Can cops speed without their lights/siren on?

[GodFearinGunTotin]

OK. Maybe I missed it...can a LEO speed (or violate other traffic laws) if s/he is not running with lights/siren?

I think we've all seen the occasional person (I assume it was a LEO) driving a police car, while wearing civies, cruising the passing lane, and driving much faster than the listed speed limit. So I'm curious too.

 

[newtothis]

Absolutely, happens every day in every Town, City, Township,Municipality, Hamlet, Burg, Province and County Seat in every state in this blesed Union.

There is not a damned thing that will ever be done about it.


Look on the bright side, part of the fine you pay may go into their gas tank to allow them to continue tobreak the law you pay them to enforce without being concerned with m.p.g. of their take home cars.

I better stop.

Your obviously one of those "pity me, my tax dollars allow the big, bad, badge-wearing thug that only wants to infringe on my rights and not do their job". I didnt know this had been jacked in order for you to host your own little moan-and-groan fest.

A lot of places require officers to pay into the department gas "fund". Although they are given a gas card, they are still required to pay part of it (I know of departments that require officers to pay approximately 50-60 a month in gas costs, depending on how many miles they rack up during the month). So the argument about cops allegedly being able to do what they want "without being concerned with mpg of their take home cars" isnt a valid greivance.

Nice try, but you failed. Better luck next time, bucko.

 

[Yup!]

OK. Maybe I missed it...can a LEO speed (or violate other traffic laws) if s/he is not running with lights/siren?

I think we've all seen the occasional person (I assume it was a LEO) driving a police car, while wearing civies, cruising the passing lane, and driving much faster than the listed speed limit. So I'm curious too.

In that scenario you can simply write down the plate number and call the dept. I personally don't care, I get passed by lots of people, truckers, construction workers, contractors, and other professionals. My theory is, if I'm not willing to call "rescue roter" and tell them their driver was going to fast, I'm not calling a police dept to report an off duty cop. If you only report cops, then you are profiling, and singling them out. This isn't about revenge....

 

[public servant]

This isn't about revenge....

New here?

 

[Yup!]

New here?

Guess so... It just kills me how many people just look for ways to point out a cops wrong doing, but won't blink twice if someone else does it. Cops are people too. Some good, some bad, quit stereotyping and profiling.

 

[jeremy]

Guess so... It just kills me how many people just look for ways to point out a cops wrong doing, but won't blink twice if someone else does it. Cops are people too. Some good, some bad, quit stereotyping and profiling.

I will point someone out anytime I see them abusing their authority, especially the public servants in my Community. I just choose to do it in a different fashion, I call their Bosses. If that does not get results I call the Boss's Bosses.

 

[Yup!]

I will point someone out anytime I see them abusing their authority, especially the public servants in my Community. I just choose to do it in a different fashion, I call their Bosses. If that does not get results I call the Boss's Bosses.

Do you call the cable company when their drivers pass you? Or just cops...

 

[Rookie]

Yup!

 

[jeremy]

Do you call the cable company when their drivers pass you? Or just cops...

Read what I posted.
And then evaluate your question accordingly...

Consider this your courtesy warning.

 

[Yup!]

Read what I posted.
And then evaluate your question accordingly...

Consider this your courtesy warning.

If you apply your "point outs" evenly across the entire spectrum of possible people to call out, then good on ya. If you let one person slide, how do you determine who that is?

Most people have bias tendencies. Its ok, just recognize it.

 

[jeremy]

The key phrases are Abusing Authority, and Public Servants. If you fall into the PS Group then do not Abuse Your Authority. If you do and I am there I will be talking to your Boss. Probably before I get very far from what you are doing.

Some persons have reading comprehension problems, it's OK, just recognize it.

 

[TMU317]

OK. Maybe I missed it...can a LEO speed (or violate other traffic laws) if s/he is not running with lights/siren?

I think we've all seen the occasional person (I assume it was a LEO) driving a police car, while wearing civies, cruising the passing lane, and driving much faster than the listed speed limit. So I'm curious too.

Yes. Someone already referenced it, but here is the IC. Also, responding to an emergency call does not require lights/siren. It also does not require a uniform be worn, or being "marked out" on the particular run they are responding to.

IC 9-21-1-8
Emergency vehicles
Sec. 8. (a) This section applies to the person who drives an authorized emergency vehicle when:
(1) responding to an emergency call;
(2) in the pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law; or
(3) responding to, but not upon returning from, a fire alarm.
(b) The person who drives an authorized emergency vehicle may do the following:
(1) Park or stand, notwithstanding other provisions of this article.
(2) Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing down as necessary for safe operation.
(3) Exceed the maximum speed limits if the person who drives the vehicle does not endanger life or property.
(4) Disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified directions.
(5) Execute a lawful intervention technique if the person has completed a training course that instructs participants in the proper execution of lawful intervention techniques.
(c) This section applies to an authorized emergency vehicle only when the vehicle is using audible or visual signals as required by law. An authorized emergency vehicle operated as a police vehicle is not required to be equipped with or display red and blue lights visible from in front of the vehicle.
(d) This section does not do the following:
(1) Relieve the person who drives an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons.
(2) Protect the person who drives an authorized emergency vehicle from the consequences of the person's reckless disregard for the safety of others.


I did not see this when I originally posted this IC. I apologize.

