A question for the Police Officers....

[somdwhiner]

Yeah, 90 in a 55 isn't considered a "minor" traffic offense. I've added "minor" in most my posts to avoid the doing 120 in a 15 mph neighborhood questions. If he's doing 90 in his personal car, he doesn't need to be a cop and should get a ticket and his patrol vehicle taken away at the least. I got pulled for doing 90 in a 55 in (I40)Raleigh, NC while in the military and got a warning. I got pulled in (I95)VA for doing 78 in a 65 (yeah he stroked me hard)and got a ticket. I didn't whine about it, I paid my ticket. I guess since I had no idea who the cop was in Raleigh he figured he'd give me a "favoritism" warning because I was in the military even though I never flashed my military I.D.

 

[itsbob]

i would just assume that if I had a job enforcing the law, I'd be a stickler for following the law. How can you give me all the dangers of speeding speech as you are writing out my ticket, then you yourself speed on the way to the gym? How is it ANY safer for them to speed than it is for me to speed?

 

[daisykps]

What lesson is the teenaged girl whose father is a cop learning when she is taught to say "My Dad is a cop" when she is doing 20 miles over the speed limit? Next time she could be in a bodybag thanks to her dad's perks.

 

[desertrat]

What lesson is the teenaged girl whose father is a cop learning when she is taught to say "My Dad is a cop" when she is doing 20 miles over the speed limit? Next time she could be in a bodybag thanks to her dad's perks.

Best argument so far.

 

[donbarzini]

Enlighten you how? Explain what it's like to be a police officer? Explain why professional courtesy is given to other police officers?

I think not. Frankly, it’s one of those rare situations where if you have never done it you can’t understand it. No offense intended, that’s just how it is.

Read my profile and tell me I can't understand it. How can you enforce what you don't obey?

 

[Ken King]

Well I believe you have been given the wrong "facts". Please reread my above post in reference to citizens thinking they know the "facts" because someone told them. The facts are when a LEO makes a traffic stop, it's called officer discretion on whether or not to write a citation, a written warning, or give a verbal warning on minor traffic offenses. They have a ticket designed for the sole purpose of issuing written warnings only and I'm sure someone on this forum can chime in and state they were given one of these tickets. I take it you've never been on a ride along. Have a great day.

And are there other laws where the officers get to exercise this discreation? You let your pal speed, let his kid speed, so why not let them get away with a little DUI/DWI. How about domestic violence, assault, or whatever?

The job is law enforcement and it should not be discreationary. What do you think they have prosecutors, judges and juries for?

 

[somdwhiner]

And are there other laws where the officers get to exercise this discreation? You let your pal speed, let his kid speed, so why not let them get away with a little DUI/DWI. How about domestic violence, assault, or whatever?

The job is law enforcement and it should not be discreationary. What do you think they have prosecutors, judges and juries for?

Yes I almost forgot, if a cop shoots someone they find some homeless person on the side of the road and hand the weapon to him to cover the cop.
You might have fell asleep during my entire posting and just woke up, but if you recheck almost all my responses, I clearly said "MINOR TRAFFIC OFFENSES" meaning some payable fines which occur on the roadway. As matter of fact, my quote you used to reply too has that same wording. If you feel that DUI or reckless driving is considered a minor traffic offense, you are mistaken. Sorry I can't make this more obvious without someone throwing some outrageous charges. Officers have been charged with DWI/DUI,domestic assaults, and other charges. Once convicted, I have seen officers get fired on the spot.
I'm sorry, but I've seen people in bodybags doing the speed limit and lower with a clean driving record so that isn't a factor here. Do you realize how many laws there are out there? If they charged for people that warm up the cars in the mornings unattended, run into the store with their car running, have a freshener, base I.D. card, anything in your rear view mirror obstructing the view, how are they expect to investigate crimes? All those examples are charging fines and against the law.
I always enjoy the people complaining when a cop goes the speed limit while they are on the way to work, but when the cop is speeding, you'll notice a row of cars right behind them following.

 

[ServiceGuy]

Yes I almost forgot, if a cop shoots someone they find some homeless person on the side of the road and hand the weapon to him to cover the cop.
You might have fell asleep during my entire posting and just woke up, but if you recheck almost all my responses, I clearly said "MINOR TRAFFIC OFFENSES" meaning some payable fines which occur on the roadway. As matter of fact, my quote you used to reply too has that same wording. If you feel that DUI or reckless driving is considered a minor traffic offense, you are mistaken. Sorry I can't make this more obvious without someone throwing some outrageous charges. Officers have been charged with DWI/DUI,domestic assaults, and other charges. Once convicted, I have seen officers get fired on the spot.
I'm sorry, but I've seen people in bodybags doing the speed limit and lower with a clean driving record so that isn't a factor here. Do you realize how many laws there are out there? If they charged for people that warm up the cars in the mornings unattended, run into the store with their car running, have a freshener, base I.D. card, anything in your rear view mirror obstructing the view, how are they expect to investigate crimes? All those examples are charging fines and against the law.
I always enjoy the people complaining when a cop goes the speed limit while they are on the way to work, but when the cop is speeding, you'll notice a row of cars right behind them following.

All the cars following are not Speeding they are Drafting

 

[somdwhiner]

lol, i like that response. I figured if they get anymore pissed off, we'd be having a yo-momma battle.

 

[Thor]

Read my profile and tell me I can't understand it. How can you enforce what you don't obey?

