Police: Do what I say not what I do?

If you’re caught speeding, you’re very likely to be fined, receive points on your licence or even banned if you’re caught going fast enough.

This may be fair enough in most cases, but what if you’re on a long straight empty road, in a perfectly serviced car, sober and in perfect control of the vehicle and the reason you’re speeding is a family emergency?

In a 2 year period I’ve seen on numerous police without flashing lights or horns sounding, speeding/doing u-turns in locations that for you & me would be deemed illegal, parking on double yellow lines with two wheels on the pavement while they pick up a meal in fast food outlets, and worse.

You or I may plead ignorance of a rule and be told ignorance of a rule is no defence, but the police are the ones who are charged with enforcing the law, so who polices the police?
God?
The manatees
Spiderpig, spiderpig does watever a spiderpig does. Honey come on we're going to the beach and u can bring spiderpig oh he's not spiderpig anymore he's Harry Flopper!!
no one polices the police.


Answers:
I agree with you 100 %. I drive for a living and I see the police breaking the law all the time and it makes me very angry that there is no accountability.. There is a lot of hypocrasy amoung some police officers..Hey Janet below it looks like you havn't lost your its us and them attitude. The force ,NO not the force, the public is a lot better without people like you. LOOK AT ALL THE ANSWERS. Is everyone wrong then except you..
Two wrongs don't make a right. The police shouldn't break laws if its not justified to aprehend a suspect and reasonably safe, but you speeding on an open road doesn't counter-balance it. We should ALL obey the laws.
No one. Isn't our country just great? (note my sarcasm)
I agree, but you go ahead and report them to their superiors. But watch your driving.
I have a deep mistrst of authority, and ofcourse the police will do things like that because no one will police them. getting the plate number and complaining could get them in a bit of trouble (Im not sure how they would deal with it, or how corrupt they are), but it wouldnt hurt.

If you are caught speeding for a family emergency, just tell them, and say sorry it wont happen again, and look upset (if they still make you pay, they are a nasty piece of work, but that is quite likely knowing the police force). Also, if you are in trouble for anything at all, just look like you are crapping your self about getting in trouble.
Ask the question again if a small child is killed speeding
No one polices the police. Eventually, that business has to stop. There are checks on the police and other emergency services, but it's not foolproof.

I've seen the same behavior as you have with respect to cops and ambulance drivers flipping lights on to go through red lights or to speed like mad to get somewhere. It's against their rules for sure.

However, as they all have a job description which can easily mean their own deaths in pursuing it, I'm likely to give them a bit more leeway than I would you and your 'family emergencies'. I'm sure that everyone has them, and I think that if a cop pulls you over while you have one, if it's legitimate, you'll get an escort, not a ticket.

They give these people privileges that you and I do not have for a reason.
So, join the force and do it also. Or how about, instead of whining here, you get the car number and report them.
They have a badge and a gun, and these days they may also be toting a tazer. Police have been told that basically if people don't do as they say society will decay into anarcy.

With this mindset is it really a surprise that most officers will NEVER so much as take th time to learn where the autority for them to pull you over on the roads stems from.

In the constutition the people granted to the congress the power to regulate commerce (the commerce clause).

With this plenary authority over commerce the congress passed a law codified in title 49 section 31102 called the plan to the states. Under this plan the US Congress granted to the invididual states the right to create Highway Patrols, to create Departments of Motor Vehicles and regulate COMMERCE within their states on the public roads.

Title 49 Section 31102 (a)(b)
(a) General Authority.— Subject to this section and the availability of amounts, the Secretary of Transportation may make grants to States for the development or implementation of programs for improving motor carrier safety and the enforcement of regulations, standards, and orders of the United States Government on commercial motor vehicle safety, hazardous materials transportation safety, and compatible State regulations, standards, and orders.
(b) State Plan Procedures and Contents.—
(1) The Secretary shall prescribe procedures for a State to submit a plan under which the State agrees to assume responsibility for improving motor carrier safety and to adopt and enforce regulations, standards, and orders of the Government on commercial motor vehicle safety, hazardous materials transportation safety, or compatible State regulations, standards, and orders. The Secretary shall approve the plan if the Secretary decides the plan is adequate to promote the objectives of this section and the plan—

