Even The Phoenix Police, Responding To Emergencies, Can Get Dinged By Speed Cameras

from the money-in-the-bank dept

Wed, May 6th 2009 7:01am — Mike Masnick

Arizona has been one of the bigger supporters of traffic cameras over the years, though there's been quite a bit of backlash there in recent months. It reached quite a level last month with the news that a speed camera operator was shot and killed. Reader Milodon points us to the news that even the police in Phoenix are getting quite upset at speed cameras because they're getting caught by them while on the way to respond to emergencies. Yes, even when the police are responding to an emergency in a police car, lights flashing and everything, they can still get a citation if they're caught speeding by a speed camera. The police department policy is that officers can get cited for being "out of policy" which is 15 mph over the speed limit.

Now, there is a reasonable argument to be made that police speeding can be a danger to others as well -- which is what those who support the policy say. But, you could make an argument that circumstances should determine what's safe in responding to an emergency, rather than a hard and fast policy. Still, even if you agree that police shouldn't speed, it's hard not to see some irony in police getting citations from speed cameras.

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Filed Under: phoenix, police, speed cameras, traffic cameras

85 Comments

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Zaven (profile), 6 May 2009 @ 7:37am

Even Better...
A friend of mine is a police officer and he made a very interesting point. Tickets for speed cameras are not the driver's responsibility to pay. It's the owner of the car's. If the vehicle in question is your standard Government issued police car, the officer shouldn't be paying the ticket. The very government that's making money off the tickets should have to pay.

Rules are rules right?
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J Beck, 6 May 2009 @ 7:44am

Public Servants
Politicians are supposed to represent the will of their constituents.

If speed cameras were to be put up for a vote of the citizens of Arizona I wonder if they would be approved?

Has there ever been a public referendum on speed cameras and red light cameras?
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vmd, 6 May 2009 @ 7:59am

on speed limits
it's true that speeding is bad and it doesn't matter if you are a trained police officer or not. responding to an emergency is not an excuse to endanger public. however, the so called "safe" speed limits are outdated and set too low. i believe that most highways that are limited at 55mph are safe at 75mph and 65mph is safe at 95mph. a trained police officer in a tuned and serviced police version of crown victoria should be allowed to go as fast as 15mph over the posted speed limits of 75mph or 95mph depending on the highway, resulting in total 90mph or 110mph.
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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2009 @ 8:06am

Re: on speed limits
What about 35 in a 15 MPH school zone?

That is more than 15 MPH over.

And, there is sure to be a camera there.

Which will result i a minimum of $100 citation and more likely a $200 or more. You endangering the kiddies.
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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2009 @ 8:07am

Re: on speed limits
I've seen roads that are never safe at the posted speed and the reverse. I would want a police officer to get to me in an emergency at the fastest possible safe speed in which the officer believes he can avoid typical hazards as they appear. This can only be determined by the officer at the time. If it's a dry sunny day, little traffic and plenty of visibility all around he should be able to go pretty damn fast. If it's raining heavily in the middle of the night he should be going slower. I don't want arbitrary BS preventing me from NOT being murdered.
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Chronno S. Trigger, 6 May 2009 @ 8:19am

Re: on speed limits
Just as long as no one bitches that I'm driving 80 in a 95 because my Jeep is not safe to drive that fast. 70, 75 I can do. 80, possibly, it may be a physiological limitation that makes me think it's unsafe to drive (and thus should be unsafe for me to drive it).

Cops have an interesting invention that helps them get around some of these safety issues. They have really bright blue and red lights and really loud sirens (and if they used them in Pittsburgh it would have prevented two crashes that I witnessed). When people hear those sirens they perk up, slow down, and pay more attention to their surroundings.
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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2009 @ 8:28am

The cameras here in Phoenix are EVERYWHERE. Intersections, all over the freeways, mobile vans, etc. It's a huge money making enterprise here and won't go away.
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Minxmoose, 6 May 2009 @ 8:32am

Re: Re: on speed limits
School Zone speed limits should not be in effect for 11 hours out of the day. By me, they are between 15 and 30 (depending on the school) and in effect from 7am to 6pm. The times I drive past them the kids are either in the school, in the fenced schoolyard or HOME. It is near impossible to drive 15 mph without hating life - let alone for no reason.
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Shaun W, 6 May 2009 @ 8:38am

Re: Re: on speed limits

I've seen roads that are never safe at the posted speed and the reverse. I would want a police officer to get to me in an emergency at the fastest possible safe speed

I completely agree with this, as far as NSW goes in Australia it seems that the highways in particular (at least the multi lane ones) could certainly handle a lot higher speed limit in many cases - to the point where I think that increasing the limit could actually make things safer - I personally wouldn't get so frustrated constantly looking at my speedometer rather than driving to the actual conditions - and when the conditions suggest it I always drive below (sometimes well below) the posted limit.

As for police though, I know for certain that ambulance drivers are allowed to disobey road rules - ie speeding, driving on the wrong side of the road, they are only charged with anything if they cause an accident. I would think that the same would apply to police responding to an emergency but I'm not sure, especially since they can't speed during a pursuit. Though this does work, fleeing vehicles wouldn't travel as fast out of sight of the police increasing safety and the cops from the next town over just continue the pursuit for them.

