00:07:35]>> What? That's fine.

[00:07:36]>> Okay.

[00:07:36]>> The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits law enforcement from conducting investigatory stops, including traffic stops, without reasonable articulable suspicion of a specific legal violation.

[00:07:50]And the officer's stated basis here, a plate returning no database results, collapsed the moment he acknowledged the plate was only 1 day old.

[00:07:58]The officer failed at every stage to establish independent, articulable legal grounds for demanding identification, ordering the driver from the vehicle, or threatening arrest for non-compliance. Each of which constitutes a separate escalation, requiring its own constitutional justification under Terry V. Ohio and its progeny.

[00:08:19]Any driver who understands that a lawful detention requires the officer to articulate specific, observable facts supporting suspicion of criminal activity is in a far stronger position to protect their Fourth Amendment rights at the moment of the stop, not after.