Just before 1:00PM today I was driving east on Algonquin Road in a 35MPH zone, when I noticed a car coming up behind me at a good clip. There was a police car about three car lengths behind me in the inside lane, and I figured he’d grab the speeder after he passed the police car on the right and then changed lanes to the left and passed me. Did the speeder get stopped? No way. Why not?
Could his license plate have had something to do with it? TRF KOP 1, on a black GMC (an Envoy, I think).
The police car was from Fox River Grove, but the officer still had the authority to make the traffic stop. But did he? Of course not.
Why waste the time and embarrass yourself? Few cops will write tickets to other cops. The guy in the GMC knew he wouldn’t get stopped, so he could speed, pass a police car on the right, come up close behind me, change lanes without safe distance between vehicles, and continue speeding right in front of the police car.
Police should be the first to obey traffic (and other) laws, rather than being the last. Departmental policies should be, if you stop a cop for a traffic violation, you write him a ticket. Or else you don’t write anyone tickets for speeding.
Do you know the guy driving the GMC with the plate TRF KOP 1? You might want to let him that he is expected to obey traffic laws, since apparently his job is writing tickets to others.
You never know who is interested…
3 months ago
17 comments:
In Rockville, Md. in 2007 148 on-duty police officers were caught by photoradar for driving more than 10MPH over the posted speed limit. Of that number, according to a Northwest Herald article on Page 12A today, about 2/3 have not paid their tickets.
The police union gives the weak-kneed excuse that the tickets were issued to the County as owner of the vehicles and that the officers should not have to pay the tickets.
Three cheers for Police Chief Thomas Manger, who said, "It is imperative that the police department hold itself to the same standards that we're holding the public to."
Another 76 citations were dismissed because the officers had a valid reason for speeding.
Officers are allowed to exceed posted speed limits under very specific conditions, which include pursuit of a traffic violator and while using emergency equipment (lights and/or siren).
One of the problems is that officers in some departments are encouraged to speed, in order to reduce response times. Even our State Police officers are expected to "hurry along"; for example, when responding to a Motorist Assist (driver with a flat tire or dead battery on the shoulder). On those calls troopers should obey speed limits and all other traffic laws. If the driver of a disabled car (not talking about an accident scene) has to wait another 5-10-15 minutes, so be it. And troopers should obey speed limits and not move "with the pack" at 10-15MPH over the limit when just driving down the road.
Gus,
I believe it is ok for an officer to hurry along to assist a motorist stranded on a highway. It is much safer for a stranded motorist to be stranded with emergency lights behind him than not. I believe it is important to get there safely and quickly to insure safety. Could a call for a stranded motorist called in by someone passing really, be a heart attack, a woman in labor, child choking....the thing is you never know. So get there and find out. Officers everyday respond to calls without lights on.
Aside from the fact that it's illegal to exceed the posted speed limit when you wish to, want to, feel like you ought to, or are ordered to "hurry along", I can understand that you believe it is okay. If you think it's a heart attack, woman in labor or child choking, then light up and hit the siren and "hurry along."
Next time, tell your shift sergeant that it's illegal to speed to a motorist assist.
Actually, this order not to speed ought to come from the top, and it shouldn't even be necessary.
Gus,
only you can find fault in someone hurrying to help someone. You should try it sometime. It feels nice to be appreaciated and not hated.
I love the idea that Gus thinks the policy should be "if you stop a police officer, write him". Police officers don't write tickets to every civilian they stop, but they have to write every police officer? Good thinking Gus, or lack thereof. It's called discretion, and officers have it just like other people in other jobs. Tax dollars or not, it's part of the job. Get over it and find something worth while to complain about.
I live in Fox River Grove, and there is no point in town where Algonquin Road is two lanes each way, or 35 MPH zone. There is in the towns of Lake in the Hills and Algonquin, but if it was a Fox River Grove squad car, they do not have jurisdiction to stop a moving violation. Get a clue!
Also, did you ever consider that not every squad car on the road is available for traffic tickets? Maybe he's going to or coming from a call, or already occupied for something or transporting someone! There are so many factors that could be involved here that a dolt like you doesn't even consider.
Don't forget the assumption that the vanity plate automatically means a police officer is driving.
"The police car was from Fox River Grove, but the officer still had the authority to make the traffic stop. But did he? Of course not." of course he didnt make the stop you dumb ass. yet again, another half assed blog with incorrect info. the cop was out of his jurisdiction and therefore could not make the stop. only county , state, and Algonquin cops can make the stop dipshit. you must not have been a very good cop back then. do you wonder why you got solo patrol car priviledges right away? go play the skin flute you homo.
Would one of the officers or lawyers reading this be kind enough to post the Section of the Illinois Vehicle Code that grants traffic enforcement privileges state-wide to all law enforcement personnel? Please include the year when it became effective. Thanks.
Post it yourself Johnny cock-ran!
wait, in the last post about the gun going off you said he was way out of his jurisdiction to be carrying a weapon. so if this new code allows them privileges to any officer state wide no matter where they are, then the cop was ok having the gun with him? again you bend your crappy information to fit your half assed blogs. and if you know about the code you should post it dickweed
Gus - You are absolutely correct ... if someone breaks the law, they should get ticketed ... whether or not the Officer had jurisdiction is irrelevant ... he could have made a citizens' arrest with the assistance of an Officer who had jurisdiction. Gus, you are so right on ... you a bad moth--- Shut your mouth Snoozer!
so no one has posted that vehicle code yet? prob because there isnt one. trying to pretend to be someone else as posted above to break the negative comment streak on your blog? how is jurisdiction irrelevant? the ticket has to be issued from a cop from that municipality of where the stop was made. was the cop supposed to chase him down until he stopped and they wouldn't be able to use their lights, then they would be out of their jurisdiction. this would only work in your world gus. take a trip to reality and get a life.
I believe it was last year that a Lakemoor police officer was at Route 120 and Chapel Hill Road, when he was almost hit by a driver who ran a red light (or committed some other violation). The Lakemoor officer stopped and cited the driver in the City of McHenry. At the time I was unaware of the change in Illinois law that now permits such a stop. The section of the Illinois Vehicle Code will be posted.
you are a fucking moron. if you know so much about this code, post it already and stop stalling you old piece of crap.
Frank you are a complete stroke. Since can don't know how to crack open a book, call someone. Only law I know over that any police officer can enforce anywhere is DUI's. Think of it this way dip shit; State police enforce laws anywhere in the state, County Deputy's enforce laws anywhere in their county, and City Police enforce laws that occur within their city limits.
I am a huge fan of all law enforcement but that cop who sat in your driveway when you were 6 years old is probably rolling over in his grave with disgust, since he was a huge influence in you current idiotic behavior.
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