Why Do New England Police Touch Your Car During a Stop?

If you have spent any time watching police bodycam and dashcam videos on social media, you have probably realized that police officers and deputies have certain procedures that they always do.

These procedures are drilled into them and they are meant to ensure a safe (and efficient) interaction with the person they are talking to and to ensure the safety of the officers.

You have probably noticed that, during a traffic stop, the law enforcement officer always makes a point of touching the vehicle they have pulled over. If the vehicle is a car, they almost always touch the vehicle's trunk.

Why do police do this?

When I was a teen, I spent time as a U.S. Customs Explorer. Basically, the Explorers are a Boy Scout-like group that is designed to get people interested in a certain career field. While they are In addition to learning about the customs service, we were often visited by members of the Maine State Police and other law enforcement agencies.

During a presentation on traffic stops, we were told that police always tap the trunk to make sure that it is closed. This prevents someone in the trunk from sneaking up on the officer when he or she approaches the driver's window.

Apparently, there are several other reasons why law enforcement officers touch your vehicle.

According to Wiki How police will often touch a vehicle to prove they were near it. A simple check for fingerprints on the back of the car can prove that it was the same vehicle that the officer pulled over.

In some cases, the law enforcement officer may knock on the vehicle in order to startle the people in the vehicle. This is especially true if there is a concern the people in the vehicle may be trying to hide someone. The idea is that this may interrupt their attempt at hiding the item.