I am a peace officer and I could arrest you right now if you don’t give me what I want.
If I had a nickel for every time a DMV Investigator said this to a Dealer, I’d be a rich man. The problem is it’s simply not true. We still live in a country where you actually had to have committed a crime before you can be arrested. Furthermore, unless it’s a felony, it has to be committed in front of the officer for him to “arrest” you.
The DMV boys love to flex their power – why? Because they are compensating for being treated like a glorified rent a cop. You see, they are peace officers under the code. They can carry a weapon and have much of the same training as regular peace officers, however, their jurisdiction is limited to DMV matters.
What this means is they are treated like lower tier peace officers. They know it, I know it, and you know it.
So when these peace officers come into your facility barking orders like they pay the rent, you and I both know Fido needs to calm down. Whatever paperwork they need, whatever bus story a customer told the DMV needs to addressed, what ever inconsistency with accountings will be taken care of in due time.
The problem is how to handle the over aggressive DMV investigator who visits your facility.
The DMV investigator feels inadequate because they don’t put their lives on the line like the men in blue. To compensate, they become over aggressive in an attempt to solicit some legitimacy for their purpose of employment.
Dealing with a DMV investigator when discussing your DMV Vehicle Dealer or DMV Salesperson’s license is simple:
“Please inform me in writing what documentation you require and I will have a copy faxed or mailed to you in the next 24 hours. In the meantime, I have a business to run that requires my attention. As soon as I have the written request for the documents, I intend to fully comply with your request pursuant to the law. Thank you for your time.”
It’s that simple. The DMV Investigator is still bound by the law against warrantless search and seizures, and other goodies that prevent the harassment most dealers deal with on a daily basis.
Don’t take any crap from a DMV Investigator – let him know you’re running a business. You don’t have to bend to his whim. Stand your ground.