No break for cops caught on camera

[steveh_131]

Crime Scenes: No break for cops caught on camera - baltimoresun.com

It seems that a lot of officers in Baltimore think they shouldn't be held accountable for their driving practices, because they could be doing something important that wasn't necessarily registered as an emergency call.

I happen to agree. If they aren't hurting anyone, they should be left alone to go about their business.

Unfortunately they don't extend the same courtesy to the rest of us...

 

[LPMan59]

IBTL

 

[MinuteMan47]

IBTL

Why does this have to be the first post?

Did you read the article?

 

[Denny347]

Lame

 

[rambone]

As appealing as equal enforcement of laws is, I'd rather speed-capture cameras be taken down, and have less citizens being soaked with fines.

 

[femurphy77]

I witnessed too many abuses of traffic laws by officers to support their complaints. And no I don't ASSUME that all speeding, redlight running, traffic law flaunting cops are just doing it because they can. My most recent episode was a Westfield police car in Greenwood with what "appeared" to be the officer, spouse and two spawn. They were a couple of lengths behind me in the inside lane, the light ahead of us turned yellow, I had plenty of time to stop my full sized four wheel drive pickup. I heard the officer accelerate and as he passed me he blew through a very red light. I caught up with him in time to see him turn into greenwood park mall.

Remember he accelerated from 2 car lengths behind me to blow a redlight that a full size pickup had plenty of time to stop for.

Oh and yes, I would have stopped for the light anyway.

 

[Plinker]

As appealing as equal enforcement of laws is, I'd rather speed-capture cameras be taken down, and have less citizens being soaked with fines.

I couldn't agree with you more. If municipalities want revenue from traffic violations, then they need to go out and work for it, IMHO.

 

[LPMan59]

Why does this have to be the first post?

Did you read the article?

yes i read the article. but LPMan59's 1st Law of INGO:

As any INGO thread involving LE conduct continues, the likelihood of the thread being locked by a mod approaches one.

Just give it time. FWIW, if a cop is off-duty or not responding to an emergency, then he should be held accountable for any infractions.

 

[MinuteMan47]

As appealing as equal enforcement of laws is, I'd rather speed-capture cameras be taken down, and have less citizens being soaked with fines.

I agree. But, the cameras don't discriminate, and the officers are being held accountable just the same as everyone else.

You just had a thread about citizens clocking speeders and taking pictures...you objected. So, what's the answer?

 

[LPMan59]

I agree. But, the cameras don't discriminate, and the officers are being held accountable just the same as everyone else.

You just had a thread about citizens clocking speeders and taking pictures...you objected. So, what's the answer?

no cops? no laws?

 

[MinuteMan47]

Lame

The policy for Baltimore police is the same for most other jurisdictions when a marked emergency vehicle is captured on camera speeding or running a red light. Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said officials review dispatch records and if the driver wasn't responding to an emergency, "they are issued tickets and are responsible for paying them."

Some officers appear to have come up with creative ways to stay red-light-camera-shy. Last year, city police accused two officers of putting stolen license plates on their unmarked cars.

Yeah, how lame.

 

[bassplayrguy]

Cops are no way even close to being held accountable for infractions the way the rest of us are. I see cops blow red lights all the time. Turn the lights on, run the light, turn the lights back off, or speeding down the interstate. Very inappropriate behavior for someone who will read you the riot act for doing what they do. Hypocrites!

 

[edporch]

The same laws of physics that apply to me apply to the police, and driving habits that if I would do are deemed "dangerous" to the safety of others are JUST as dangerous if a police car does it.

I THOUGHT this was why they put LIGHTS and SIRENS on police cars and other emergency vehicles...

A POLICY that says unless they're on a call with LIGHTS and SIRENS, all traffic laws apply to them just like they do to the rest of us, is a good policy.

Otherwise, all the tickets we get for driving "dangerously" are nothing more than revenue generating hypocrisy...

 

[Archaic_Entity]

Cops are no way even close to being held accountable for infractions the way the rest of us are. I see cops blow red lights all the time. Turn the lights on, run the light, turn the lights back off, or speeding down the interstate. Very inappropriate behavior for someone who will read you the riot act for doing what they do. Hypocrites!

To be fair sometimes they are actually going to emergencies running silent. Which requires them to flip the lights through intersections like that. It's not the most common occurrence, but it does happen.

As for what Rambone's saying. I'm assuming his answer is that if everyone is held equally accountable then it's fair. While these cameras do exactly that, they're a waste of taxpayers's money. Furthermore, these cameras cost normal folks money just because they take pictures. Which is insane. Running red lights can be serious business, certainly, but there's no reason to have a draconian fist over the idea. That money would be better spent elsewhere in the government, or, better yet, in the hands of the citizens.

