Sick over cops who think they are above the law :(

[Ibbygirl]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/oakland-park/fl-oakland-deputy-crash-20100124,0,5818894.story

 

This is just so tragic. One of the bystanders said that he thought the cop was going at least 70 mph down the road. The speed limit on that road is 45mph. I have seen it so many times on the roads here. A cop turns on his lights to go through a red light and then turns them off and casually continues driving normally once he's through. Or worse, speeding with sirens on and then turning into a drive through at Burger King. I just am so sad over this poor young girl's death and so freaking angry at this cop. :rant:

[Hillary in KS]

I don't know that the officer thinks he's above the law, or that this is worse than any other collision when people are killed, but this is a tragedy.

 

It's horrible when accidents like this happen. :crying:

[smrtmama]

A cop turns on his lights to go through a red light and then turns them off and casually continues driving normally once he's through.

 

Please refrain from making negative judgment about officers based on this. If an officer is going to a call, but not one of such high priority that he needs to run code (lights and sirens) the whole way, putting on lights to go through lights expedites how quickly he can get to the call without putting himself or other drivers in danger.

 

While the officer in this incident was not running code, doing so for short periods of time to get around traffic, lights, etc. is standard operating procedure in many departments. Always keep your eyes and ears open for lights and sirens.

Edited January 25, 2010 by smrtmama

[Impish]

Sounds like the young girl wasn't wearing a seatbelt either, since she was ejected from the vehicle.

 

A tragedy all around :grouphug:

[smrtmama]

Sounds like the young girl wasn't wearing a seatbelt either, since she was ejected from the vehicle.

 

A tragedy all around :grouphug:

 

Yes, and the driver was making a left turn.While the officer should have been running code if he were driving at that rate of speed, he's no more or less culpable than he would be if he were a civilian driver, and he is as likely to be cited like a civilian driver would AND suspended or even fired over the incident. Very few officers of the approx. one million law enforcement officers in the US believe they are above the law or above reproach. This incident is tragic, but no more or less tragic because the other driver is a LEO.

[LizzyBee]

Sounds like the young girl wasn't wearing a seatbelt either, since she was ejected from the vehicle.

 

A tragedy all around :grouphug:

 

The back end of the car was torn off. In a collision that violent, even people who are wearing their seatbelt can be thrown from the vehicle.

[scrapbookbuzz]

It may SEEM like many cops think 'they're above the law' because that's all the news reports - the sensationalism. MOST cops are not like that. Having a law enforcement background, I can tell you that sometimes the black-and-white has to put on his/her lights due to a call but then after going through a light or two, will get a call cancelled.

[Ibbygirl]

Please refrain from making negative judgment about officers based on this.

 

You are right. And I apologize for speaking out of emotions, but I am just so upset about this. I don't know what police protocols or procedures are while patrolling in the city, but when I see police officers making left turns on red lights and such, it just seems wrong to me.

[smrtmama]

You are right. And I apologize for speaking out of emotions, but I am just so upset about this. I don't know what police protocols or procedures are while patrolling in the city, but when I see police officers making left turns on red lights and such, it just seems wrong to me.

 

Imagine you have placed a 911 call because of a home invasion, or because you're being attacked or have witnesses an armed robbery happening in front of you. Would you want your responding officer to stop at every red light? While on duty, police officers are "above the law" re: many traffic laws, and are not required to observe speed limits, red lights, etc. if they are on a call that requires their swift response -- they're also usually highly trained in the use of their vehicles under conditions that would be unsafe for untrained individuals.

 

Yes, sometimes things still go wrong and accidents happen. Sometimes individual officers still make terrible mistakes or aren't paying as much attention. Sometimes officers think they've flipped on their lights and haven't. On the whole, though, these are men and women who take significant personal risk day in and day out in order to provide a necessary service to the public. Most of them care very much about the safety of others and don't treat their jobs flippantly.

[smrtmama]

It may SEEM like many cops think 'they're above the law' because that's all the news reports - the sensationalism. MOST cops are not like that. Having a law enforcement background, I can tell you that sometimes the black-and-white has to put on his/her lights due to a call but then after going through a light or two, will get a call cancelled.

 

 

That's so true. The media love a "bad cop" story.

 

I used to complain about officers blowing through stops/lights running code and then flipping the sirens off, until my husband explained that there are many valid reasons for that sort of thing.

[Ibbygirl]

On the whole, though, these are men and women who take significant personal risk day in and day out in order to provide a necessary service to the public. Most of them care very much about the safety of others and don't treat their jobs flippantly.

 

You are right and I am grateful for the reminder. They do put their lives on the line every single day. I think I am a bit too cynical. I'm from Ft. Lauderdale and we had a lot of problems with crooked police back in the 80's. I had several male friends who had gotten beaten up by Ft. Lauderdale police for no reason at all. They would just be walking around the area of the beach. I guess that always kind of made me suspicious of the police. When I hear things like this where the police officer is travelling a heavily trafficked area with no lights or sirens and travelling at those speeds it just seems so reckless to me and I want to blame the officer. I guess we'll know more of what happened as the investigation goes on, but this is just such a tragic loss. My heart is just breaking for the family of this girl. :crying:

[joannqn]

Another reason police might use their lights/siren only part of the way there is to not tip the criminal off that they are on their way, or getting close. The police get there quicker without a big "We're coming to get you" announcement.

[Parrothead]

attention. Sometimes officers think they've flipped on their lights and haven't.

 

And sometimes they forget to turn them off. BTDT. They can be hard to see and hear during daylight hours.

 

I had an instructor tell me that one time he forgot to turn his off. He was cruising and wondered why several cars had pulled over for him. When he realized it, he didn't just want to turn them off and have these people think he was trying to get past traffic. So he ran off the road, jumped out of the car, ran into the corn field and waited a few minutes. :lol:

 

Then there are the cops that will flash them to get past a red light in the middle of the night.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Police officers are not above the law. This obviously was not a secret. It will be investigated. And the officer will have consequences if he was out of line. (And yes, sometimes justice does not prevail just as it doesn't always prevail with regular citizens).