as we all know, it is illegal to drive a car without wearing a seat belt. the law does have some exclusions to the rule but could any one please tell me if the police are excluded from the law that they are paid to uphold. in short are police officers allowed to drive about without wearing a seat belt ?.
2006-10-18 09:50:43 · 33 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
In theory, they are not above the law.
In practice, they are.
When was the last time you heard of a policeman being convicted?
2006-10-18 10:00:06 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'm a police officer and my partner is too. Everytime I get into a car with him he tells me off if I don't put the seatbelt on. This goes for on and off duty. Of course we're meant to wear a seatbelt, but if you hear on the radio that there is a man with a knife heading towards a school full of children, the seatbelt is sometimes the last thing on your mind, (ok, that's extreme, but you get the picture). Police are meant to wear seatbelts just like anyone else is the short answer!
In UK, we're not paid to uphold the law, we're paid to "serve the queen, uphold human rights, keep the peace and to prevent offences against people and property" (schedule 4 Police Reform Act 2002)
2006-10-18 10:10:58 · answer #2 · answered by THE BULB 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Not above the law at all.
Its only what the small exceptions that public read in the papers that makes it sound like police are above the law.
Anytime an average police officer breaks the law there is all hell to pay. Their jobs are on the line as well as embarrassment and stigma at work. Not that many members of the public would get that grief at work if they broke the law.
And no one should drive without a seatbelt coz when your head hits the steering wheel it will burst. Not even police officers have special unbreakable heads!
2006-10-18 09:58:19 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
No, police officers are not allowed to drive without wearing their seatbelt. Being one, I will explain why some do not. If you can imagine how many times a cop gets in and out of their car in a 12hr shift (that's what we work here). Now put on top of that the amount of crap that they wear. Now put on top of that putting the seatbelt on and off all day long for 12 hours. I am not saying it is right and they are definitely not above the law. I am simply explaining to you why some do it. I know I didn't and I also know that if I speed 5 over in my personal car I don't write tickets to other people who go 5 over. So before you put a label on all of us, think twice.
2006-10-18 09:59:30 · answer #4 · answered by Sheila V 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
They are not above the law but they are exempt from some laws. In New York, police and passengers in taxi cabs are exempt from seat belt and cell phone laws. They can also speed, go through stop signs, and etc, but if here is a accident or problem, the police are at fault for speeding, fail to stop at stop sign, etc.
2006-10-18 14:52:23 · answer #5 · answered by Mike B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As a former rehab specialist, it concerns me that anyone, including the police, would drive a car without his/her seatbelts on. I've had too many patients who had significant injuries because they didn't have their seat belts on. I do not think the police in my city in the midwest U.S.A. go without their seat belts, as they know how dangerous that can be.
2006-10-18 09:59:41 · answer #6 · answered by sunflowerjean63 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are allowed to drive without seat belts because the nature of their duties dictates that they might need to get out of the car very quickly!
2006-10-18 23:53:51 · answer #7 · answered by Sally J 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We wear an excessive amount of equimptement on out belts and to include our vests. These make out bodies much more larger in certian areas of the vehicle and we cannot allways sit easily with the seat belt on.
The seat belt often gets tangled up in our gear, posing a problem when we bail out of the car after someone. This personally has happened to me.
Seat belts also make us unable to manuver in out seats if we were to be shot at while confined to in the car. We are contsatly moving targets.
I personally wear my seat belt because I belive they save lives in a car crash. I have a problem going through the windshield or hitting the stearing wheel.
2006-10-18 16:47:47 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
The police are certainly not above the law, however when
in service, an occasion may arise that requires the policeman
to make a quick getaway or get out of car for an arrest. They
have to make their own decisions and, if called upon to explain
any situation, it better be convincing.
2006-10-18 10:03:56 · answer #9 · answered by Ricky 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes. I once got pulled over by a motorcycle cop (obviously not weaing a seatbelt) because I didn't have my seat belt on at the time in my car. Guess what he told me? That it isn't safe to operate a motor vehicle without wearing a seat belt.
OK hypocrite!!
2006-10-18 09:54:27 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I know of a stupid exception in georgia. If you are in a truck, or a S.U.V you don't have to wear one. So someone driving a 1979 datsun pickup that weighs 1000 pounds, doesn't need a seatbelt, but someone in a new cadillac with surround airbags does.
2006-10-18 09:57:01 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