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61 – Traffic Safety Policy & Procedure Page 5 of 19 b. Discretion is defined as the process of evaluation of information available to the officer in taking enforcement action that is appropriate to the offense or violation, to the history of the operator and to the circumstances involved. Officer discretion is not indiscriminate. c. Officers must conduct themselves in a professional manner, keeping in mind use of proper language, bearing, and emotional stability. Officers have a professional obligation to demonstrate superior patience and calmness than the motorist they are stopping. [61.1.8] d. Officers should: [61.1.8] i. Document their observations of the violation; ii. Have the necessary forms and equipment to deal with the situation; iii. Greet the violator with the appropriate title in a courteous manner; and iv. Immediately identify himself/herself as a Lexington Police Officer, giving the reason for the motor vehicle stop, before requesting a license or registration. v. Note: A motor vehicle stop is a seizure. The motorist has a right to know by what authority the stop is being made and the lawful basis for the stop. e. Officers must keep in mind that some violators encountered will show signs of emotional distress. Officers must deal with these individuals in a calm, courteous manner and help relieve them of any anxiety. f. A motorist’s attitude or frivolous comments or excuses should not have bearing on whether a citation is issued. g. Upon completion of the enforcement action, officers must ensure that the violator safely re-enters the flow of traffic. h. All enforcement actions will be accomplished by using one of the following four methods: [61.1.2] i. VERBAL WARNINGS: A verbal warning may be appropriate when the violator commits an act which may be due to ignorance of a particular law or when enforcing a new traffic law or regulation. Examples of this type could be where the operator approaches a stop sign and, instead of coming to a complete stop, slows to a speed slower than walking. If such movement is made with reasonable safety and the driver is accustomed to driving in those jurisdictions where this action is permissible, a verbal warning may be appropriate. Similarly, a verbal warning is appropriate for equipment failure (i.e., license plates not illuminated) of which the driver was unaware. However, a written warning is preferred since this is more influential to a motorist and better documentation of the motor vehicle stop. Written warnings also result in the operator’s identification being added to the records management system, and makes information available to other officers for future enforcement action. [61.1.2(c)] ii. WRITTEN WARNINGS: A written warning is a proper alternative by officers in response to a minor traffic infraction. It is also appropriate for those violations, which occur within the tolerances generally