As for fixed speed cameras, they are fully state owned I believe (no sharing revenue with manufacturers to skew incentives) and they are only put in place in areas with large speed related fatalities (which doesn't stop accusations of revenue raising).
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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2009 @ 8:47am

Re: Re: Re: on speed limits
I do not know about your part of the world but here we have school zones that extend a miles form the school, on roads that do not pass a school, and are rated at 15 MPH.
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The Mental Nomad, 6 May 2009 @ 8:53am

Rules are rules
True, the ticket goes to the vehicle owner, because loaning the vehicle to the driver was the owner's decision.

So the government is responsible for paying the ticket, responsible for collecting the money from the person (officer) they loaned the car to, and responsible for never loaning the vehicle to that person (officer) again, lest the owner lose their own driving privileges.

The government knows which office was issued which vehicle and is responsible for ensuring they obey their own rules, too.

Rules are rules.

If you don't agree with them, work to change them - don't just look for loopholes.
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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2009 @ 8:59am

Re: on speed limits
What? No, it's not true that "speeding is bad." Sometimes it's bad, sometimes it's not. Please tell me what harm someone is doing if they are speeding on a wide open highway with good visibility and no other cars around?
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pk, 6 May 2009 @ 9:03am

Well in Ontario police on active duty are excempt from speeding violations.
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Bettawrekonize, 6 May 2009 @ 9:22am

Cops speed more than anyone, I see them speeding all the time (for NO reason). They turn on their sirens to run red lights and then they turn them off, they cross double yellow lines when they aren't chasing anyone, etc... I always see cops breaking laws when it is clear that there is no reason for them to.
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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2009 @ 9:28am

Serves em right. Fuck da POlice
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Bettawrekonize, 6 May 2009 @ 9:31am

Overall I think most cops are good people and mean well, even the ones who break laws when there is no emergency (which I would say is most of them most of the time). Almost everyone speeds like crazy, not just cops (it's just that cops speed the most), even right in front of cops and most cops are at least consistent in that they won't usually give others a ticket for speeding.
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Bettawrekonize, 6 May 2009 @ 9:32am

But if you do something stupid and reckless then a cop will give you a ticket.
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BTR1701, 6 May 2009 @ 9:33am

Re: Rules are rules
> The government knows which office was
> issued which vehicle

Not for federal police vehicles they don't. And often the plates aren't even registered-- they come back to fictious people and fictitious addresses.

So those tickets will just disappear into a cyber black hole.
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BTR1701, 6 May 2009 @ 9:38am

Re: Re: on speed limits
> When people hear those sirens they perk up,
> slow down, and pay more attention to their
> surroundings.

Unless you're in New York City, in which case they either completely ignore them or flip them off.
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Minxmoose, 6 May 2009 @ 9:42am

Re: Re: Re: Re: on speed limits
"...school zones that extend a miles form the school, on roads that do not pass a school, and are rated at 15 MPH."

I have seen those School Zones as well - I think it is easier to teach kids from a young age to stay the hell out of the street. More often than not they are dropped off on the same side of the street the school is on.
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Freedom, 6 May 2009 @ 9:45am

Phoenix Area Cameras...
The cameras as another poster mentioned are also at a lot of intersections. A decent number are both red light cameras and speed cameras. Phoenix is also mainly laid out on a grid with nice big wide streets. It isn't uncommon to easily travel at highway speeds or more on the city/side streets because of their design (especially in outlying towns of Tempe, Gilbert, Chandler, and so on). It is extremely easy to have a posted limit of 40 and do 60+ on these streets just in normal driving and many do.

The Phoenix highways are also generally well built and can handle in far excess of their speed limit. The major 51 highway here is limited to 55 and 65 MPH depending on the length of it and average speed away from the cameras is easily 80 MPH regardless of freeway section.

What is ironic, is that the police cars would be driving slower than the average vehicle (outside of camera areas) if they only would speed 15 miles or less to meet the 'standard'. Sure everyone slows down if they see the cop car, but if it is unmarked, he'll be going slower!

There are grass root movements to get the speed cameras tossed in Arizona and the signature collections for a ballet item I believe have also already begun. I think the politicians know that if this makes the ballot in the next election (very good chance) that the cameras will be gone along with the new revenue stream. I know for one that I'll be sending a check to support any group trying to remove them. As such, there are bills being introduced that would raise the speed limits on the cameras before they ticket and some other feel good measures. I believe the politicians are trying to find a way to keep the cameras before the citizens tar and feather any one or anything involved with these.

By the way, as for the safer argument, all I've seen the speed cameras do is get everyone to slow down around the areas of the camera. I personally set my cruise speed to 64 to 74MPH when coming up on one on the freeways (the limit before the ticket is given is 10MPH) as do most other drivers. After the camera everyone goes back up to the normal speed of traffic which on most Phoenix highways is 80MPH.

Freedom

P.S. Since we all know this is about revenue, why not do something useful like charge $1,000 per year to get a pass for the HOV lanes. Charge $1,000 per year to get a pass (if your car passes) to drive in the left lane of any supporting highway at 100MPH or greater.

