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Re: Cops: Can't Live With Them, Can't Live Without Them



Jamie Yanak (JamieYanak@oai.org) wrote:
: In article <3nghhm$o5n@apakabar.cc.columbia.edu>,
: adr5@sawasdee.cc.columbia.edu (Alex D Rodriguez) wrote:
:  
: > If an emergency vehicle is not responding to an emergency, lights on, then 
: > they have to obey the same rules everyone else does.  That's how an emergency
: > vehicle can do all thoes illegal things.  Your response explains why we see
: > so many cops breaking the law.  You either don't know, or don'twant to know,
: > the law.  The law only applies when it is convenient for you.

: First of all it just doesn't seem to be sinking in for you: These things are 
: NOT ILLEGAL for an emergency vehicle. Second of all: Your spelling is starting 
: to deteriorate again:)

Then you don't understand the laws you are sent to enforce.  VA and MD
traffic regulations (and 99% of other states) state:  An emergency
vehicle is not an emergency vehicle until it's lights and sirens are in 
the ON position.  Now I agree that there are times when you don't want
them on, but when responding to the "bank" you only turn them off 2-3
blocks from the scene, not 2-3 miles.  You also are expected to use the
lights (no siren) as close as possible w/o notifying the suspects that
your coming.

: There are plenty of reasons cops have for exceeding speed limits, and short-
: cutting traffic regulations w/out having lights & sirens on, for example:

: -Responding to Burglary Alarms & Bank Alarms: Lest the bad guys hear you
:  coming (which can create a situation which not only endangers the officer, 
:  but also the public, in a bank situation.)

: -Responding to just about any other type of call where stealth is of 
:  importance (As in most things, the element of surprise is important in police
:  work)

: -Trying to catch up to vehicles that may be kinda far away, w/out alerting
: them    
:  (if you think they might run, which can be even more dangerous if you give them
:  the opportunity)

: In short: I stick w/my original statement; You can't be sure what the
: police are actually doing when they *appear* to you to be screwing around,
: and driving unsafely. The vast majority of the time, they are responding
: to an incident . 


No sometimes they are responding to an incident, most times they are 
not.

: > I think "dumbshits" on a power trip compromise an even larger percentage of
: > the police population than you want to admit to.  And that percentage is 
: > a couple of order  of amgnitude larger than the general population.

: Well, I think this is YOUR basic problem to begin with. You just have an 
: animus against cops.

No, a majority of cops think of the public as the enemy and are also
on a power trip.  COPs should not be above the law, they should set the
example.  As I said in an earlier post, the police are poorly thought
of by the general public because they are seen enforcing laws that the
public does not want and that they don't follow.  I think YOUR problem
is like many cops:  You went to school for 1-3 months and now think that
your beter than everyone else, and above the law.  Well, your wrong.

btw, I've not contested any of the traffic tickets I have received.  I
just pay them and then pay my insurance "adjustment."  I don't hate
cops because they are doing their job, I hate the "traffic cops" because
of they way some treat the public and because they think they are 
above the law.  I deal with the police almost every day due to my
volunteer work and I like many.   Just don't get on my case because
you believe that suddenly, because I'm driving 56 in a 55, that I'm
now a danger to everyone else.


--
-Al

Al DeVere NREMT-P |     Email to: Al.DeVere@citicorp.com 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Insert std.disclaimer                       DoD# medic
 
You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on.
-Dean Martin


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