Can cops speed without their lights/siren on?

[jeremy]

Talk to the Prosecutor...

 

[bglaze]

Talk to the Prosecutor...

the day of court or before? also, how do I do this?

 

[Yup!]

Nevertheless, I still hold that neither of us were speeding. The officer's only evidence, however, was to claim that he was.

I still don't believe I was exceeding the speed limit, regardless of the officer's claims.

Sorry to keep going around in circles. I honestly don't think I was speeding. I am merely pointing out the officers only evidence was that he was (we'll say allegedly) speeding himself.

31 in a 30 is speeding.

You really have no idea how fast you were going. In order for your story to be believable by me, you would have to prove to me that 'before you sped up to pull in' you were consciously going BELOW the speed limit. Not at the speed limit. So, unless you can clearly articulate that, you have no case in my opinion. How fast were you going? You dont know? You think 25? Then sped up to 30 to pull in. It just doesn't make sense to me. In order to speed up to anything quick enough to pull in front of anyone you would need to increase your speed by about 10mph. So you need to prove you were going 20 before you 'speed up' difficult to do.

It's no big deal, its a speeding ticket.

The prosecutor 'might' be willing to toss it, but all that means is you got away with speeding.

 

[jeremy]

the day of court or before? also, how do I do this?

As soon as possible...
AS in well before it makes it to Court...

 

[Yup!]

With all that said, I don't like his response "we're police officers" - to me it implies we're above the law, and I don't believe he was 'on a call" so I'd file a complaint with the department if you are that concerned about getting revenge.

As far as your wrong doing, that's different. (If you were speeding, which we've already discussed)

 

[Brandon]

Nevertheless, I still hold that neither of us were speeding. The officer's only evidence, however, was to claim that he was.

I still don't believe I was exceeding the speed limit, regardless of the officer's claims.

Sorry to keep going around in circles. I honestly don't think I was speeding. I am merely pointing out the officers only evidence was that he was (we'll say allegedly) speeding himself.

never the less you admitted to speeding already.
was there a dash cam? was it on?

the cameras on my school bus show the speed of the bus at any given time... and the cameras on my bus are aimed from the front of the bus towards the back.

 

[bglaze]

With all that said, I don't like his response "we're police officers" - to me it implies we're above the law, and I don't believe he was 'on a call" so I'd file a complaint with the department if you are that concerned about getting revenge.

As far as your wrong doing, that's different. (If you were speeding, which we've already discussed)

Thank you for both of your posts. You make excellent points.

 

[bglaze]

In order for your story to be believable by me, you would have to prove to me that 'before you sped up to pull in' you were consciously going BELOW the speed limit.

What sucks is that I will have to provide proof in order to be believed most likely, but the cops, who are admitting to a crime in this video, are able to be taken at their word.

 

[Yup!]

Thank you for both of your posts. You make excellent points.

And as a I stated in my first post, I like to argue stuff like this, but here is how I'd apply my own personal logic to your scenario. You are arguing on principle. If you spend more money, and time is money, to prove your are right than the cost of the actual ticket, you still lose. Its just money. You dont win anything for being right. At best you save the money on the fine. It's not like, if you prove them wrong you get a prize.

Since it's just a speeding ticket, my thought is to quickly try to get it thrown out, or pay the fine. I personally am not going to spend a full day at court to hopefully save $100 or whatever the fine is.

Now if this is the ticket that will make you lose your license, or something other than just paying a fine, then there is more reason to fight, although I still think you have a slim chance of winning.

Good luck, whatever you decide.

 

[Yup!]

What sucks is that I will have to provide proof in order to be believed most likely, but the cops, who are admitting to a crime in this video, are able to be taken at their word.

but they arent the defendants. You are. You keep going back to, the "if they can, so can I" theory, or the 'everyone else was doing it' theory. Neither have really been a solid defense.

If everyone on the highway was going 100MPH, and you were the one that got pulled over, the judge wont care who else was doing what. He's simply going to determine if YOU were going 100. What everyone else was doing is irrelevant.

 

[Yup!]

What sucks is that I will have to provide proof in order to be believed most likely, but the cops, who are admitting to a crime in this video, are able to be taken at their word.

im not saying they are innocent, I'm saying it's irrelevant.

 

[bglaze]

My thoughts aren't just the ticket cost, but the cost of insurance increase, which since it lasts for 3 years could add up to almost $900 total cost for just 1 ticket.

 

[Kutnupe14]

I've wondered the same thing too since the stop. I guess the only valid excuse for that on their part would be if I was driving SO recklessly, that stopping me was more important than their call.

There is no way this is the case, though. I often get accused of driving like a grandma. I am also a seat belt fanatic (even though I don't think we should be forced to wear them by law). I just feel naked without mine. And I often drive 5-10 mph under the speed limit.