P.S.S. Thanks to everyone in Phoenix that pushed our new light rail system. Nothing like making our cities look so cool than having 20 or more electrical wires 25 feet off the ground along the entire route - that's real attractive. We force APS/SRP to bury their cables whenever at all possible, but not for the a public works project ??? It isn't bad enough that we laid tracks for what we could do with buses, but we had to put the cables in the air?
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Bettawrekonize, 6 May 2009 @ 9:53am

"P.S. Since we all know this is about revenue, why not do something useful like charge $1,000 per year to get a pass for the HOV lanes. Charge $1,000 per year to get a pass (if your car passes) to drive in the left lane of any supporting highway at 100MPH or greater."

What someone around here might argue is that, "if it's all about revenue why not just make the speed limit 40 miles per hour and put cameras everywhere." The point that they seem to miss is that they're not going to make it THAT obvious.
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Ironman, 6 May 2009 @ 9:55am

I've seen a cop (a sheriff deputy no less) without lights and sirens get caught by a camera.

I laughed, I laughed really hard.

It was up by the 101 and Pima, on the north side. It's a tricky one at night and he got caught. O boy was it sweet.
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The Cenobyte, 6 May 2009 @ 10:00am

Make them pay
I don't see why it's assumed that that the police are a better driver or that what they are going to do is more important than anyone else.

For example if I was rushing my son to the ER after he fell, I would still have to pay but it's just as much an emergency.

If they want to give them an exception when on a call, they should have to prove it (Cause with speed cameras everyone is presumed guilty so they should be as well) and that same exception should be open to the public if they can prove they had an life/limb threatening emergency. (Life/Limb threatening emergency should also be the standard for the police)

Personally I am all for putting Cameras, GPS tracking on all police officers on duty. They should automatically be fined/suspended/fired if they are out of compliance with laws and policy. The info should be available to defense in all prosecutions and civil actions (Police will find that 99% of the time it's on their side and the bad cops will have to find new jobs). They shouldn't even be allowed to carry the badge without having the tracker/recorder on them.
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Bettawrekonize, 6 May 2009 @ 10:11am

I think the best solution is to make speed limits more reasonable. Perhaps digital speed limit displays, with dynamic speed limits (to change the speed limit during different times to fit the context) are appropriate. State law should also allow a reasonable speed limit as well.
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Bettawrekonize, 6 May 2009 @ 10:14am

and don't tell me that the cost of these digital speed limit displays are too high. If they can afford these sophisticated high speed cameras, they can afford digital speed limit displays with dynamic speed limits.
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Bettawrekonize, 6 May 2009 @ 10:16am

All it is is a simple display, it's not that expensive.
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Officer Friendly, 6 May 2009 @ 10:17am

Whatever
See, what all you cop haters and people who are all giddy about the police getting fined just don't understand is this: We will just slow right down if we get tickets. That means that although our nature is to get to your call for help as quickly as we can (it's what we swore to do), the minute the public starts screaming for us to get in trouble for speeding, we will stop. Point blank. It is you who will suffer because we will be slower to get to you and your probably idiotic problem. Don't cry to the dispatcher when someone is coming through your daughter's bedroom window and you're hiding under your bed asking "where the hell are those cops?" We will be on the way, at a very law-abiding 55mph.

Its the same reason the drug problem has never been worse. You want to scream and complain about so-called "racial profiling" then fine, we will stop applying our training and experience and trying to clean up your streets. No problem at all. The minute the community stops supporting a police action, the police will be happy to stop trying. We get paid the same either way. Choose your soapboxes wisely people.
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Anonymous12, 6 May 2009 @ 10:21am

Technical point. In one of the fifty states that Mickey Mouse calls home, when police or emergency go through an intersection with sirens going, the signal switches, I think through some sort of auditory signal. Is this not the case in Arizona? Either retrofit the signals or integrate them with the red light cameras, or kill the cameras. Either way how idiotic were they to have the system set up the way it is. It makes the Arizona officials seem like cavemen....from a tech. perspective.
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Officer Friendly, 6 May 2009 @ 10:32am

Bettawrekonize
Here's a question for you, genius, since you are so all-knowing: Are you sure the police are speeding for no reason? And that's because no one called YOU personally and explained the reason? Who exactly are you? There are all kinds of responses to emergencies that nosey, uneducated observers make snap judgements about. For one example off the top of my head, a silent bank alarm. The police need to get to the scene as quickly as humanly possible. If they used their lights and sirens, there would be a good chance that any armed robbers inside the bank would hear the sirens and take hostages. Did you ever think of that? No, you see the cop going fast and make some snide comment about a donut sale and assume you have it all figured out.

My point is that these idiotic snap judgements without facts get reported in the papers and politicians make laws without knowing anything other than they are being "responsive to the community". The rules and policies have long-term effects that cause police to do less to protect YOU.

The day they made racial profiling a crime, many police stopped looking for guns and drugs on traffic stops. not because they were profiling, but because every jackass that comes in to complain has initiated a criminal investigation against the cop, with or without merit. I'm not going to look any further if I suspect a black person has guns or drugs in his car, because society has put me on notice that they are gunning for me, so screw it, why bother? And if I'm not searching a black person's car, then it would be pretty damn unfair to search a white person's car wouldn't it?

