Alina Burger, a sophomore at Goshen High School, was in the car with her friends, one of whom was a legal driver. When they realized an officer had put on his sirens, they pulled over to the side of the road. The officer came up to the car and without provocation stated that he was going to call the K9 department to find out if they were in possession of marijuana.
Teenagers may have the perception that an officer is purposely trying to get them in trouble and make them sweat when he pulls them over,  but police officers say they are trained to suspect the worst. 

James C. Watt, Chief of Police for the Village of Goshen for ten years, stated that in any situation “action needs to be taken” but is it too much?

Shannon Quinn, a junior at GHS, had an encounter with a Goshen police officer the night of a party. She was driving with her friend and the officer pulled them over, yelling at them to tell him where the party was. According to Shannon, he was cursing at them and wrote down the license plate number saying they would get in trouble if he found out they were lying.

"If we know about a party in advance, we will try and do everything we can to stop it," responded Chief of Police Watt. "You have to keep control of your situation.”

A graduate of Goshen High School himself, he’s seen a lot over his twenty eight years as a police officer. Living in a small town like this, he said “we know you, and you know us.” Officers know those who are usually in trouble and those who have been caught in a bad situation for the first time. When an officer has established that the person being questioned is a teenager, they try and just let them off with a warning or get a parent involved, knowing that they’re the disciplinarians. More often then not, he added, "teens may have the perception immediately that they’re being harassed."

When asked if intimidation is used, the Chief replied, “Teenagers are generally intimidated if they haven’t been in trouble before.” In most cases, a police office will let his guard down easier around girls compared to boys since they often need to be gentler towards females, but it all depends on the circumstances. Action always has to be taken when an officer is called to the scene, especially when alcohol or drug use is involved and the officer is dealing with a minor. When asked if foul language is condoned, he said, “No, not in most departments.”

Being put under the spotlight with the flashing lights, especially at night, can be intimidating and even embarrassing for most. But it's basic standard night time procedure and the poilce need to see your car; the driver doesn't need to see the officer. If the driver of a car cooperates with them, they will most likely be cooperative as well. Their job is to keep everyone safe at all times, even if what they’re doing may make you feel intimidated. If you stay out of trouble, though, and do the right thing, a police officer will most likely be pulling someone else over.