Police in Minnesota Can’t Ask “Do You Know Why I Pulled You Over?”

If you get pulled over in Minnesota, don’t be surprised if the cop starts out by asking, “What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?”

Officers in Minnesota need a new icebreaker, because there’s a new law that bans them from asking, “Do you know why I pulled you over?”

There are two main reasons:

1.  The state doesn’t want people making spontaneous confessions, especially in cases where law enforcement may be FISHING for one.

2.  They don’t want officers asking people questions except in a formal interrogation setting, where they are “Mirandized.”

Criminal justice advocates were pushing for this change, but local law enforcement is mostly onboard.

The police have faced pressure to ban ALL “pretextual stops,” where a cop will pull a driver over for a minor infraction . . . to talk to them, and conduct a search.  These kinds of stops have led to dangerous escalations.

They are still allowed . . . but now, the officer has to admit at the start that it’s something minor, and not ask open-ended questions.

Justice advocates hope this change is a start . . . but for now there aren’t any consequences for any cops who continue asking, “Do you know why I pulled you over?”  They don’t even have evidence thrown out after they ask it.

(Fox 9)