So ticket me for speeding, no problem. Next month you will be posting on here complaining that cops response time is too slow. I can't win, so why play?
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Dan, 6 May 2009 @ 10:33am

And the comments stop...
Leave it to Officer Friendly to bring everyone down...
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Officer Friendly, 6 May 2009 @ 10:35am

Sorry Dan
Didnt mean to confuse you with facts, go right on back to your posts.
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Right..., 6 May 2009 @ 10:40am

Because cops pay speeding tickets...
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Freedom, 6 May 2009 @ 10:46am

Re: Whatever
>> what all you cop haters and people who are all giddy about the police getting fined

What is ironic is that this is a classic case of 'killing the messenger'. What is worse is that the cameras have most likely hurt the police with fewer jobs and taken a larger chunk of their enforcement duties away. In short, the cops are the same 'victims' of the cameras as is Joe Citizen now, but to add insult have had their responsibilities reduced as well.

All the cameras due is give the safety Nazi's an excuse to bash the police as well now. Oh no, a cop car is doing 15MPH over the posted speed limit - that's crazy, that's unsafe. Oh wait, that's what everyone else is already doing. Yeah, Safety Nazis!

Freedom

P.S. If someone is breaking into my house and you get a speeding ticket coming to help me, here is my promise that I will pay that ticket for you!!!
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pig f#cker, 6 May 2009 @ 10:52am

Officer Friendly- sorry but i dont want to die in a car crash because you were on your way (in a hurry) to get a donut. As far as the ppl hiding under the bed - get a gun like any red blooded american. If you think for one second that a cop is going to save you... you are an idiot. Never in my life have i heard of the cops showing up just in time to save someone. Let's be real. You cops think you are above the law when you should BE the law. Look-up Jimmy justice on youtube.
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Officer Friendly, 6 May 2009 @ 10:55am

pid f#cker
Exactly my point, thank you for that well-reasoned argument, eloquently presented with plenty of facts. Your mom must be so proud....be sure to show her your post as soon as she gets home from school :)
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Bettawrekonize, 6 May 2009 @ 11:07am

"Here's a question for you, genius, since you are so all-knowing: Are you sure the police are speeding for no reason?"

When they turn on their lights to cross red lights and turn them off and continue on at the same speed, they're not doing it for no reason. They do it a lot. I can't absolutely prove that there is no reason for them to speed in every instance that I catch them speeding but it's often clear that they aren't speeding for any reason (ie: many times that they speed they don't have their lights on. They're supposed to if it's an emergency). Not to mention when they do turn on their lights they often simply turn off their lights when they stop breaking the law and continue driving normally. They weren't going after any emergency. Or when they cross double yellow lines, with no lights on (into the carpool lane, which you would think that if there were an emergency they would want to get off the freeway soon. If there was an emergency on the same freeway I would have soon found out about it as I am headed in the same direction) just to pass cars up. Or sometimes you'll see them speed (no lights) and if they get caught in traffic on a red light they'll just stop and drive normally in traffic with no lights on to warn others that they are in some emergency (because they're not). I don't necessarily disagree with you on much of the stuff you say but I do think it's obvious that cops often speed for no reason. Besides, something like a bank robbery would make it on the news.

"The police need to get to the scene as quickly as humanly possible. If they used their lights and sirens, there would be a good chance that any armed robbers inside the bank would hear the sirens and take hostages. Did you ever think of that?"

I also see them speeding, with no lights, on freeways. Banks on freeways? Unlikely. Besides, bank robberies would usually make it on the news.
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Bettawrekonize, 6 May 2009 @ 11:10am

"All the cameras due is give the safety Nazi's an excuse to bash the police as well now. Oh no, a cop car is doing 15MPH over the posted speed limit - that's crazy, that's unsafe. Oh wait, that's what everyone else is already doing. Yeah, Safety Nazis!"

and I agree, I don't necessarily see it as crazy and insane, as long as the cop (and normal citizens) drive safely. Perhaps the speed limit can be adjusted to be more reasonable. I don't see cops as bad people for simply speeding, everyone else does it (In front of cops) and most cops don't even care.
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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2009 @ 11:10am

Re:
Actually the police are always right and are responding to bank robberies about 90% of their on-duty time.
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pig f#cker, 6 May 2009 @ 11:15am

How does it feel to be an island of a man? Did you not notice that most ppl agree with my kind of POV and not yours. Why can't pigs admit that they abuse the laws? I'll give you benefit of dought and say you may be a good pig, but most aren't and you of all ppl know that to be true. You yourself said that it's prob a lame call about something stupid (i'm paraphrasing) you are reponding to. so, with that in mind do you think it's ok to endanger me to get there a little faster? How many ppl have been hurt or killed from a pig doing dumb shit. Personally i know of three cases of friends that were in accendents from pig ignorance. They weren't reponding to calls. They were just breaking the rules because they thought they could get away with it and someone got hurt. You think profiling is ok? Let me profile you..your a dumb ass pig.
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RD, 6 May 2009 @ 11:16am

OfficerA-Hole
You DO realize that, as an officer of the law, you are REQUIRED to perform your job, even for those people who piss you off, or whom you otherwise dislike? You DO realize that you arent supposed to PICK AND CHOOSE who to help and how? You DID take that oath, to SERVE AND PROTECT, didnt you? You DO know that means even those people you might, personally, have an issue with? If you truly feel this is an issue, please, do the world a favor and leave the force. There are others who actually give a shit about the people they are SWORN TO PROTECT.

