we as (people) get pulled over and issued a ticket because talking on a cell phone. but cops can and get away with it. wheres our rights at these days?
2006-09-16 04:16:07 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
This is a question that depends on where you are from. In Texas, it is not illegal to talk on a cell phone while you are driving.... yet. They look into passing that law every year. So in Texas why wouldn't police be able to talk on their cell phones if you can.
As a police officer, I have people asking me questions all the time when I am off work. It usually stars off with "You're an officer let me ask you this....." One thing I have learned is that the majority of people do not like to be told their wrong. When an officer stops them and gives them a ticket for something, they always try to justify that they were right and the officer does not know what he is doing.
For example. A friend of mine was stopped and given a ticket so he came to me and aksed if it was illegal to talk on a cell phone and drive. I explained that it was not and he began ranting and raving that he had just been given a ticket for that and obviously the officer did not know what he was doing. I explained that I doubt he officer gave him a ticket for that, but he insisted the officer was a rookie and that he needs to go back to training. I asked to see the ticket. My friend was issued a ticket for running a stop sign. When I pointed this out to him he explained that he ran the stop sign because he was talking on the cell phone. So the officer told him had you not been talking on the cell phone you might have seen the stop sign so here is your ticket. Even after being shown that he was cited for running the stop sign he still insist it was for talking on his cell phone. I can tell you of numerous instance just like this, where the people refuse to see the truth, because they want to be right and not wrong.
If it were illegal in Texas to talk on a cell phone, then the officers would not do it. It is illegal in Texas to not wear a seat belt. So our department requires we wear them. Our department requires that we obey all the laws that you are asked to do. We do have the right to break those laws when the situation allows for it.
Such as to catch a speeder. If im running radar and the speed is 30 mph and a person comes speeding through at 50 mph, how am I suppose to catch him if all I can do is 30 mph?
If an officer breaks a law then you can be sure we will hear about it. People watch officers all the time. It's natural. So when we mess up, you can be sure someone is calling in a complaint. I have seen two officers lose their jobs over complaints just like this. So the system does work.
2006-09-19 10:41:47 · answer #1 · answered by thanson73 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
OK as you can see by my avatar that i am biased, but not by any means narrow minded. Cops are trained to do many things and receive on-going training to be able to multi task like they do and quite a few of the cells you see them talking on are dept issued. They need to be accessible at all times, and some of the issues discussed cannot be done over their police radio. I have first hand knowledge of police officers who have done wrong and gotten in trouble for it, they are not above the law, yes they protect each other, but a good police officer knows where to draw the line, even so as to arrest their fellow comrades (it has happened here several times) I am well aware that the double standards seem to be in play with officers and civilians, and I cannot answer for all of them, just my husband who is a good person and loves his job and is NOT badge heavy. There are good ones out there just as much so there are the jerks out there. Just this week a 19 yr old man was killed, because a 17 yr old girl was having a fight with her boy fried on her cell phone and she ran the stop light and t-boned him. Please do not respond to this by cop bashing, that is not why I am posting this answer.
2006-09-16 05:09:21 · answer #2 · answered by NolaDawn 5 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Yes they can because it's the law. If you took time to read it you would see that there is an exclusion for police officers while using it for official police business. The next time you need the police, would you want them to pull over while they got the information or get to you as fast as possible?
2006-09-16 09:01:06 · answer #3 · answered by Mike 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
They can also drive in cop cars and turn the sirens on, yet if you or I did that, we'd get busted. Hmmm. Wonder why. Oh, yeah, driving a cop car and putting on the sirens is PART of THEIR JOB (and training)! Oh, and they can drive through red lights, too....as can ambulance drivers and firetruck drivers. Gee...wonder why. Oh yeah, it's PART of THEIR JOB (and training)! DUH!
By the way, I teach, and I don't let students do assignments in red ink. But I write with red ink! Double standard? No. It's PART of MY JOB (and training)! I also get to write on the chalkboard, play with the overhead projector, and sit at a nice big desk (after school).
So, why do cops get to talk on cell phones while they're driving? It's PART of THEIR JOB (and TRAINING).
2006-09-16 06:27:42 · answer #4 · answered by scruffycat 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
for the same reason they drive 80 mph looking for someone going 60 to give a ticket to
2006-09-16 18:05:07 · answer #5 · answered by Robert 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Cops can do just about anything and get away with it
2006-09-18 01:34:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Sure can. When you are the one that is given the power to give out tickets, you are the one with the power and can do whatever you want within reason. Only if you get too far out can you actually get any punishment for what you have done but even that you can still get your pay while on leave for an infraction. They can lie, steal, do whatever they want to do to get you to admit to something you did not even do but if you do the same, you will be jailed for a very long time. Your rights are to have an attorney present when being questioned and even then it is if the cop wants to permit it.
2006-09-16 04:36:22 · answer #7 · answered by ramall1to 5 · 0⤊ 6⤋
of course you did not say where you are from, what nation, or if the US what state.
But get over it, if you are doing it, you know it is against the law, so why not join the police department and find out why they can.
2006-09-16 06:55:02 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Cops are above the law
2006-09-16 04:23:50 · answer #9 · answered by Mopar Muscle Gal 7 · 2⤊ 5⤋
You have no rights. Notice that cops speed to catch speeders. They also can do everything incorrect when driving but they aren't so quick at giving themselves a ticket. They are corrupt.
2006-09-16 04:18:07 · answer #10 · answered by steve w 5 · 2⤊ 7⤋