This happens all the time. I have been responding to calls (that I haven't been dispatched to) and take it tick above the speed limit. For instance, if there's a bar fight somewhere, and two officers are dispatched to it, I'll start moving that way in case it situation requires more units. I'm not going "balls to the wall," but I'm certainly going a bit faster. I won't mark myself "enroute," so I can stay in service if the situation isn't that serious. Now if during the time I'm heading that way, the situation is taken care of, I'll bring it down to my normal patrol speed... and then address the people that thought because I was speeding (unknown to them why) they thought that they should too.

 

[bglaze]

This happens all the time. I have been responding to calls (that I haven't been dispatched to) and take it tick above the speed limit. For instance, if there's a bar fight somewhere, and two officers are dispatched to it, I'll start moving that way in case it situation requires more units. I'm not going "balls to the wall," but I'm certainly going a bit faster. I won't mark myself "enroute," so I can stay in service if the situation isn't that serious. Now if during the time I'm heading that way, the situation is taken care of, I'll bring it down to my normal patrol speed... and then address the people that thought because I was speeding (unknown to them why) they thought that they should too.

Oh yes, I imagine it happens a lot. And honestly, I don't think it's a big deal at all and I think it should be allowed. The problem is, it is technically against the law nevertheless. And even though I support officers' ability to do this, I think their going 20mph over the speed limit illegally, and then allegedly catching me going 5mph more and ticketing me for it, using that as their only evidence, is nuts.

Again, I support officers being able to do this. I think the law should somehow allow for it. But as it stands, it doesn't look like it does. It is illegal regardless how common it is. I think it's nuts, but I also think paying $100 fine for going 5mph over is nuts too, but it's happened to me.

 

[Yup!]

My thoughts aren't just the ticket cost, but the cost of insurance increase, which since it lasts for 3 years could add up to almost $900 total cost for just 1 ticket.

My insurance company doesn't run my driving record unless i make a policy change. Even then, 1 ticket isn't going to change my rates. Unless you tell them, they probably won't every know, if its just one ticket.

But I dont think insurance companies routinely run your license to see if you have tickets. YMMV

 

[Kutnupe14]

but they arent the defendants. You are. You keep going back to, the "if they can, so can I" theory, or the 'everyone else was doing it' theory. Neither have really been a solid defense.

If everyone on the highway was going 100MPH, and you were the one that got pulled over, the judge wont care who else was doing what. He's simply going to determine if YOU were going 100. What everyone else was doing is irrelevant.

Exactly. The vid will only confirm your guilt. Now if the officers weren't responding to a call. They may get "dressed down" by the judge.... But on the chance that they actually were, you're going to have egg on your face.

One of the things I took note of from the vid, is that there were two cars that you passed. It wasn't a single squad that was speeding. Makes one think that they may have actually been running together to get to where they need to go.

 

[Yup!]

Oh yes, I imagine it happens a lot. And honestly, I don't think it's a big deal at all and I think it should be allowed. The problem is, it is technically against the law nevertheless. And even though I support officers' ability to do this, I think their going 20mph over the speed limit illegally, and then allegedly catching me going 5mph more and ticketing me for it, using that as their only evidence, is nuts.

Again, I support officers being able to do this. I think the law should somehow allow for it. But as it stands, it doesn't look like it does. It is illegal regardless how common it is. I think it's nuts, but I also think paying $100 fine for going 5mph over its nuts too, but it's happened to me.

if the fine for speeding were $5,000 you'd never speed. People speed because there is a good chance they wont get caught. If they do get caught, there is a chance they will get a warning. If they do get a ticket, there is a chance it will be reduced, dismissed. If that doesn't happen the fine is generally affordable. So EVERY day, people take the chance, and play the odds.

Are you saying you've NEVER gone above the posted speed limit? EVER?

 

[bglaze]

Exactly. The vid will only confirm your guilt. Now if the officers weren't responding to a call. They may get "dressed down" by the judge.... But on the chance that they actually were, you're going to have egg on your face.

One of the things I took note of from the vid, is that there were two cars that you passed. It wasn't a single squad that was speeding. Makes one think that they may have actually been running together to get to where they need to go.

No, there was only 1 car. Two cops in one car.

 

[bglaze]

if the fine for speeding were $5,000 you'd never speed. People speed because there is a good chance they wont get caught. If they do get caught, there is a chance they will get a warning. If they do get a ticket, there is a chance it will be reduced, dismissed. If that doesn't happen the fine is generally affordable. So EVERY day, people take the chance, and play the odds.

Are you saying you've NEVER gone above the posted speed limit? EVER?

That isn't the point of this thread at all... The point I wanted to have addressed was by starting this thread was this: can evidence that was obtained illegally by police, be used against me? Others have commented on this, and I think I've gotten all the useful info I can from this thread.

I do appreciate everyone's responses, though! I will post back when I find out what happens in my court case and/or if the prosecutor or police captain get back with me sooner with a hopefully positive outcome.

Despite what many have stated, I do have hope of a positive outcome.

 

[Davis0023]

Keep us posted!