Glad I dont live in your jurisdiction. Last thing the world needs is even MORE corrupt, worthless, glad-handing people in positions of power.
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Bettawrekonize, 6 May 2009 @ 11:23am

"You DO realize that, as an officer of the law, you are REQUIRED to perform your job, even for those people who piss you off, or whom you otherwise dislike? You DO realize that you arent supposed to PICK AND CHOOSE who to help and how? You DID take that oath, to SERVE AND PROTECT, didnt you? You DO know that means even those people you might, personally, have an issue with? If you truly feel this is an issue, please, do the world a favor and leave the force. There are others who actually give a shit about the people they are SWORN TO PROTECT."

I think most cops are good and mean well and would TRY to protect anyone they thought is a law abiding citizen. Most of the time if you cooperate with cops, and you're doing nothing wrong, they won't leave you alone. Perfect they are not but I don't think most people become police with the intent of breaking laws and being malicious. They do it with the intent of helping out society and that's what they mostly do. At the same time we must also realize that there is only so much they can do. They can't possibly be where you want them to be to save you at the moment you need help, it's not possible. They have limitations and we should understand and respect that.
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Bettawrekonize, 6 May 2009 @ 11:23am

err, sp, they won't leave you alone / they WILL leave you alone. My mistake.
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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2009 @ 11:25am

you had it right the first time..they won't leave you alone.
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Officer Friendly, 6 May 2009 @ 11:27am

RD
You may not have read my post as carefully as you wanted to. My point was that I want to get to your call for help fast, thats why I go fast. If you want to ticket me b/c you believe I shouldn't speed, then I won't. I drive quickly to the emergency because of the oath. I know from your post that I would not like you one bit, but I will still go fast to your call......until you get your wish and I start getting speeding tickets for doing so. Try to read what you are arguing about before being so incredibly aggressive with your ignorance.
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ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 6 May 2009 @ 11:27am

Re: Whatever
Don't cry to the dispatcher when someone is coming through your daughter's bedroom window and you're hiding under your bed asking "where the hell are those cops?" We will be on the way, at a very law-abiding 55mph.
First: Frak you.
Second: No you won't.
You don't do the speed limit on the highways. You drive the wrong way down one-way alleys even when there's no emergency. You flash your lights at intersections just because you can. You act like you can do whatever you want, because you pretty much can. I find it amazing that Phoenix is enforcing PD policy. I don't expect it to last long.
Third: You don't "serve and protect." You "harass and clean up." There is a difference.
If there WAS an intruder in my daughter's bedroom, you guys would be called afterward, because there's dick-all you can or would do about it.
Fourth: See first point.
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Chronno S. Trigger, 6 May 2009 @ 11:30am

Re: pid f#cker
Hows this for a well reasoned argument. As a cop, during an emergency you are required to have your lights flashing to let others know to get out of your way. When you approach an intersection (especially against a red) you are required to turn on your siren. Outside of an emergency the lights and siren are to be off (and you are to drive within standard road rules). These rules are there to prevent injury to innocents that are not involved in the emergency in question.

As I've said before, I witnessed two wrecks because a cop decided not to follow these rules. One not so bad, a little fender bender, both cars drove to a near by parking lot to take care of it. The other was vary bad, I don't know if the one driver survived. Both of these would have been avoided if the cop used his siren when running the red light.

So, Mr Friendly, if you want to drive silent just remember that you are risking other peoples lives for a supposed "bank robbery" that you're probably not even close to. Yes, you may want to catch the bad guys but your primary duty is to protect the innocent.
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Officer Friendly, 6 May 2009 @ 11:41am

Ok you win
Ok I'm off this, just want to make sure I have it straight:

You want me to drive the speed limit (unless its you calling for help)

You want me to aggressively look for drunk drivers (unless its you leaving your office party)

You want me trying my best to get guns and drugs off the streets (unless its your car looking suspicious at 3am)

You want me to use my sirens regardless of the type of emergency (unless its you in danger of being held hostage)

Ok, I think I have it straight now. Time to have some doughnuts.
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pig f#cker, 6 May 2009 @ 11:54am

NO. I dont want you to endanger anyone else for my emergency.

NO. I expect you to arrest me for drunk driving also.

NO. I dont care if you search my car for guns/drugs at 3 am. I understand that.

The point is that 90% of the time pigs are not bending the rules of safety of the greater good but for the personal gain.
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Normal Citizen, 6 May 2009 @ 11:58am

Wow
Good God, I hope that any Officers reading these comments realize that these lunatics dont represent society in general!
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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2009 @ 12:02pm

I smell bacon
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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2009 @ 12:04pm

I don't know what society your are living in.
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ChrisB (profile), 6 May 2009 @ 12:12pm

Re:
You don't know what police corruption is. Watch "Tropa de Elite" (Elite Squad). Or move to Mexico, where if you get in a car accident, you don't wait for the police, you get the hell out of there.
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ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 6 May 2009 @ 12:13pm

Re: Ok you win
Ok, I think I have it straight now. Time to have some doughnuts.

