Feeling Spunky...are Cops Hypocrites?

[180]

Okay, this should receive (look my E is before I!) some attention from those that are LEO:

1. My brother is a police officer. I am a teacher. I went on a ride-along with him recently...and we rarely obeyed a single speed limit or stop sign (full-stop).

2. When we have to drive places he always insists on driving because he knows he has a badge and he RARELY (if ever) pays much consistent attention to the speed limit.

Okay, here's the questions (that was just the setup): Is this the norm (seriously, is it?). Overall (?) he's a good cop (?) but this traffic thing really bugs me (and he hears it from me all the time)! Do you think (gulp) there is a greater tolerance for traffic violations among police officers than there would be for analogous infractions in other professions? Why do police officers give others "breaks" when they pull each other over?

Well, I hope the question didn't ban me from the "Ask-a-Cop" side of the forums...I know how testy you guys are this late at night!

[chris2001]

Okay, this should receive (look my E is before I!) some attention from those that are LEO:

1. My brother is a police officer. I am a teacher. I went on a ride-along with him recently...and we rarely obeyed a single speed limit or stop sign (full-stop).

2. When we have to drive places he always insists on driving because he knows he has a badge and he RARELY (if ever) pays much consistent attention to the speed limit.

Okay, here's the questions (that was just the setup): Is this the norm (seriously, is it?). Overall (?) he's a good cop (?) but this traffic thing really bugs me (and he hears it from me all the time)! Do you think (gulp) there is a greater tolerance for traffic violations among police officers than there would be for analogous infractions in other professions? Why do police officers give others "breaks" when they pull each other over?

Well, I hope the question didn't ban me from the "Ask-a-Cop" side of the forums...I know how testy you guys are this late at night!

Not in my area, for some things I cut breaks for (not gonna tell you those). But for the most part I will not cut breaks on speed. Sorry you know what you are doing and you are taking the same risk as anyone else is by speeding. And if they pull the badge out on me before I ask for ID or when I ask for their DL they are definately getting a ticket.

[Mike Romeo]

Okay, this should receive (look my E is before I!) some attention from those that are LEO:

1. My brother is a police officer. I am a teacher. I went on a ride-along with him recently...and we rarely obeyed a single speed limit or stop sign (full-stop).

2. When we have to drive places he always insists on driving because he knows he has a badge and he RARELY (if ever) pays much consistent attention to the speed limit.

Okay, here's the questions (that was just the setup): Is this the norm (seriously, is it?). Overall (?) he's a good cop (?) but this traffic thing really bugs me (and he hears it from me all the time)! Do you think (gulp) there is a greater tolerance for traffic violations among police officers than there would be for analogous infractions in other professions? Why do police officers give others "breaks" when they pull each other over?

Well, I hope the question didn't ban me from the "Ask-a-Cop" side of the forums...I know how testy you guys are this late at night!

For some reason, I sense hostility here. I for one want to let you know that we love you!

[realpolice]

Well, I guess you could look at it a few other ways as well. Although I don't agree with giving breaks simply because of their officer status, a veteran officer told me something that stuck with me. If I write that officer a ticket, he/she could be my backup someday when I need help (or his friend, etc.). I will generally give any officer a break unless they're a complete idiot and abusing their position, i.e. I stop them multiple times. Is all this fair? No. But if I stopped your bother a second time, I would either inform his supervisor and/or tell him if I stopped him again, he was getting a ticket. For what it's worth, I have went to a superior on an officer in the past that I always seen speeding. Hope this helps.

[Terminator]

For some reason, I sense hostility here. I for one want to let you know that we love you!

Me too, and I love him too. Can you feel the love tonight? :D

[Creeker]

...I know how testy you guys are this late at night!

Was that a PUN there Mr. Teacher? There are some of us guys that are just waking up and may be testy because we haven't had our coffee and doughnut yet.

All things considered, do you really believe that anyone else will stand up for Cops if we don't do it for each other? If so, your world is a fantasy land of idealism.

