Ticketing Other Police Officers

[milkrun49]

First off I have to say I'm sorry for not being a regular poster. One month left and I wrap up 30 years in law Enforcement. I just want to get your opinion on something. last week I was going to my place in Florida along I95 and about 20 miles before the Georgia border I was stopped by a county officer for speeding. I was going 80 in a posted 70 zone on 95 South. I showed the officer my police ID and badge and also told him I was on the job. He told me he didn't ask for the badge & ID and only wanted my license & reg. He came back to my car and gave me a ticket. I tried to ask him if this is the way he acted with all police officers, but he just turned away and went back to his unit. I have to say that I was going to fast, but in my 30 years, I have never given a fellow officer a ticket and I've stopped plenty. Am I wrong? The guys on my department think I should have had our PBA president give a call, but it's water under the bridge. But it did **** me off . G.

[magnum357]

Quite a joke. Maybe he got offended you badged him, but still not a reason for citing a cop.

[Razor1184]

i think he was probably angry that you didn't obtain a visa from the confederacy before visiting.

[SIZE="5"]HAHAHA!!!
everything, within reason

[ditchdiver56]

jeez i don't write anyone for 10 over on the freeway!

Now if you were doing 20+ over we may have to work something out on paper... but thats just because my camera is always rolling :0

[gare442]

I have never written a fellow officer a ticket, but I would not hold it against another officer if he wrote me a ticket for committing a traffic violation. We are sworn to uphold the laws, but they don't apply to us? We should be the example, not the exception!

This is a public forum and I can just imagine Joe Q. Public's reaction to this thread. The typical cop stereotype lives on... "Do what I say, not what I do."

If you did the violation, accept the consequences. We may wear the uniform, but WE are no one special.

[MMeeusen]

I got pulled over by a state trooper and got a ticket and he never once knew that I was a cop until I ran a call with him and he asked me after why I didn't say anything....I really don't see why I should get out of a ticket just because I'm a cop. If anything it means that I should be a better driver and know better. Our policy also specifically states that we can not use our authority to our benefit..which getting out of a ticket would be going!! I just think its wrong to badge another cop and it really ****es me off.

[Bunnel]

First off I have to say I'm sorry for not being a regular poster. One month left and I wrap up 30 years in law Enforcement. I just want to get your opinion on something. last week I was going to my place in Florida along I95 and about 20 miles before the Georgia border I was stopped by a county officer for speeding. I was going 80 in a posted 70 zone on 95 South. I showed the officer my police ID and badge and also told him I was on the job. He told me he didn't ask for the badge & ID and only wanted my license & reg. He came back to my car and gave me a ticket. I tried to ask him if this is the way he acted with all police officers, but he just turned away and went back to his unit. I have to say that I was going to fast, but in my 30 years, I have never given a fellow officer a ticket and I've stopped plenty. Am I wrong? The guys on my department think I should have had our PBA president give a call, but it's water under the bridge. But it did **** me off . G.

The guy's a dickhead. Unfortunately, every Service has at least one. Assuming you were polite he should have let you go without a ticket or lecture.

[SgtCHP]

It never ceases to amaze me how many officers are willing to discuss personnel issues, professional courtesy issues, departmental policies and procedures, etc. in these public forums. Do all of you really want the public knowing our business?

[InHarleyCop]

It never ceases to amaze me how many officers are willing to discuss personnel issues, professional courtesy issues, departmental policies and procedures, etc. in these public forums. Do all of you really want the public knowing our business?

FYI, personnel issues, departmental policies and procedures ARE public business here in the state of Indiana thanks to the Indiana Public Records Act.

[InHarleyCop]

The guys on my department think I should have had our PBA president give a call, but it's water under the bridge. But it did **** me off . G.

I generally don't cite cops either, however, if and I say IF that ever happened and you did what you mentioned here. I'd laugh your PBA pres off of the phone as I was hanging up on him. What point would that prove?

[InHarleyCop]

The guy's a dickhead. Unfortunately, every Service has at least one. Assuming you were polite he should have let you go without a ticket or lecture.

Why "should he have" let him go? Didn't know there was a law stating as such.

[pulicords]

Sorry about the cite, but you were speeding! I've never considered the my badge to be a "free get out of jail or no citations allowed card." It's a symbol of public trust that sometimes results in a warning from another officer, instead of prosecution for a minor offense.

If I was pulled over under the circumstances described, I wouldn't have said I was "on the job" if it wasn't true and I wouldn't have acted indignantly if the officer decided that a warning wasn't sufficient to prevent future violations. If you want to warn officers fine, but none of us have the right to demand such treatment or bitch about the consequences of our actions if we did commit a violation. Man up, pay the fine and enjoy your retirement.