No, what I want is for you to leave the force. You're obviously not in any shape to handle the authority you have.

You might want to try working for Dunkin Donuts. True, you don't get the abuse-people-for-free card and the endless Be-a-Dick-Offduty Overtime, but you do get yummy, yummy doughnuts. So, it's pretty much a push. I recommend the bearclaws (get it?)
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Matt (profile), 6 May 2009 @ 12:24pm

Speed camera executive
Well, here is something we can all laugh about -> http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE5455JK20090506
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RD, 6 May 2009 @ 12:32pm

Officer Person
No, the situation just seems that you have given up on DOING YOUR GOD DAMN JOB that you swore an oath to do, and hey, if you lost your taste for it (or respect, or feel its futile) then fine, go do something else, please.

Being a cop is a hard, thankless job. The ones who do it the best they can, and dont shit all over the people they are protecting, and dont get so jaded they say "fuck the people!" are the ones worthy of respect.
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Milodon, 6 May 2009 @ 1:35pm

The point
The reason I submitted this article was not so every one could go on a cop bashing spree, exactly the opposite. In the sunny slope area where I live crime has been going through the roof lately. My next door neighbors were just cleaned out last Thursday during a break in. I don't think Officer Friendly should be getting speeding tickets while trying to respond to my 911 call to catch the burglar breaking into my house. To those who say the answer is that I should own a gun to protect myself from the burglar.. I would answer... I own several 38/40/223 but that only does any good if I'm at home. Most of the time I'm at work though and would be calling the police to tell them my surveillance cameras have picked up an intruder in my house. When this happens.. and it has just as it did to my neighbors.. I would like Officer Friendly to drive as fast as is safely possible to my house to get the bastard. In some cases in Phoenix on the highways I don't think 110 or 120 would be unreasonable. So long as traffic is light.
I can't describe to you how unbelievably frustrating it is to watch someone over IP cam prying open a door or window to your house and walking off with your stuff and then 30 seconds after the criminal is gone watch the cop walk in the same door the criminal just left. Yes I have had this exact scenario happen. If that cop had been able to drive 20mph faster he would have caught that scum.... The point was.. the speed camera's in Phoenix need to go!! I understand some of the people's feelings toward cops.. I came from Detroit originally and never.. I repeat never had a good interaction with a cop back there. For the most part here in Phoenix the officers have always been polite and professional.
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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2009 @ 2:26pm

Sounds like you are willing to put peoples lives at risk just to save you stuff. Sorry, I don't think your tv is that important.
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Milodon, 6 May 2009 @ 2:47pm

Man the internet truly is filled with a bunch of morons nowadays.

Tell you what sparky.. when the same guy who broke into my house is raping your little sister latter that day... then lets see how you feel about it.

I don't want people's lives to put in jeopardy just to save my TV. That's why I said "I would like Officer Friendly to drive as fast as is safely possible" Learn to read ass hat......
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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2009 @ 3:43pm

"as fast and as safely as possible" ... That's why it's called the speed limit.
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Milodum, 6 May 2009 @ 3:58pm

So let me get this right. You're saying because little sisters get raped .... cops can obey the rules as they see fit or not at all if they want? I've seen the show COPS. How many rapist did the ever catch in the act? How many murders did they roll up on?
Cops get tickets thrown out anyways. How about if the dispatch can associate the time of the ticket to a radio dispatch he's off the hook. But, if not he should pay it. After a few....,well.....
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Milodon, 6 May 2009 @ 4:45pm

Re: Milodum
So let me get this right... your saying that no matter what crime is being committed... be it Rape/murder/burglary...

The officer should always have to obey the rules and never speed?

Secondly... oh well you watched a TV show... wow excuse me.. I didn't' realize I was dealing with such an expert on the subject.. such a man of the world you are...

Thirdly.... The cops are not getting the tickets thrown out.. that's the whole point of news story.. They Are getting speeding tickets that are Not getting thrown out and that Is affecting their response times to 911 call... period.
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Bettawrekonize, 6 May 2009 @ 9:35pm

Officer Friendly, I am not referring to the incidences where police want to get to our call fast. I am specifically referring to the ones where they speed for no reason. I don't think that every time I see them speed they are simply responding to an emergency (in fact, I highly doubt it). It seems like I can almost predict that if I see a cop he will be speeding, more so than anyone else. I find it hard to believe that almost every time I see a cop there is an emergency. I'm not judging cops or anything, everyone else speeds to (and most cops seem OK with it), so long as he drives safely. To me that's FAR more important.
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Bettawrekonize, 6 May 2009 @ 9:37pm

"I know from your post that I would not like you one bit, but I will still go fast to your call......until you get your wish and I start getting speeding tickets for doing so. Try to read what you are arguing about before being so incredibly aggressive with your ignorance."

It is not my wish that you get speeding tickets for simply going fast, especially on call.
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Bettawrekonize, 6 May 2009 @ 9:38pm

BTW, from reading your posts, I think you're probably a good cop. I think most cops are good.
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Milodildo, 7 May 2009 @ 5:09am

That's exactly what i'm saying. It looks like Phoenix is saying it too.

