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



In article <3nqsq7$84p@apakabar.cc.columbia.edu> adr5@aloha.cc.columbia.edu (Alex D Rodriguez) writes:
>From: adr5@aloha.cc.columbia.edu (Alex D Rodriguez)
>Subject: Re: Cops:  Can't Live With Them, Can't Live Without Them
>Date: 28 Apr 1995 14:07:03 GMT

>In article <JamieYanak-2704951801540001@database-mac.oai.org>,
>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:)

>It's not my spelling, it's my typing.  Really. :)  


>>
>>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.)

>In this scenario run with lights only.  Shut your sirens off.  I rather have
>someone run off with my property than have a cop hurt someone.  When you are
>a block away, after you have gone through all intersections, shut the lights
>off.  No one is going to bitch about that.  

>>
>>-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)

>Stealth is important.  Especially at night trying to catch the guy going 10mph
>over the limit on an empty highway.  Causing a pileup because you didn't
>have your lights on doens't get you there any faster or help your stealthness.


>>
>>-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)

>I think the big light bar on the roof does a good job of giving you away.
>Anyone who misses the light bar during the day is not going to see the lights
>flashing either.

>>
>>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 . 

>I still don't take your word for it.  It comes down to either believing
>what I have seen, or what you say.  I'm sure there have been a couple of times
>when I did misinterpret a cops actions, but most of the time I have seen 
>that the cops were just on routine patrol.  If they had been in a hurry they
>would not have waited for the pedestrians to all cross the street before they
>ran the light.  In the city, that is what I see them do most of the time.


>>
>>> 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.


>I generally have no problem with cops.  It's a dirty job I wouldn't want to
>do.  I respect them for that.  I just don't like the attitude alot of them
>carry.  This past weekend I got another example of a cop with an attitude.
>I was in Atlantic City and they had some event on the boardwalk that cause
>a huge crowd where you had to squeeze through to get by.  A young man is 
>slipping through with his box in the air playing fairly loud.  Along comes
>a cop and from 3 feet away yells an obscenity at him and tells him to "shut
>that piece of shit off".  That was completely uncalled for and unecessary.
>I have no animus against cops in general, it is the many specific instances
>I have seen that lead me to dislike some of them.  Also the "dumshit" is
>your phrase not mine.  I don't make it a practice to use such language.


In Arizona the law is pretty clear.  Police vehicles are not required to 
display any lights even when responding to emergencies but they ARE required 
to use a siren, bell, or whistle WHEN reasonably necessary.  So there's an out 
for that too.  They may ONLY 'break' the law when responding to an emergency 
or when in pursuit of a known or suspected violator.   None of those 
exceptions relieves them of the responsiblity to drive with due regard of the 
safety of all persons and they are not protected from reckless acts.




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