[cpd169]

I have never written a fellow officer a ticket, but I would not hold it against another officer if he wrote me a ticket for committing a traffic violation. We are sworn to uphold the laws, but they don't apply to us? We should be the example, not the exception!

This is a public forum and I can just imagine Joe Q. Public's reaction to this thread. The typical cop stereotype lives on... "Do what I say, not what I do."

If you did the violation, accept the consequences. We may wear the uniform, but WE are no one special.

I agree with you in principle, but I can't imagine even stopping someone for going 10 over on an interstate highway, much less citing them for it. I have slowed down to between 5-8 over and haven't had anyone stop me as yet, nor do I stop anyone who's doing less than 15 over. I can't remember ever citing a fellow LEO, but have cited a State Corrections Officer who had been given numerous warnings by me and other officers.

There are times when one has to exercise a little prudence and professional courtesy, but that is a two way street in my humble opinion. I have given verbal warnings to fellow LEOs as well as I have John or Jane Q Public and expect them to exercise prudence when they pass my way again. To date, all of the LEOs I've warned have done so where only most of the citizens have. Justice must be tempered with mercy (and some common courtesy and common sense).

While I agree that LEOs, like judges, politicians, pastors, etc. are held to a higher standard than the general public, we, like they are human and do tend to drive too fast from time to time. I believe in treating everyone as I'd want to be treated by them should our roles be reversed regardless of whether they're LE or not.

[MCSD]

It never ceases to amaze me how many officers are willing to discuss personnel issues, professional courtesy issues, departmental policies and procedures, etc. in these public forums. Do all of you really want the public knowing our business?

2nd that.

[Fuzz]

The guys on my department think I should have had our PBA president give a call, but it's water under the bridge. But it did **** me off . G.

Wether you agree with citing another officer or not having the PBA president call another department is ridiculous. We are adults......we dont need mommy or daddy to call the neighbor to get us out of trouble.

[AZtribesman]

The other day I stopped a guy for going 80 mph in a construction zoned freeway rated at 55 mph. I pull him over and he has no driver's license and hands me a US Passport. I asked if he had a valid license and he said yes, I am from Connecticut.

I run the name on the passport and no DL comes back to it. I return and ask him if he knows his OLN. He then says "hey, my brother is a LT with the NYPD" can I get some professional courtesy?"

I said this "Let me get this straight, you want me to give you professional courtesy bc your brother is a police officer in NY?"

"yes"

"Can you prove that, because so far you can't even prive you have a license let alone a brother" he then drops this pearl of wisdom....

"My name on my US Passport is misspelled because of a typo on my birth certificate"

"You are just telling me this now?" "Is your brother anything like you?"

Needless to say he got several tickets that night.....Is this common back east?

[Bunnel]

Why "should he have" let him go? Didn't know there was a law stating as such.

Sorry, you misunderstood me. I didn't say there was a law "stating as such". I was just giving my opinion regarding the treatment of a fellow officer for going 10mph over the limit on a freeway.

I should have been more clear about that. Mea culpa.

[chiefcop]

First off, Congratulations and job well done for your service in this profession! May your retirement bring you good times and relaxation.

I have discussed this in person with officers in many different parts of the country. It appears there are a couple of factors here.

1. There will always be officers who do not use discretion wisely. 'nuff said there as most of us have run into the types.

2. Professional Courtesy - I have always wondered about this phrase. What does it really mean? How far will you go with it? How far SHOULD you go with it? Does professional courtesy mean that an officer (off duty) will be allowed to break the same laws that he enforces when he is on duty? There is some measure of contradiction there. What types of laws do professional courtesy cover? Speeding, DUI, Theft........where is the line drawn?

There are two thoughts out there (maybe more but these two stand out):
1. A police officer should get some condiserations as he is doing a job that is tough and providing a service to our community.
2. Officers should be leading by example and should be treated and should act accordingly when off duty.

In the east coast, especially north east, there is no problem with breaking out the badge and saying I'm on the job. I would say from discussions I have had that it is almost a law that you MUST badge the officer pulling you over. Without question the enforcing officer goes on with his duties waiving to the stopped officer. This is a culturally accepted norm for that particular geographical region.

Now, in the rocky mtn area and in some midwest regions I have heard and seen that badging will not be accepted and that most times officer may become a bit offended and hot under the collar thinking that throwing a badge out the window is not acceptable. It is thought of as expecting a free pass.

Personally I will not badge an officer, as I do not expect any favors. I will, if I am carrying a weapon, notify the officer that I am a police officer and I am armed. Now that I typed that I have a CCW and will notify the officer as I don't like surprises while on duty. i will allow the officer to make his own mind up as to what actions he will take. If I get a cite I will find a way to take care of it through court, deferrment, etc.