Secondly... usually people resort to insults when they really don't have valid points to make.

Thirdly... yes cops DO get tickets tossed. Shit, i've had my cop friends get mine torn-up. Maybe not everywhere (like this story) but...

What you mean to say is cops are driving slower/safer and that is affecting their response times. Good.
I hope you get hit by a cop speeding his way to no where. This story made my day.."cop gets ticket"...YAY!!!!
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Vincent Clement, 7 May 2009 @ 8:08am

Re: Re: on speed limits
Or we could design the road to reduce the average speed? A speed table, speed cushions or a roundabout are excellent ways to slow down traffic.
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Bettawrekonize, 7 May 2009 @ 9:07am

Milodildo
"What you mean to say is cops are driving slower/safer and that is affecting their response times. Good.
I hope you get hit by a cop speeding his way to no where. This story made my day.."cop gets ticket"...YAY!!!!"

If a cop is speeding for no reason he should get a ticket just like anyone else. I'm not saying that cops should speed, just that everyone does it and speed is not the only factor determining safety.

Vincent Clement
"Or we could design the road to reduce the average speed? A speed table, speed cushions or a roundabout are excellent ways to slow down traffic."

On the Autobahn people go 160+ MPH and the accident/fatality rates are much lower than many places with much lower speed limits. So speed is not the only thing that determines safety. Perhaps in the left most lane people should be allowed to go faster than in the right most lane.
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Bettawrekonize, 7 May 2009 @ 9:08am

If we don't like the speed limit, the solution isn't to speed, it's to figure out a way to change the laws so that we can make the speed limits more reasonable.
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Bettawrekonize, 7 May 2009 @ 9:09am

Perhaps different freeways can have different speed limits, some for those who think that driving slower is safer and they can go on the slower freeways and some for those who want to get to their destination faster so they can go on the faster freeways (with faster speed limits).
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Bettawrekonize, 7 May 2009 @ 9:12am

The state speed limit of California is 65 MPH and you are less likely to get into an accident on the Autobahn then on California freeways.
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Rob R., 7 May 2009 @ 11:19am

Re: Re: Whatever
First: No, frak you, you pathetic piece of shit.

Second: Until you have done the job don't shit on those that do. I sincerely hope that you die because the police were not able to get to you to help because some whiny-assed Liberal got a stupid restriction imposed that did nothing but hinder our efforts to help people.

Third: Bitch
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Rob R., 7 May 2009 @ 11:31am

Re:
You uneducated pieces of crap.

I could sit here and quiz you on points of law as we have to know in dealing with the public. Do you know what PC is in reference to a bag on the passenger floorboard of a vehicle with 6 occupants all wearing gang colors at 3:00am in the worst part of town that got pulled over for a brake light out? Of course you don't. They're the ones that are heading over to do the drive-by in your neighborhood and are the ones that are going to use the illegal machine gun in the bag to spray bullets at the wrong house - yours - and kill your child sleeping peacefully in his bed. They are the ones I cannot stop by checking that bag since I just pulled them over for an equipment violation.

Once you are at the funeral you are going to bitch to everyone that the police should have done something to stop this. You might even start lobbying to make more restrictive laws that the felonious criminals ignore anyway.

Did that cop on the way to the "supposed" bank robbery get there in time to save your mother that was in the bank checking on her Christmas Club account? Sorry, he couldn't because he had to slow down. Or he was required to use his siren all the way there and alerted the robbers who used her as a human shield and then shot her just because they were pissed and wanted to show everyone they "meant it". Bye, Mom.

Walk a mile in my shoes and then see what you think.
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Rob R., 7 May 2009 @ 11:34am

Re: Re: pid f#cker
I suggest you actually become familiar with the law before you attempt to quote it and prove your ignorance.

I have also witnessed accidents where the officer was using lights and siren and someone pulled out in front of them. Other side of the coin.
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Rob R., 7 May 2009 @ 11:41am

Re: Re: Ok you win
Ok, say he leaves the force. I want to see your ass replace him and do his job and keep the same opinions you have now.

We both know that'll never happen. Other than your felonies, you're too much of a coward to stand in harm's way for someone you don't know. You'd rather sit safely on the sidelines and give uneducated opinions about everything.
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Bettawrekonize, 7 May 2009 @ 1:02pm

Once you are at the funeral you are going to bitch to everyone that the police should have done something to stop this. You might even start lobbying to make more restrictive laws that the felonious criminals ignore anyway."

