To those that say that DC officers don't bother individuals that drive through the city with a radar detector affixed in plain view on the windshield or otherwise visible in the car, I was in DC Superior Court today and unfortunately spoke with an individual who was in Court with a charge of possession of a radar detection device. It appears that he was stopped by the police prior to today for a minor traffic infraction, but forgot to take his detector down and store it away from the officers view. He was travelling from Maryland through DC. The officers seized his detector and issued him a citation to appear in Court today. The detector, which he informed me was a 9500ix was not returned ont he scene, was not returned today and will not be returned under the District's forfeiture law.
In the District of Columbia, an offense of possession of a radar detector is an actual criminal offense and not a generic DMV or traffic offense. It is prosecuted by the Attorney General's office, i.e. real prosecutors. Therefore, a conviction in Court for that offense results in an actual criminal conviction on a persons record. I am not sure if jail time is associated with the offense. As for the individual today, He was allowed to pay $100.00 as collateral {it's called a post and forfeit} and the case was closed without further action and no guilty entry was entered on the docket, however, he did not and will not get his detector back.
It's disheartening to have to post this hard luck story here but if it can save someone else the headache of going through the same experience it will be worth it. So for those on the forum that like to post that individuals can drive through DC blatanly displaying in plain view a radar detector, and not risk the detector's confiscation by DC police officers, this is a real life scenario where such an action worked to the operators disadvantage. A word to the wise.
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