Cops sometimes need to drive outside of the permissable envelope to affect arrests or detection of other violators and optimum arrival time to many calls is 20 minutes ago. Cops are usually not wanted where they are and wanted where they are not at yet, so they should automatically be given a certain amount of leeway, particularly when civilians adopt a "HE gets to, why can't I?" attitude, which is usually petty enviousness.... much like you would probably see in a sibling rivalry. ("He gets to because he's trained to do it, told to do it, and expected to do it.")

I hate Cops who drive badly for no reason. They reflect(ed) upon me and the badge, as well as the Agency and respect that we receive from the public. To drive poorly *INTENTIONALLY*, because you now believe you can get away with it, smacks of immaturity in my book. If your account is factual, either he was doing it to try to impress you, or he hasn't been on long enough to see the realities of the result of a cruiser involved accident, in which the steel cage for the back seat can additionally entrap the front seat occupants.

He also has not had complaints made against his driving to an IA Unit with little to do than to make examples out of flagrant violators.

As to why Cops give other Cops breaks, I could go into the Mantra about how dinging another Cop for petty violations isn't real conducive to team spirit ( don't see too many linemen tackling their own ball carrier during the playoff's) or I could go on and on about how all professions have their own professional courtesy (as in teachers kids are always given breaks in the cost of their tuition at private schools their parents teach at) OR I could just relate that there are very few Careers which are absolutely dependant upon having a valid and clear drivers license and affecting another trained Cops quality of life in a detrimental way is not on any Cops List of Accomplishments they want to Achieve before they retire ...except maybe the IA guys. But I am leary of the facts as you stated them for some reason, so you will have to suffer with the Readers Digest versions.

Now, if all ARE as you say things are, forgive my run-on sentences and possible mis-spellings and tell your brother to grow up a little and stop abusing his office.

[oscarmitre]

I'm really, really glad I don't have to work with your brother. And I'm really, really glad I won't ever have to deal with him if I pulled him over.

[Bearcat06]

Okay, this should receive (look my E is before I!) some attention from those that are LEO:

1. My brother is a police officer. I am a teacher. I went on a ride-along with him recently...and we rarely obeyed a single speed limit or stop sign (full-stop).

2. When we have to drive places he always insists on driving because he knows he has a badge and he RARELY (if ever) pays much consistent attention to the speed limit.

Okay, here's the questions (that was just the setup): Is this the norm (seriously, is it?). Overall (?) he's a good cop (?) but this traffic thing really bugs me (and he hears it from me all the time)! Do you think (gulp) there is a greater tolerance for traffic violations among police officers than there would be for analogous infractions in other professions? Why do police officers give others "breaks" when they pull each other over?

Well, I hope the question didn't ban me from the "Ask-a-Cop" side of the forums...I know how testy you guys are this late at night!

What's with all the traffic questions? You pissed because your brother got out of a ticket or two and you can't?

That's life.....suck it up and go troll elsewhere......

[cwillis0001]

Believe it or not, police work isn't all about traffic violations. This job is about a tight knit fraternity that is responsible for the greater good of this entire country. Our chief concern isn't whether someone wishes he could roll through a stop sign, too. Wanna roll through stop signs? Apply, get hired, graduate the academy, pass field training, get off your probationary period, and knock yourself out. Is all that worth it for you to go 5mph over? If so, go for it, can't wait to see you out there. If not, quit complaining just for the sake of complaining.

[Mike Romeo]

Police work is love.

[oscarmitre]

Police work is love.

Mike Romeo is channelling Tim Leary :eek:

[mobrien316]

Another way of looking it would be like so:

I know of a teacher who was also molesting children. Since you are a teacher let me ask you: Are all teachers child molesters?

[sbrad]

Another way of looking it would be like so:

I know of a teacher who was also molesting children. Since you are a teacher let me ask you: Are all teachers child molesters?

They don't molest them. They love them.

[Frogdiver]

They don't molest them. They love them.

Are you allowed to say that without a CareBear avatar?:D

[scott715us]

To answer your question:

We're not your brother.

I've seen pilots get drunk before they get into the cockpit, do I assume all pilots are the same way?

The other answers have been well stated. Although I don't run lights & siren to every call, I am usually breaking the posted speed limit. Most calls dictate that we run faster than 40mph, but not critical enough that we have to use lights and sirens.