Do police have jurisdiction in only the city where they are employed, or the entire county?

Question

In reference to a speeding ticket written in different city limits than the city that the police officer works

A few more details:

State is North Carolina.

Two very small towns, right next to each other.
Officer was on a road outside of the city limits for which he worked.

No weird circumstances, just a "I clocked you speeding and turned around to come write you a ticket" type deal. My husband actually knew it was coming, pulled into a store, and officer never turned his lights on, just pulled up beside hubby.

Don't know if rank has any bearing, but he was a Sgt.

He wrote his "home" town (A) on the ticket, even though it was clearly town B (both the speeding, and the location where the ticket was written).

We have police/sheriff/state trooper here. I know sheriff is county, and state trooper is anywhere in the state, but I wasn't sure about the local police.

Answer 1

If you cop saw you speeding within his jurisdiction, he can pursue outside of his jurisdiction (in most places). Most adjacent communities have agreements that allow such actions. The only case you would have was if the cop wasn't in pursuit and initially registered your infraction outside of his jurisdiction.

Answer 2

If you were travellling from his jurisdication into the next and he clocked you there then he can write the ticket. For the most part (in CT) municipal officers stick with their jurisdictions unless a pact is reached with the neighboring town for their police services.
City/Town police handle their towns while the state police handle the state areas and highways and towns that have no organized police force.
In addition, a state policeman can make an arrest anywhere in the state while a city or town officer can arrest anywhere for a felony but is limited to his/her jurisdiction for misdomeanor violations.

Answer 3

Rachel, every state is different but there are many commonalities through out the country. Most all city officers have state wide enforcement powers. The key is if they choose to utilize them or not. there are several key factors which play into that decision. However in your case he was within his county just outside of his city/town governmental lines. Its not a question of does he have the right or the authority to stop you and issue you a citation. It comes down to does his particular city/town place restrictions on his authority to effect stops outside of the city/town limits. Legally he has the right, administratively he might not be allowed to by his city/town council.

Answer 4

Depending upon the state constitution. In our state, city officers are sworn to uphold the state laws. Therefore, techincally a city police officer can make arrests or write tickets under state violations anywhere in the state. On a more practical basis, they generally work city and county-wide.

Answer 5

no-you can not get out of a speeding ticket because you were in a city other than the one that the officer was assigned. For example- a State Certified Officer in Arizona has jurisdiction in any city in Arizona. And if you want to push it-they push back.

Answer 6

Depends on the type of officer. City cops just within the city, County sheriff the whole county and troopers have the whole state.

Answer 7

Depends on the state, obviously state cops have statewide jurisdiction, county - county wide, etc. Texas recently changed the law to include jurisdiction for city police county wide in the county their city is located. Naturally if the offense was witnessed in the city he/she can pursue and arrest wherever you go.

Answer 8

If the infraction was actually committed inside his/her jurisdiction and he was already on your tail, he may cross the city line to cite you. He/she cannot however chase you all over the state or county on a simple speeding ticket. You will appear in the court jurisdiction where the infraction actually occured.

Trying to outrun a cop past city boundaries is not too bright in any case.

Answer 9

A state trooper of course has jurisdiction over the whole state, sheriff county and police are local. Anyone can place a person on citizen arrest if they witness a crime. I believe the officer who gave you the ticket was out of his jurisdiction but........ I'm not sure.

Answer 10

It would depend if the police officer was a city, county, or state officer. It would also depend if you were fleeing and near the city limits and they thought you were endangering the lives of others.

Answer 11

There are dissimilar police companies different that in simple terms the close by PD and so as that cope with all kinds of incidents in each and each state. Examples in Texas (noticeably a lot in score order).. Texas criminal professional well-known Texas branch of Public protection Texas Capitol Police Texas Ranger branch (the "Texas Rangers") Texas highway Patrol Texas Parks and vegetation and fauna branch — regulation Enforcement branch Texas Alcoholic Beverage cost close by Sheriff Precinct Constables close by Police Departments There are others here and there, to not point out Federal companies that cope with specific issues to boot. My ingredient of itemizing those is that there is a purpose to each and each between the companies and that i don't think of Texas ought to outlive devoid of all of us of them. There must be a chain of command in each and each state for regulation enforcement. If the close by police prefer help, they turn to the sheriff's workplace. If the sheriff's workplace needs help they turn to the state police, etc. it particularly is equivalent to the chain of command in each and each given organization. An occasion is that at my particular county organization, if we've an officer in touch in a fleet (twist of destiny concerning a patrol unit), the state police are those to paintings it. in case you have been the sufferer interior the twist of destiny, might you prefer an analogous organization working the twist of destiny because of the fact the only that regulate into in it? i'm hoping this helps slightly and delivers you something to think of on.