Category:
Police and Other Law Enforcement

Double-standard DWI-rules game

Emil Richard Rossi was granted a patent (No. 6,412,777) in 2002 for his "Double-standard DWI-rules" board game.

One purpose of the game was to teach players about drunk-driving laws and the financial consequences of drunk driving. Its second purpose was to demonstrate the "double-standard" of drunk-driving enforcement. Or, as he put it, the "Special treatment for drunk-driving offenders according to their Social Status."

Sounds like Rossi had a bone to pick with the way drunk-driving laws are enforced.

No surprise, his game was never produced by a commercial board game manufacturer, but according to boardgamegeek.com he did self-publish the game. So perhaps a copy of it might be available in a second-hand store somewhere.



From his patent description:

The present invention relates to games and game playing. More particularly, the present invention relates to a game based on drunk-driving rules and other rules of the road, the financial consequences of drunk driving, and the different ways of applying drunk-driving rules and other rules of the road according Social Status.

The object of the game disclosed herein, is to provide amusement for the players while they acquaint themselves with the financial liability incurred by being arrested for driving drunk. It is also is an object of the game is to provide amusement for the players while they acquaint themselves with the behind the Scene manipulations resulting in Special treatment for drunk-driving offenders according to their Social Status.




Posted By: Alex - Wed Aug 14, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Games, Inebriation and Intoxicants, Police and Other Law Enforcement, Patents, 2000s, Cars

Bulletproof Clipboards

Ballistic Systems Co. sells bulletproof clipboards, starting at $40. They boast that they've sold "over 170,000 clipboards to law enforcement officers nationwide."

While I'm sure the clipboards really are bulletproof, I'm skeptical about whether they'd be much help in preventing someone from getting shot. Wouldn't the force of a bullet simply knock the clipboard out of their hands?

Contrast this with the Clipboard Gun we've previously posted about.

via Book of Joe



Posted By: Alex - Wed May 29, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Police and Other Law Enforcement, Weapons

Hampstead Beatnik Party

This clip (only static for a soundtrack) from British Pathe is labeled "Beatnik Party (1960) Hampstead." But is it the same party described in the article?



Posted By: Paul - Sun Apr 28, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Dinners, Banquets, Parties, Tributes, Roasts and Other Celebrations, Police and Other Law Enforcement, Bohemians, Beatniks, Hippies and Slackers, 1960s, United Kingdom

The Armadillo Armored Suit

Apr 1958: Inventor Harvey Freeman looked a bit like a space alien in his "armadillo" armor, as Police Inspector Beryl Pace shot at him. The Detroit police bought four of Freeman's suits, but I have no idea if they were ever used.

Freeman lived to be 100 years old, dying in 2022. You can read his obituary here.



Santa Cruz Sentinel - Apr 30, 1958



Holland Evening Sentinel - Apr 30, 1958 (click to enlarge)



Below is what appears to be an early version of Freeman's suit.

Mechanix Illustrated - Sep 1956

Posted By: Alex - Thu Jan 25, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Inventions, Police and Other Law Enforcement, 1950s

Trick or Treat! It’s the Police!

"Detectives John Simpson and Curtis McFee model their monster and a devil costumes."



Tampa Bay Times - Nov 2, 1985

Posted By: Alex - Tue Oct 31, 2023 - Comments (2)
Category: Police and Other Law Enforcement, 1980s, Halloween

Unreasonable suspicion

Does a police officer have the right to search your car if you don't laugh when he asks you if you have any "firearms, drugs, cats, dogs, alligators, and weapons" in your car? The court said no.

United States v. Holloway, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 187752 (E.D. Pa. Oct. 18, 2023):

Officer Smart testified that he regularly asks individuals a question concerning possession of "firearms, drugs, cats, dogs, alligators, and weapons" at vehicle stops because it "helps [him] read people's body language and their demeanor." … He further testified that he was trained by other officers to infer that an individual who does not laugh at such a question is nervous about either firearms or narcotics … and that he typically receives a "laughing response" to that question ….

While courts "do give considerable deference to police officers' determinations of reasonable suspicion, … courts do not owe them blind deference." United States v. Alvin, 701 F. App'x 151, 156 (3d Cir. 2017) (internal quotations omitted). The Court does not find that laughing at a law enforcement officer while being questioned about drugs and weapons would be an appropriate response. Moreover, failing to laugh at a bizarre question while being questioned about drugs and weapons does not create reasonable suspicion to remove an individual from a car after a traffic violation.

via Fourth Amendment.com

Posted By: Alex - Thu Oct 26, 2023 - Comments (1)
Category: Law, Police and Other Law Enforcement

The Hobo Jungle Murder

You might or might not be surprised at the number of hits one gets when searching for "hobo murder." I guess that milieu was a really violent one. In any case, I highlight this instance for the great hobo names. I assume "Knubbs" meant "nubs," referring to the dead man's lack of hands.

What would your own hobo name be, by the way?



