Posted on 07/05/2013 8:08:51 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Tuesday, dash cam video surfaced of an Iowa State Trooper pursuing a speeding black Chevy SUV on Highway 20 between Cedar Falls and Fort Dodge, back in April. In an audio recording, you can hear DCI Special Agent Larry Hedlund call a state dispatcher for help in pulling over the SUV that he was going a "hard 90."
State Patrol started a pursuit, but backed off when they learned the SUV was being driven by a fellow officer and Governor Terry Branstad was a passenger.
Five days later the DCI put Hedlund on administrative leave after he complained to his superiors that Branstad's driver got a free pass.
Wednesday, Branstad said that decision was not related to the speeding incident. But Hedlund's attorney insists it was retaliation.
Governor Branstand and Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds said they weren't aware of the event until Tuesday. The Governor told press Wednesday his security personal are not above the law.
"I believe that everybody ought to be treated equally and fairly under the law,” he said.
Police in Marion said issuing speeding tickets is not black and white, more of a gray zone. They said their department only pulls people over when drivers reach a certain speed over the limit. Then, writing a ticket is up to the officer.
"Maybe they're going over the speed limit because she's delivering a baby in the back seat. I mean, they still have a lot of discretion on giving a speeding ticket out," said Chief Harry Daugherty.
However, Chief Daugherty said it's policy that none of his officers exceed the speed limit unless they're headed to an emergency. He said if one officer spots another breaking that rule, the offender is reported.
"If they see something like that then they are required to let their supervisor know what they saw," said Daugherty. "There would be an internal investigation.”
The state Department of Public Safety is reviewing the speeding incident. The governor said he believes the department will determine the best way to handle the situation.
Iowa something.
Sounds like a threat.
“Governor Branstand and Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds said they weren’t aware of the event until Tuesday. The Governor told press Wednesday his security personal are not above the law.”
“I believe that everybody ought to be treated equally and fairly under the law,” he said.
So the Gov is in a SUV doing 90mph and he had no clue? I call Bolshevik! I guess he had his head so into his iPad that he never looked out the window.
So the Governor was having a baby in the back seat?
The Gov seems to be having a cow at this time.
Division of Criminal Investigation
What possible reason could a Governor have for that kind of driving? States don’t deal in urgent emergencies that require the presence of a Governor. If they ever did, this modern era of communications had utterly ended the need to drive like an ass.
Even though State police driving the Governor think they are bulletproof and ten feet tall, they are sharing the roads with unpredictable 17 year old girls, pedestrians, the elderly who turn up where you don’t expect them going 20 below the speed limit, and others who don’t realize they are sharing the road with a celebrity VIP.
Department of Criminal Investigation
(if so, obviously WAY above the Law compared to the little tax slaves.)
Ooops!
Division (not Department)
And the certain speed is....?
In other words, the limit really isn't the limit. A bit confusing and perhaps even devastating to many, including some FReepers, who believe that speed limits were handed down from Mt Olympus and that if we all drive them then no accidents will happen forever and that we will all, er, coexist in perfect harmony.
We had a local Chief Popo who had his “driver” speed to the airport with the full Monte lights and siren to help out his (and your) Superior.
Well, I’d suggest driving the limit through Illinois while marshaling your gun stash through the State.
Discretion at every level:
Stop or don’t stop.
Write or don’t write.
Hammer or don’t hammer.
Driver’s attitude frequently determines outcome.
And remember - “NO SLEEPING IN BEDS!” err {edit} “WIF SHEETS!”
I remember in the long ago days of drivers ed in California we were taught that there was only one maximum speed limit, 65mph, at least until Nixon set it to 55mph. All other speed limits were supposed to be Prima Facia and the actual speed was supposed to as fast as the conditions allowed, up to the Maximum. Nowadays the only thing that matters is ticket revenue.
LOL
I thought carter imposed that 55 limit.
Well I was ready to hang it on him, but thought I should check my memory, Wiki says “The uniform speed limit was signed into law by President Nixon on January 2, 1974, and became effective 60 days later,”
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