I agree here. Gun laws only take guns away from law abiding citizens which ensures that criminals are the only ones with guns. In many states with fewer gun laws they have less crime (Texas, Arizonan). California has more gun laws and more crime. It makes it MUCH harder to rob a bank if ANYONE of the normal citizens maybe carrying a gun. Not only does one have to plan for the regular, consistent security, one has to plan for the possibility that any random citizen might be in the bank with a gun and stop you from robbing the bank. This is a huge disincentive for someone to rob a bank. Also, by the time the police reach a crime scene it's usually too late. There really isn't much the police can do about it as there are limits as to how fast they can possibly get there. It would be a huge disincentive for criminals to commit crimes (ie: rob a liquor store or break into a citizens house) when they know that anyone might at any time pull a gun at them.
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Milodon, 7 May 2009 @ 5:18pm

Re:
No the reason the story was on the news is because Phoenix is fed up with the cameras.. they need to go... Secondly .. No people insult you all the time because you really are just an ass hat. Sometimes a horse is just a horse.. an ass hat is just an ass hat.. and a little gang banging bitch on the internet is just a little gang banging bitch on the internet... Thirdly... Your cop friend LOL!! you would have to pay someone to be friend.. There is not one person reading this board junior... that believes the same little bitch that says "cop gets ticket" YAY!! also has friend cops... LOL LOOSER!! Wow your right I'm just resorting to insults because you are tearing me such a new one with all your brillant logic and facts... ROFLOL....
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Milodick, 8 May 2009 @ 5:17am

You keep coming back here to suck my dick don't you?
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Anonymous Coward, 8 May 2009 @ 5:27am

Las Vegas -- A Las Vegas Metro police officer was killed Thursday morning in a collision near Flamingo Road and Ravenwood Drive.

Police told FOX5 the officer, a two-year veteran, was responding to a call when a pickup truck making a left turn pulled out in front of his police cruiser. The collisionwas described as “nearly head-on” and both the officer and other driver were rushed to University Medical Center’s trauma center.

The officer died at the hospital. Doctors do not yet have an update on the other driver’s condition.

---They don't mention the cop was running the red light and the other guy was just going through the intersection (green light).
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Anonymous Coward, 8 May 2009 @ 5:36am

A lawsuit filed by a 93-year-old Easton man injured when a then-Forks Township police officer crashed into his car has been settled for $150,000, the township's lawyer said Thursday.

James W. Stitt sued the township and former Officer Jeremy McClymont in 2007, claiming McClymont was speeding west on Lafayette Street at more than double the posted limit when he hit Stitt's car, which was northbound on Paxinosa Avenue. The crash occurred Jan. 1, 2007.

Stitt suffered numerous broken bones and inflamed arthritis in both knees, according to the suit. The injuries required Stitt to spend ''large sums of money'' to undergo physical therapy and other treatment, documents stated.

Easton police said at the time McClymont was returning to Forks after being cleared from a call for a disabled motorist. The suit alleged McClymont drove recklessly, failed to yield the right of way to Stitt and failed to have the police cruiser under ''proper and adequate control.''

Stitt was hospitalized for several months and ended up in a nursing home as a result of the accident, said Gary Asteak, his lawyer.

The settlement will be paid by the township's insurance and covers both Forks and McClymont, who resigned from the local police department in December 2007, said Forks Solicitor Karl Kline.

Asteak called the settlement ''fair.''
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Viktor, 8 May 2009 @ 7:56pm

Re:
If the cop has the sirens on, don't they have the right of way then? I was taught (at least in Maryland) that you either stop or go to the right lane if possible. Regardless of your light color till the sirens are pass.
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JMacGill, 10 May 2009 @ 2:20am

Phoenix
15 MPH over is the max for cops in Phoenix? HA! I've done 75 in a 55 and just had cops flash their spotlight at me to get me to slow down to 70, I've also passed a cop as I was doing 80 in a 65 and he didn't even turn his lights on. Speeding is the norm here. Nobody likes those cameras.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 May 2009 @ 5:23pm

Re: Re:
No they don't have the right away at red lights. We can't turn on our lights and sirens and blaze blindly through the intersection. We have to slow down to a speed that you can go through the intersection safely. At my department if we get into an intersection accident with lights and sirens and a red light, it's our fault. I agree with that though. It's easy to miss a cruiser if you are distracted and I'm not going to kill someone, or my self, to get to some drunks tuneing each other up at a bar. Whatever though, some people hate us some don't. Your opinions are nothing, good or bad. It's just a job, grow up and get hobbies haters. Hell let's all go snowboarding together and then we can drink cocoa. Mmmmmmmmm..... What are we talking about again?
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sschwar4, 2 Jul 2009 @ 8:32am

Danger Ahead
You can tell who drives the roads on a consistent basis. They know exactly where the cameras are. You see them speed by and slow for the cameras, yes, just slow down.

You can also tell the ones who are not familiar with the cameras. Cruising along and about 60-65, then slam on the brakes and reduce speed to WELL below the posted limit. Then you see the front ends of cars across all the lanes dipping. I have seen and avoided several such cases. I am SO surprised that there are not more reported accidents at the cameras.

The worst one is the guy doing 65 in a 65 that slams on his brakes at the camera, just to slow down to 55, because he has no idea what the camera is looking for.

The REALLY bad part is that you have people accelerating to avoid the accident and then they get the ticket for speeding. This is just WRONG!

It most cases, I would think that an officer would have ticketed the other party for driving recklessly. WHERE is the camera for that?
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Anonymous Coward, 2 Jan 2010 @ 3:00pm

Re: Public Servants
I was just thinking how lucky we are to have politicians in our state that care so much for our safety that they've installed traffic camera's all over our state. They say that it has made our streets much safer. YEAH for us!!! Now when do you suppose our insurance companies will lower our rates due to our "much safer streets"? Surely they have access to the same studies that our politicians are touting. Don't they?
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