I didn't realize you were a cop sorry. You, being a cop, know as well as I do what professional courtesy means. It does not mean you get a pass for DWI it does not mean you get a pass for other more serious things either, it means you might get a pass for doing 70 on rt4.


You also know that 99.999% of the time the greatest determinig factor in wether you get a ticket is how you interact with the officer.


On a side note I don't know any troopers who when rolling will stop people on Rt4 for doing 70 and under.

 

[smcop]

On another thread it was said the police will not write a ticket for another police officer nor for anyone in their family. It was mentioned of a teenaged girl going 20 miles OVER the speed limit but not ticketed because her family is an officer. Is this true???? Do you feel it is ethical???? I am very surprised and angered to think this practice is going on.

Here is the long and short of it. As a police officer I give people brakes all the time. I wouldn't give a police officer, or a member of his family a break I have not given any other citizen. I have pulled people over for every type of infraction, and have given warnings rather than tickets. This is a legal way of doing business described as officer discretion.

 

[smcop]

And are there other laws where the officers get to exercise this discreation? You let your pal speed, let his kid speed, so why not let them get away with a little DUI/DWI. How about domestic violence, assault, or whatever?

The job is law enforcement and it should not be discreationary. What do you think they have prosecutors, judges and juries for?

Ken you should check into what the law dictates. I understand you believe discretion should be left to the courts, however the legislature dictates discretion first lies with the law enforcement officer.

 

[MMDad]

Ken you should check into what the law dictates. I understand you believe discretion should be left to the courts, however the legislature dictates discretion first lies with the law enforcement officer.

I don't think anyone has a problem with the officer having discretion. The problem is when the discretion is not evenly applied. I have received warnings before, and it is completely appropriate to extend that courtesy to your colleagues. However, if you pull me and an off duty cop over for 64 in a 50, we are both respectful and honest, and I get the ticket while he goes free, there is a problem.

Please don't tell me this doesn't happen. We all know it does. When you are sworn in to your thankless job, you have to realize you also get some extra scrutiny. As the taxpayers who pay your salary, we only want the law applied equally to all, no matter who they are or what their daddy does for a living.

 

[mehlert74]

I don't think anyone has a problem with the officer having discretion. The problem is when the discretion is not evenly applied. I have received warnings before, and it is completely appropriate to extend that courtesy to your colleagues. However, if you pull me and an off duty cop over for 64 in a 50, we are both respectful and honest, and I get the ticket while he goes free, there is a problem.

Please don't tell me this doesn't happen. We all know it does. When you are sworn in to your thankless job, you have to realize you also get some extra scrutiny. As the taxpayers who pay your salary, we only want the law applied equally to all, no matter who they are or what their daddy does for a living.

I have to agree; my theory, what is good for one, is good for all. There shouldn't be any of this favortism,I don't care if you are law enforcement or not, you should get the same "punishment" as the rest of us. I am so tired of certain ones getting off on something they should be showing a better example of. "Practice what you preach" ring a bell?

 

[Thor]

I don't think anyone has a problem with the officer having discretion. The problem is when the discretion is not evenly applied. I have received warnings before, and it is completely appropriate to extend that courtesy to your colleagues. However, if you pull me and an off duty cop over for 64 in a 50, we are both respectful and honest, and I get the ticket while he goes free, there is a problem.

Please don't tell me this doesn't happen. We all know it does. When you are sworn in to your thankless job, you have to realize you also get some extra scrutiny. As the taxpayers who pay your salary, we only want the law applied equally to all, no matter who they are or what their daddy does for a living.

I'll say it again, wether you get a ticket is directly related to how you interact with the officer. Unless you have done something totally overboard.

 

[MMDad]

I'll say it again, wether you get a ticket is directly related to how you interact with the officer. Unless you have done something totally overboard.

Most of the time that is true. The only ticket I ever got was a junior trooper who said he couldn't give a warning because of a recent fatal crash in the area. They were doing a 100% ticketing spree. The only other times I've been pulled over I was polite and respectful and received a warning.

The problem is when offenders are let go only because they are officers or relatives. If you can honestly say you would have let Joe Blow walk if daddy wasn't a cop, that's great. However, if everything else is equal, but you cut the fellow cop a break, there is a problem.

 

[Thor]

Well I do have to say that I never let anyone off because their dad was a cop. Other cops, yup I extended professional courtesy. Family members... no way. If they want to bring daddy to court to try to sway the judge then so be it.

 

[mehlert74]

Well I do have to say that I never let anyone off because their dad was a cop. Other cops, yup I extended professional courtesy. Family members... no way. If they want to bring daddy to court to try to sway the judge then so be it.

See, that i do not agree with, letting other cops off. What make you cops so special that you can get away with it? I think it is completely wrong and you should get the same treatment as everyone else, and if you continue to keep getting tickets, i do not think your entitled to have that job. When sworn in, you are also sworn in to abide by the law, and most cops have the attitude that they can get away with it all. Not all, but a good portion.

 

[MMDad]

Well I do have to say that I never let anyone off because their dad was a cop. Other cops, yup I extended professional courtesy. Family members... no way. If they want to bring daddy to court to try to sway the judge then so be it.

 

[zimmie]

Give another cop a break on a traffic violation?....fine most of the time

Wife of a cop for something not serious?.........likely, but not all the time

Cop's kids who remind you their dad is a cop?...............nope

thats what I imagine...................................