can a cop go over the speed limit if they are not going to a crime?

Question

i was picked up fopr going 75 in a 65, while he was going 75

he was in frount of me. he was going 75 in the passing lane

Answer 1

Who's gonna pull him over?

Answer 2

Your question seems to be a twp parter. First part: No, a law enforcement officer cannot speed at anytime he is not in the line of duty or in pursuit of a perpetrator. He/she must obey and abide by the same rules of the road that ordinary citizens do. Second part: If you were doing 75 MPH in a 65 MPH speed zone, then you were guilty of breaking the law. And it doesn't matter where the police cruiser was traveling at the time. he may come from behind, the opposite side of the highway, an off ramp, or with a helicopter. Speeding is a rules of the road offense. This gives an officer the right to use excessive speed to catch a perpetrator. he may have been timing you from being ahead of you. As a truck driver myself it is possible to time another vehicles speed of travel from the front or behind with what we call "The Smith Defensive Driving System". You may want to read it. Hope this helps. Steve.

Answer 3

I know many don't understand...but I'll try to explain several scenario's that may help!

First, often times when the police are responding to a call...it creates more problems in certain traffic conditions to use the lights or siren therefore they will not be engaged!

A good example of another situation is when in close proximity to a call the use of lights or siren would scare a suspect away when there's a good chance of catching him.

Another case would be where the officer is pacing a vehicle out in front of your direction of travel. To engage the lights during the pace is not correct procedure until after a sufficient pace is obtained.

This is not to say that I've not heard stories where some have cleared intersections to only have been observed driving to the local store. Even in my own opinion that is wrong.

However, too often we find the general public does not understand things we do or why we do them.

Above are just SOME of those things that are often misunderstood.

Hope this helps.

Best wishes!

Answer 4

No, cops are bound by the same laws that you and I are; however, if you were pulled over for going 75 in a 65 zone, wouldn't he have had to go 75 to catch up to you?

Answer 5

Was he behind you? He can catch up to you in order to either make the stop or determine exactly how fast you are going. And how do you know he was not going to an incident? Did you ask him? At times cops will go fast because the incident he is going to does not require "code 3" response however it requires timeliness. Maybe he was going to back up another officer with a potentially dangerous traffic stop. Maybe he has a call clear across the jurisdiction involving domestic abuse and he's trying to get there quickly enough to prevent further problems. The law doesn't necessarily allow cops to drive faster than the speed limit, but the laws are made by politicians to cover themselves. Reality is sometimes a different issue. Now I do not support reckless driving or unnecessary speeding, but don't always assume the cop is being a hypocrite.

Answer 6

NO they leagaly can not! They are bound by the same laws that we are, they are not special. Even when going to a crime they do not have an endless speed limit. They are given a grace, but unless in a emergency they are not supposed to be speeding. But whos going to stop them and who has the proof they were speeding. If you were speeding you were wrong. Plain and simple, because he was to does that make it all right? They are generaly given 15 mph grace in most all areas, more in others just so they can keep up with most of us. When on an emergency run they are allowed alot more (depending on the situation) but they go through driving courses that teach them how to drive in these situations, most of us do not...

Answer 7

The answer is "no." It is just as illegal for them as it is for us. However, who's going to pull them over?
The next time you see it happening get the car number an report it to the station. It does matter and they do follow up on it.
But know this... how can you be sure that they are not going to a crime scene. Sirens announce a cops presence to the criminals too. Element of surprise is sometimes needed.

Answer 8

Legally, no. Practically, yes.

Cops try not to accuse other cops of crimes unless the offense is so serious that they feel they have to. Usually even an off-duty cop will talk his way out of a ticket by showing a badge and some respect for the guy pulling him over.

He probably pulled you over for such a minor infraction because he believes that if you are passing a cop car over the speed limit, that you aren't paying attention to your driving. Usually it isn't the actual speed you are going that makes a cop write you a ticket, it is how unsafe he feels your driving is.

Answer 9

Well, the cop isn't going to give himself a ticket. So even though this seems wrong. You should always go right around the speed limit when there is law enforcement around. Do not try to fight this, because it will not work. Just accept it and learn from your mistake.

Answer 10

Well, you could shake your hands and holler "citizens arrest, citizens arrest!" What good would it do. You'd just get another set of tickets for resisting an officer, interfering with an officer, public disturbance, being extremely gullible believing that you have the same rights as the bums in blue. Too bad, so sad, you were had.

Answer 11

When you go through intensive training on how to handle a car on any conditions, I believe it is alright to speed a little bit. They know when it is dangerous and when it's not. I'm almost sure you didn't go through that training so why are you speeding? are you going to a crime?

Mainly the reason why cops don't pull cops over is because police officers are are supposed to enforce the laws, not break them, and if they are caught breaking the law they could get suspended from work or even worse.