1982 CHP Mustang E870255

[Steve]

Some of you may be curious about transportation of prisoners using the Mustangs. The Mustangs did not have wire mesh screens behind the driver's seat as you may have seen in other patrol cars. It would not have been practical to try to put anyone in the small back seat. With the Mustang, the subject (handcuffed) would be placed in the passenger seat, then wrist-wrapped with the seat belt. Wrist-wrap means the hands, handcuffed behind the subject's back, are brought to the right side (toward the door) and the buckle of the waist and shoulder strap is physically wrapped around the hands. It then goes across the subject's body in front and connects into the latch near the console, as it would normally do. I always preferred, in whatever car I drove in my career, to transport arrestees this way because I could keep an eye on them and wrist-wrapped and secured there wasn't much they could do if they were really unhappy but holler and maybe spit at you. To deal with that, I kept several large paper shopping bags in the trunk. If I had someone who was giving me a hard time, I would simply explain to them that they were going to be treated exactly as they acted. If they acted like a civilized human being, they would be treated accordingly. If they chose to act like an animal, that could also be accommodated. The shopping bags were for spitters; a shopping bag placed over the head renders that tactic useless. I only had to take a bag out, display it, and explain how it would be used and that always took care of any potential problem. Never actually had to use it.

870255 handled its share of arrestees; in a wide-open area like that, where you could be miles from the nearest civilization and backup you had to be prepared to do everything by yourself. You could not afford to lose control and let anything get out of hand or you could be in real trouble.

One summer evening, well after dark, I was patrolling on a two-lane state route when I came up behind a vehicle that was driving slower than normal and weaving, occasionally crossing the lines on both sides. I couldn't see much other than to observe there were numerous subjects in the vehicle, but it seemed very likely the driver was impaired. It was several miles to the nearest town, and I would have preferred to just follow this vehicle into town and make the stop in a well-lighted area where there was plenty of room. But I couldn't; this guy was driving so badly there was a chance he'd drift over the center line and take somebody out head-on, or go so far to the right he would roll down off the raised roadway and crash. I had to get him stopped. As soon as we got to a place that had some, if not much, shoulder area, I activated the red spotlight and flashing hi-beam headlights and managed to get the vehicle stopped. I made my approach on the driver's side and smelled the unmistakable odor of alcohol as I made contact. I also observed three other subjects in the vehicle that looked as though they were in a similar condition. I got the driver out and to the rear near my car. He was obviously seriously intoxicated; he was disoriented and confused as though things were happening too fast for him to process. Then I noticed the passenger's door starting to open as though he was going to come out. This I did not want; the situation was deteriorating rapidly. I quickly handcuffed the driver, searched him, and wrist-wrapped him into the Mustang. I went back to the driver's side, reached in and took the keys, then got back into my car. On the PA speaker I told the passengers to get out and start walking, then put 870255 in gear and took off like a bat out of hell before they even had a chance to all get out. The next day the vehicle was still there, minus its passengers. I think the long walk might have done them some good, maybe it helped them sober up.

As for the driver, he got to ride in an SSP Mustang! I'm certain he didn't fully appreciate it at the time, but now he has something to tell his grandchildren!