Scottsdale revisits policy of not ticketing officers (Speed Cameras)

East Valley (Phoenix) Tribune ^ | 7/23/06 | Ray Stern

[elkfersupper]

Two sets of rules.

So much for taking advantage of following a cop for the fastest way to get across town.

[beltfed308]

Wow. If any thread deserved a donut watch keyword it is this one!

[radar101]

Law Enforcement Truth:........................ You can never drive slow enough to please the citizens who don't need a cop, and you can never drive fast enough to please the ones who do.

[kerryusama04]

I worked with a guy who was a part time LA County sherrif. He got pulled over doing 95 in the car pool lane in the San Diego area in his company car for his day job, flashed his badge, and nothing more was said.

[TucsonJames]

"...police believe that on April 5 and 9, sheriff’s vehicles clocked at 109 mph were en route to help retrieve bodies during a homicide investigation..."

Now why do those vehicles need to be going that fast to pick up bodies? Those bodies aren't going anywhere, are they?

[RebelBanker]

I can understand that a marked emergency vehicle is likely to have to speed sometimes. Even if that can be abused sometimes, I would generally be willing to give police or firefighters/EMTs the benefit of the doubt in an official vehicle. The "get out of a ticket free" Fraternal Order of Police license plates on their personal vehicles are the ones that irritate me. I have seen so many cops or their family members driving like idiots in vehicles with FOP plates and not draw the attention I certainly would if I drove like that.

[elkfersupper]

You can never drive slow enough to please the citizens who don't need a cop, and you can never drive fast enough to please the ones who do.

But you can make everybody happy if you drive the speed limit unless you have your emergency equipment on.

[beltfed308]

DPS policy prohibits officers from exceeding posted speed limits by 25 mph in rural areas and 10 mph in urban areas when responding to an emergency, said DPS Lt. Jeff King.

Who needs rules anyhow. /s

[elkfersupper]

You can never drive slow enough to please the citizens who don't need a cop, and you can never drive fast enough to please the ones who do.

But you can make everybody happy if you drive the speed limit unless you have your emergency equipment on.

[Lazamataz]

Some animals are more equal than others.

[kingu]

Ten minutes after this goes into effect, the police union will be discussing having the city, county or reservation pay for these tickets.

I would much rather not have the policy issue tickets, but rather issue reprimands to the officers involved. They're not going to get charged with reckless driving, but the reprimands would give command the ability to dismiss poor performing officers and make it a personnel issue rather than something for a bargaining table.

Two sets of rules? Yeah, there's two sets of rules. I can accept that, so long as these rules are for actions while driving city vehicles.

[RobRoy]

My chrysler 300m speedometer (max is 120) was pegged going through montana for an extended period of time. Nobody died.

I would hate to have had a blowout though...

[elkfersupper]

Some animals are more equal than others.

That's correct. I've also learned that these days, it is best just not to attract their attention, either voluntarily or involuntarily.

[GalaxieFiveHundred]

Sorrow drowning time...

[Husker24]

The camera enforcement program is scheduled to end in late October, when the city will evaluate whether the system reduced collisions or slowed down speeders.

Or weather it made the city enough money.

[dalereed]

"I would hate to have had a blowout though..."

Unless you are driving on cursves over your head blowing a tire is no big deal except having to change it.

I blew one on a TBird at 110 on my way to San Francisco once and having to stop and change it was the only upsetting thing.

[SFC Chromey]

You can never drive slow enough to please the citizens who don't need a cop, and you can never drive fast enough to please the ones who do.

---

The bottom line is, if I do that, I get stopped and cited or hauled off to jail. Law Enforcement needs to realize it is as much about PR as it is about eliminating the double standard.

[weegee]

What are they good for? Tax revenue under the guise of "safety".

That is the purpose of ticketing today.

[The Electrician]

What DPS and the sheriff’s office does with those notices is up to them, he added.

Translation: We're taking some heat for this abuse of power, so we are going to pretend to correct it, but in reality the LEO's will still be above the law and there will be no adverse consequences for their illegal behavior. But at least we can fool the citizens into thinking that LEO's will be held accountable, and we can get the press off of our backs.