 

[semperfi211]

If you witness a LEO breaking a traffic law.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9efgLHgsBmM&feature=related]YouTube - Citizens Arrest[/ame]

 

[RichardR]

If you witness a LEO breaking a traffic law.

LOL the Andy Griffith show is still one of my all-time favorites.

Anyway here is the relevant statute, unfortunately it doesn't appear that traffic violations are within the scope of citizen arrest authority, unless maybe the LEO is doing (not eating) donuts on your front lawn in his cruiser.

IC 35-33-1-4
Any person
Sec. 4. (a) Any person may arrest any other person if:
(1) the other person committed a felony in his presence;
(2) a felony has been committed and he has probable cause to believe that the other person has committed that felony; or
(3) a misdemeanor involving a breach of peace is being committed in his presence and the arrest is necessary to prevent the continuance of the breach of peace.
(b) A person making an arrest under this section shall, as soon as practical, notify a law enforcement officer and deliver custody of the person arrested to a law enforcement officer.
(c) The law enforcement officer may process the arrested person as if the officer had arrested him. The officer who receives or processes a person arrested by another under this section is not liable for false arrest or false imprisonment.
As added by Acts 1981, P.L.298, SEC.2. Amended by Acts 1982, P.L.204, SEC.7.

 

[lashicoN]

yes i read the article. but LPMan59's 1st Law of INGO:

As any INGO thread involving LE conduct continues, the likelihood of the thread being locked by a mod approaches one.

Just give it time. FWIW, if a cop is off-duty or not responding to an emergency, then he should be held accountable for any infractions.

Almost.

The thread will only get locked if us lowly citizens chime in to voice a differing opinion. If it's just cops or members having a fun time talking about the "tin-foil wearing" members of INGO the mods will let it run for at least seven pages, but as soon as ONE member strolls in to say "I disagree" any mod around here will shut it down, to keep the "LEO bashing" down, of course.

I'm not sure what the point of a public forum is if we aren't allowed to have specific conversations. Why anyone would want to start a forum and then say "Can't talk about this, this, this, this, this, this, this, or this." is beyond me.

So, in before the lock, and probably a ban for voicing my opinion, which isn't popular.

 

[Archaic_Entity]

Almost.

The thread will only get locked if us lowly citizens chime in to voice a differing opinion. If it's just cops or members having a fun time talking about the "tin-foil wearing" members of INGO the mods will let it run for at least seven pages, but as soon as ONE member strolls in to say "I disagree" any mod around here will shut it down, to keep the "LEO bashing" down, of course.

I'm not sure what the point of a public forum is if we aren't allowed to have specific conversations. Why anyone would want to start a forum and then say "Can't talk about this, this, this, this, this, this, this, or this." is beyond me.

So, in before the lock, and probably a ban for voicing my opinion, which isn't popular.

To be fair, the most recent lock, and the one I think you're talking about was locked due to the discretion of the OP rather than the mods.

I believe they're probably all for having civil discussions of any manner on the boards, but the problem comes when both sides get very heated about it, which has been the case lately. While I don't necessarily agree with much of what you say, I'm definitely not one to start calling you names either (nor am I pointing out anyone who has). I'm just pointing out that the mods have been most fair with the "cop bashing" threads, as I've seen quite a number of them.

Cracking down on the amount of open resentment towards LEOs makes sense from multiple standpoints, however. Bear in mind that this is exactly what you stated, an open forum. Due to that fact many people read this, including LEOs who are both members and non-members, the media, as well as local politicians (I can't say anything about other politicians, but I doubt it). Due to this fact, the mods want to ensure the forums maintain a neutral political standpoint rather than becoming a safe haven for "cop bashing."

Now, whether or not you consider your talking cop bashing is of little consequence. Same for my opinion. I've seen many negative cop threads just like I've seen many positive cop threads. Of course, most of the positive cop threads don't get near as out-of-hand as the negative cops threads, leading them less likely to be shut down.

Of course, that's my own opinion. IANAM and nor do I mean any disrespect, I just think that you're focusing on something that seems negative to you when, in fact, it's not.

 

[Fletch]

I think LEO topics should be treated the same as religion topics, and vice-versa. But then, I don't make the rules and don't have an "in" with anyone who does.

 

[rambone]

You just had a thread about citizens clocking speeders and taking pictures...you objected. So, what's the answer?

I'm of the opinion that we would society would get along just fine without a speed tax.

Speed Limits: Do they make you feel safe?