I will admit that I have cited officers. When your driving gets to a point that is endangering others, actions must be taken. So that you don't think I cite for 10mph over.....passing in no pass zone, 65 mph in a 30 mph zone through a small community all at once.

In conclusion, there are many reasons this may happen. I feel that each officer shold, when on duty, act as they feel necessary to keep their ethics in tact. If an officer is not confortable with giving a citizen a break for going 20 mph over then why whould he place his ethics aside for a cop doing the same thing? I feel that as law enforcement we should be able to use our discretion and this includes discretion for officers off duty as well.

This is a subject matter that will really have no one answer that fits all. Hey for that matter I received a citation from a trooper (in another state) when I was on duty in a marked car as a patrol officer! I took the citation to court and won asking for a defensive driving course request. Cite dismissed upon completion.

This is a subject that will have many different feelings, actions and will most certainly be a hot topic.

[mrasgt]

Ok, first, I've been sailing with the Captain, so keep this in mind.

This subject has been beat to death before.

I've been at this for 33 years. I never knowingly cite another active cop.

I have my limits, OUI, dozens of other stops w/ no cites, and traffic offenses only.

I hear all the above and agree, but I still live by my convictions and I don't care if the public knows it.

I myself want to know if I'm stopping another cop, I beleave there are ways to let the stopping officer know, descretely, that you are a cop. I don't really like the "stuff a badge in your face" approuch, I DO want to know if I've stopped a cop who is armed.

I have no trouble explaining to anyone that I extend certain curtisies on low level infractions, as long as there is no flaming actions from the guy I have stopped.

I myself, when I'm stopped politely advise the officer I am armed and that I am a full time Police officer and when he/she instructs me, I'll prove it. I am ALWAYS armed and he/she deserves to know that, as I would in thier place. If he wants to cite me, fine. But that's not what I'm about.

My opinion may have flaws, I also beleave that as officers we have some duty to not put a brother/sister officer in the postion in the first place, but mistakes like 10-15 over do occur.

We have had a couple of state troopers in the past cite other officers for stupid stuff like 6-12 over, they were approached in general by thier fellow troopers, but they kept it up all thier careers. You can imagine the lack of brotherhood they ended up with all thier lives. Ok, so they chose to live that way, not me, life is too short.

My 2 cents, right or wrong.

[Hammer1708]

An OWI or something reckless that endangers the lives of others, I totally agree with taking action. Giving another fellow officer a ticket for 10 over. That's chicken S!%*. That cop would probably write his own mother.....

[Lawenforcer72]

to me i would never flash a badge because i would feel arogant. but id want an officer to tell me he is a cop before i write the ticket

[milkrun49]

I guess it all comes down to the fact that we all have our own opinions. I guess I must be old school in that I always saw other LEA as brothers with a badge and respect for each other. Yes I was speeding and probably deserved a ticket but not in such a cold and arrogant way. Oh well, I don't want to run this post into the ground, so I'll say thinks for the opinions and get back on soon. I'll be going town to Fort Myers in a few weeks and you better believe I'll slow down when I get to S.C. LOL Be safe out there..

[t150vsuptpr]

One month left and I wrap up 30 years in law Enforcement. I just want to get your opinion on something. last week I was going to my place in Florida along I95 and about 20 miles before the Georgia border I was stopped by a county officer for speeding. I was going 80 in a posted 70 zone on 95 South.

OK, I saw the thread title, figured the worst, figured someone was pi%%ed after maybe being tagged in a state near and dear to me ...
... but I see that he actually made it through here unscathed!

Sorry 'bout your deal in S.C., but customs differ, officers differ, and each officer brings something different to the stop in the way of habit, viewpoint, experience, etc.

"You plays the game, you takes your chances."

10 over huh? I'll have to keep that in mind. And "nope", ain't going to badmouth a fellow officer over his decision granted by another's actions.

Later ......

That cop would probably write his own mother.....

Well, one thing about it ...

... "once momma goes in the book, anybody's fair game!"

(just a little levity there, albeit ... a very little .... woops, there it goes ....)

[towncop]

I guess it all comes down to the fact that we all have our own opinions. I guess I must be old school in that I always saw other LEA as brothers with a badge and respect for each other. Yes I was speeding and probably deserved a ticket but not in such a cold and arrogant way. Oh well, I don't want to run this post into the ground, so I'll say thinks for the opinions and get back on soon. I'll be going town to Fort Myers in a few weeks and you better believe I'll slow down when I get to S.C. LOL Be safe out there..

Or, or......you could drive the speed limit, or what you'd expect John Q. Citizen to drive and not worry about what state you're entering into. That's just me though.

[Bearcat357]

10 over....especially to a fellow LEO is chicken****......