Therefor the states are bound by this federal law to only regulate commercial motor vehicles. Therefor a officer must have probably cause that you are invovled in some sort of commercial activity to have jurisdiciton to pull you over for speeding in your car on a long stretch of highway where agruably you are a danger to know one other then yourself.
THE BLUE WALL OF SILENCE. THESE ARE UNTOLD PERKS OF THE JOB. MANY POLICE FEEL THEY ARE THE LAW THEY FORGET THAT THEY ARE HIRED TO UPHOLD THE LAWS.
You police the police. If you spot an officer doing something reckless, dangerous, or illegal, just call your local mayors office. Try to write down any information that might help them find which officer they need to speak with (car number, badge number, or at least the time and place).
be very nice to the police
I'm with ya, friend. I see this sort of thing all the time..Oh, and don't forget the way they line up at the donut shops each and every morning...
Life is not fair. People in positions of authority will always have the power to bend the rules for themselves. The only way you can bust them is by reporting them. Also, it is the officers discretion whether or not to ticket you based on the situation. Everyhting is not always black and white. Best to follow the laws, but obviously use common sense.
The answer is nobody. I have a couple of friends who are cops(trust me, the rest are far from friends, a couple want to stomp me and if they get there chance, they will taz and baton me down) and they are above the law. Who will arrest them? Their friends they work with everyday and go drinking with? I have seen cops by the dozen drive home from the bar drunk. I have seen the heads of the county drive home drunk and every cop knew it. I was even in the car one time with my buddy drunk out of my mind and he pulled a u-turn in the middle of an intersection at 1 am through a red light right in front of a cop and when the cop pulled us over, they laughed about it and they talked about our plans for the rest of the night. I have many times also been too drunk to drive and called for an escort home from one of the many county police.
Most police officers do behave according to the law. If the police officer normally goes 120km/h down the highway, he won't give you a ticket for the same thing. You have to remember the exception doesn't make it true for the whole group.

And many are understanding if you do have an emergency or a very good excuse for speeding. I've been let out of two speeding tickets because of extenuating circumstances when I was speeding.
You know - I have found out that, police watch those who watch them. They think that because they have a badge and a gun that they are above the law. Which is wrong. If they want to be glorified because of their position, then why not try to teach by example. WoW. what a concept? I live in a small town and we had a police car that went without a tag(plate) light for three months, but did this stop them giving out tickets for the same thing? No. I just wish that they would spend a few nights in jail themselves and learn what is going to happen to those who go there. I think that it should be mandatory before hiring.
You are right that some police officers abuse the law. That is hardly an argument for breaking the law yourself. The family emergency scenario you present is unrealistic, and still unsafe. If you really did find yourself in that situation, what happens if something runs out in front of you, or the road suddenly changes, or you're distraught from the emergency and make a rash decision? You'd still deserve a ticket, even in that position. And if someone was in danger, your driving is not going to help. Call the cops or an ambulance.

If you really have a problem with the cops not following the law, then you should write a letter to your local law enforcement agency. You make a good point. If you're looking for an excuse to speed, then you're wasting your time. It is a bad argument.

p.s. The people who are saying that no one polices the police are wrong. There are different police agencies for a reason, there is the Attorney General, your legislators, and the prosecuting office. They are ALL responsible for policing the police. If no one did it, then there wouldn't be so many policemen on trial for various crimes, now, would there?
Traffic police are over-aged hall monitors.
You know that if the police is hiding (say in a speed trap) and they catch you- you could contest it in court and win for entrapment. This sounds strange but entrapment for these cases are won all the time.
Who would want to.
Not every call is an emergency, but there are lots of calls. One day a call from you might be on the board. You would probably be upset if we were not there in 3 minutes, and upset if we hurry to assist someone else. People like you will never be happy with the police. You have an authority problem, and people like you are part of the reason I don't wear a badge anymore.
Ah, the fine line between theory and reality.


I once thought like you, but then realized life isnt what we are taught.

Police are policed by an internal affairs unit for corruption, but aside from that, most traffic rules can be broken by either saying your on the job or have been called in to respond to an emergency.
Join the MASONS and you will be looked after.Any problems just see your local chief inspector in the lodge meeting and he will sort it for you.The police always look after their own and friends.How many lately have been let off with speeding,by a friendly magistrate who just happens to be a lodge member.We have no chance trying to take that lot on.