 

[Kutnupe14]

OK. Maybe I missed it...can a LEO speed (or violate other traffic laws) if s/he is not running with lights/siren?

I think we've all seen the occasional person (I assume it was a LEO) driving a police car, while wearing civies, cruising the passing lane, and driving much faster than the listed speed limit. So I'm curious too.

This is funny, and Ive thought about it often. When off-duty, I rarely drive my squad outside of 5-10 miles away from my home. If I get a "wild hair" I'll head to Cumberland and see my parent in the squad. I'm so paranoid about being called in for speeding, that I put the car on cruise at 55mph. The cars line up for days behind me, and I like "damn, just pass me already." Finally, some brave soul will pass me, and then the flood gates are open. I, know that on 465 55mph is well below the average speed, but I know that if I hit a tick above 60/65, someone is going to complain.

 

[SirRealism]

This is funny, and Ive thought about it often. When off-duty, I rarely drive my squad outside of 5-10 miles away from my home. If I get a "wild hair" I'll head to Cumberland and see my parent in the squad. I'm so paranoid about being called in for speeding, that I put the car on cruise at 55mph. The cars line up for days behind me, and I like "damn, just pass me already." Finally, some brave soul will pass me, and then the flood gates are open. I, know that on 465 55mph is well below the average speed, but I know that if I hit a tick above 60/65, someone is going to complain.

What's your car number, just so we'll know it's OK to pass?

 

[Pocketman]

This is funny, and Ive thought about it often. When off-duty, I rarely drive my squad outside of 5-10 miles away from my home. If I get a "wild hair" I'll head to Cumberland and see my parent in the squad. I'm so paranoid about being called in for speeding, that I put the car on cruise at 55mph. The cars line up for days behind me, and I like "damn, just pass me already." Finally, some brave soul will pass me, and then the flood gates are open. I, know that on 465 55mph is well below the average speed, but I know that if I hit a tick above 60/65, someone is going to complain.

Won't let me rep you. Good post. People do not understand that driving a police car is like being in a fishbowl.

 

[public servant]

This is funny, and Ive thought about it often. When off-duty, I rarely drive my squad outside of 5-10 miles away from my home. If I get a "wild hair" I'll head to Cumberland and see my parent in the squad. I'm so paranoid about being called in for speeding, that I put the car on cruise at 55mph. The cars line up for days behind me, and I like "damn, just pass me already." Finally, some brave soul will pass me, and then the flood gates are open. I, know that on 465 55mph is well below the average speed, but I know that if I hit a tick above 60/65, someone is going to complain.

That was you last night??? Damnit man... I missed the big Dunkin' Donuts closing sale.

Thanks...Thanks a lot!!!

 

[Chefcook]

That was you last night??? Damnit man... I missed the big Dunkin' Donuts closing sale.

Thanks...Thanks a lot!!!

There are a lot of officers out there that are really cool guys. Recently hooking up and having a conversation with IMPD31323 is proof of that. But so long as speeding tickets are $150 + I tend to do my best to yield to speed limits.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

This is funny, and Ive thought about it often. When off-duty, I rarely drive my squad outside of 5-10 miles away from my home. If I get a "wild hair" I'll head to Cumberland and see my parent in the squad. I'm so paranoid about being called in for speeding, that I put the car on cruise at 55mph. The cars line up for days behind me, and I like "damn, just pass me already." Finally, some brave soul will pass me, and then the flood gates are open. I, know that on 465 55mph is well below the average speed, but I know that if I hit a tick above 60/65, someone is going to complain.

Thank you for taking your citizen loaned authority quite seriously.

I'm not the type that strains at gnats (on traffic matters anyway)...I just have the concern that Jeremy does about any public employee abusing their authority, whether it's a congressman using his position to capitalize on insider trading or if it's a cop that doesn't think traffic laws apply to them...A guy driving along with the flow of traffic (assuming road conditions are safe, etc.) I don't care. But a guy that has the attitude "because we're police officers"...that is a big problem in my book.

 

[Expat]

 

[Denny347]

This is funny, and Ive thought about it often. When off-duty, I rarely drive my squad outside of 5-10 miles away from my home. If I get a "wild hair" I'll head to Cumberland and see my parent in the squad. I'm so paranoid about being called in for speeding, that I put the car on cruise at 55mph. The cars line up for days behind me, and I like "damn, just pass me already." Finally, some brave soul will pass me, and then the flood gates are open. I, know that on 465 55mph is well below the average speed, but I know that if I hit a tick above 60/65, someone is going to complain.

Word, I finally got a personal car last summer (after the media was blowing up on us IMPD guys) and stopped driving my patrol car off-duty, unless it is to the gym at our academy right after shift. I drive my personal car almost 100% when off and haven't looked back. The patrol car just sits in the street. It is wonderful to feel like a regular Joe driving from A to B and not worry about complaints or have a million eyes on me all the time. It is good to "switch off" when possible. Speeding in my personal vehicle is so much more fun...it is a BMW you know. Oh, and I don't test the whole "I'm a cop so don't write me a ticket" routine, if I don't get pulled over I never have to worry about it. It is SO EASY to spot the troops on the stretch of I70 I travel out here on the east side. I know where they sit. If you look about a mile out and see brake lights illuminating suddenly...there MIGHT be a Trooper sitting there...time to slow down. For the record, I see speeding on a interstate FAR less dangerous than speeding on city streets where there are pedestrians, stop signs, etc.