Posted By: Paul - Tue Sep 26, 2023 - Comments (0)
Category: Bums, Hobos, Tramps, Beggars, Panhandlers and Other Streetpeople, Death, Odd Names, Police and Other Law Enforcement, 1940s

Clipboard Gun

The justification for this clipboard gun was that it would allow police officers to approach stopped vehicles looking as if they were holding a clipboard, not a gun.

The problem that I see is that it wouldn't take long for the public to realize that the clipboards were actually guns. In which case, even if a police officer was genuinely only carrying a clipboard, everyone would assume it was a gun.

More info: Patent No. 4,016,666



Posted By: Alex - Tue Aug 29, 2023 - Comments (2)
Category: Police and Other Law Enforcement, Patents, 1970s, Weapons

Always on Call

Posted By: Paul - Sat Jul 15, 2023 - Comments (0)
Category: Police and Other Law Enforcement, PSA’s, Social Services, 1950s

Auto Breathalyzer Disguise

Might a felon be embarrassed to be seen blowing into his automobile ignition interlock Breathalyzer? Yes! Then what you need is this camouflage unit!

The patent is here.








Posted By: Paul - Tue Jul 11, 2023 - Comments (0)
Category: Disguises, Impersonations, Mimics and Forgeries, Inventions, Police and Other Law Enforcement, Alcohol, Cars

Page 1 of 5 pages  1 2 3 >  Last ›




weird universe thumbnail
Who We Are
Alex Boese
Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes.

Paul Di Filippo
Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1.

Contact Us
Monthly Archives
November 2024 •  October 2024 •  September 2024 •  August 2024 •  July 2024 •  June 2024 •  May 2024 •  April 2024 •  March 2024 •  February 2024 •  January 2024

December 2023 •  November 2023 •  October 2023 •  September 2023 •  August 2023 •  July 2023 •  June 2023 •  May 2023 •  April 2023 •  March 2023 •  February 2023 •  January 2023

December 2022 •  November 2022 •  October 2022 •  September 2022 •  August 2022 •  July 2022 •  June 2022 •  May 2022 •  April 2022 •  March 2022 •  February 2022 •  January 2022

December 2021 •  November 2021 •  October 2021 •  September 2021 •  August 2021 •  July 2021 •  June 2021 •  May 2021 •  April 2021 •  March 2021 •  February 2021 •  January 2021

December 2020 •  November 2020 •  October 2020 •  September 2020 •  August 2020 •  July 2020 •  June 2020 •  May 2020 •  April 2020 •  March 2020 •  February 2020 •  January 2020

December 2019 •  November 2019 •  October 2019 •  September 2019 •  August 2019 •  July 2019 •  June 2019 •  May 2019 •  April 2019 •  March 2019 •  February 2019 •  January 2019

December 2018 •  November 2018 •  October 2018 •  September 2018 •  August 2018 •  July 2018 •  June 2018 •  May 2018 •  April 2018 •  March 2018 •  February 2018 •  January 2018

December 2017 •  November 2017 •  October 2017 •  September 2017 •  August 2017 •  July 2017 •  June 2017 •  May 2017 •  April 2017 •  March 2017 •  February 2017 •  January 2017

December 2016 •  November 2016 •  October 2016 •  September 2016 •  August 2016 •  July 2016 •  June 2016 •  May 2016 •  April 2016 •  March 2016 •  February 2016 •  January 2016

December 2015 •  November 2015 •  October 2015 •  September 2015 •  August 2015 •  July 2015 •  June 2015 •  May 2015 •  April 2015 •  March 2015 •  February 2015 •  January 2015

December 2014 •  November 2014 •  October 2014 •  September 2014 •  August 2014 •  July 2014 •  June 2014 •  May 2014 •  April 2014 •  March 2014 •  February 2014 •  January 2014

December 2013 •  November 2013 •  October 2013 •  September 2013 •  August 2013 •  July 2013 •  June 2013 •  May 2013 •  April 2013 •  March 2013 •  February 2013 •  January 2013

December 2012 •  November 2012 •  October 2012 •  September 2012 •  August 2012 •  July 2012 •  June 2012 •  May 2012 •  April 2012 •  March 2012 •  February 2012 •  January 2012

December 2011 •  November 2011 •  October 2011 •  September 2011 •  August 2011 •  July 2011 •  June 2011 •  May 2011 •  April 2011 •  March 2011 •  February 2011 •  January 2011

December 2010 •  November 2010 •  October 2010 •  September 2010 •  August 2010 •  July 2010 •  June 2010 •  May 2010 •  April 2010 •  March 2010 •  February 2010 •  January 2010

December 2009 •  November 2009 •  October 2009 •  September 2009 •  August 2009 •  July 2009 •  June 2009 •  May 2009 •  April 2009 •  March 2009 •  February 2009 •  January 2009

December 2008 •  November 2008 •  October 2008 •  September 2008 •  August 2008 •  July 2008 •