"The Night I Got Questioned Like a Criminal for Walking Home"

So, buckle up, because I’ve got a story that’s a total mess but kinda funny in a "what just happened" way. This happened to me a few years ago, but it’s still burned into my brain.

I was walking home late at night after a crappy shift at work. It was one of those peaceful, quiet streets, only thing breaking the silence was my own footsteps. Out of nowhere, suddenly these flashing red and blue lights pull up behind me. I look back, and there’s a cop car just chilling there, blocking part of the sidewalk. My first thought? *Great*. Am I getting a ticket for jaywalking or some nonsense?

Then, one of the cops gets out. The guy looks honestly annoyed, like he’d rather be anywhere else. He yells, “Hey! Stop right there!” I freeze and just kinda wave, thinking maybe I did something obviously wrong. But no — he comes up and asks if I’ve seen a guy running down the street. Turns out, there was some minor theft nearby, and they thought I looked sketchy. I mean, mind you, I was just minding my own business.

I tell him I haven’t seen anyone, and that’s when things go weird. He starts grilling me if I’ve been drinking or doing drugs — I swear I almost burst out laughing. I tell him I’ve had a rough shift and just want to get home, but he's not really having it. Suddenly, he asks me to empty my pockets, no reason given. So, I humour him, flip out my wallet, phone, keys — normal stuff.

Then, out of nowhere, the guy tries to “search” my coat pocket without my okay. I go, “Hey, buddy, you got a warrant or something?” and he just shrugs, says, “We don’t need a warrant for suspicion.” I start thinking, bloody hell, this is some scene from a terrible TV show. I don’t have anything — no drugs, no stolen items, just tired and now annoyed.

My friend (who was waiting down the street, thankfully) finally shows up, and I tell her what’s happening. She’s just cracking up ‘cause it’s so absurd. The cop notices her and suddenly switches to, “Are you involved in this, too?” I just shake my head, tell him we’re just chilling. At that point, he finally gets bored and shuffles back to the car, muttering something about “be careful, buddy."

Moral of the story? Always, *always* have your ID ready, but also, don’t let anyone hassle you without cause. Cops about power trips sometimes, and yeah, it’s scary, but sometimes you just gotta roll with it and keep your cool. I’ve read weird stories like this happening all over.

Oh, and one fun fact? Apparently, if a cop pulls you over for suspicious activity, they *don't* necessarily need enough evidence to arrest — they just need suspicion enough to detain you briefly. Seems kinda wild, right? Anyway. Keep your wits about ya, folks.