I ratted on the five-O! Should I be scared?

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,389
1,777
126
I just got back from Circuit City and the grocery store and I'm on this straight 3 lane, 1 way street and I pull up next to a copper. We're both approaching a traffic light (about 20 feet away) and it turns red. Neither of us were going very fast...about 35mph. I slowed to a stop. He slowed down a little, but then went on through the light. He wasn't in pursuit or anything!!

I got home, picked up the phone and called headquarters on his ass. They said I'd get a call tomorrow from the sarge to follow up. In the last year and a half, one of my friends was badly injured in a wreck involving a cop that ran a red light because he was called in for backup on a road block. (totalled her ford probe GT too) And a girl that went to my high school was killed in September by a police officer that was trying to make it to a fight somewhere...also ran a red light. What is it with the cops in this towns and simple traffic laws??? RED MEANS STOP! :|
 

yobarman

Lifer
Jan 11, 2001
11,642
1
0
i was gonna that was a waste of time, but if you had friends hurt in the past, then i can definately see your reason for it.
 

AlienCraft

Lifer
Nov 23, 2002
10,539
0
0
Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
I just got back from Circuit City and the grocery store and I'm on this straight 3 lane, 1 way street and I pull up next to a copper. We're both approaching a traffic light (about 20 feet away) and it turns red. Neither of us were going very fast...about 35mph. I slowed to a stop. He slowed down a little, but then went on through the light. He wasn't in pursuit or anything!!

I got home, picked up the phone and called headquarters on his ass. They said I'd get a call tomorrow from the sarge to follow up. In the last year and a half, one of my friends was badly injured in a wreck involving a cop that ran a red light because he was called in for backup on a road block. (totalled her ford probe GT too) And a girl that went to my high school was killed in September by a police officer that was trying to make it to a fight somewhere...also ran a red light. What is it with the cops in this towns and simple traffic laws??? RED MEANS STOP! :|
Write down the details so your details don't get picked apart. I hope you got a car number so they can put it to the guy. You can bet the Sargent will remind them about those accidents.
< Brother in a small town PD. Stepfather... ex CHP

 

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,389
1,777
126
What's up around here lately with all the lameness anyway?
Which lameness is that? The lameness that's crapping on my serious thread?

I feel uneasy about confronting a police officer on their driving because I don't know the procedures. I know they will call me tomorrow and I'll just tell them what I saw and explain my concerns. I just want as many people to know that I do care about the safety of myself and others that live in this area. Both accidents I described happened within a 5 mile radius of my apartment.
 

Spac3d

Banned
Jul 3, 2001
6,651
1
0
Did the cop turn on his lights into the intersection or no?

I see cops do that every couple days. It will be a red light, the flip on the lights, go through then turn off their lights. And continue on their way. Is that the same thing that happened with you?

Spac3d
 

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,389
1,777
126
Originally posted by: Spac3d
Did the cop turn on his lights into the intersection or no?

I see cops do that every couple days. It will be a red light, the flip on the lights, go through then turn off their lights. And continue on their way. Is that the same thing that happened with you?

Spac3d
Nope....he didn't turn on his lights at all. He just coasted through like he didn't care to follow the rules of the road. A car had just pulled up to the adjoining street as well, but he was already in front of them so they had to pause before they could pull out.

I did get his car number as well.

 

bmacd

Lifer
Jan 15, 2001
10,869
1
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what's with all the snitches lately? Nothing better to do? However, i do see your concern given your friend's circumstances.

-=bmacd=-
 

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,389
1,777
126
Originally posted by: bmacd
what's with all the snitches lately? Nothing better to do? However, i do see your concern given your friend's circumstances.

-=bmacd=-
I just hate to see things like this happen in my city and I don't feel bad about being a snitch. If he had stopped and I hadn't, I'm sure he would have ticketed me....he can eat this one as far as I'm concerned. It's his job to serve and protect, as well as set an example for others and ensure the safety of other drivers and pedestrians while doing so.
 

XZeroII

Lifer
Jun 30, 2001
12,572
0
0
Was the cop's lights on in your friend's cases? If so, then it's their own fault for not looking. You should have no trouble. What do you think they are going to do? Come to your house and beat you up? Pull you over and give you a ticket for no reason?
 

Kadarin

Lifer
Nov 23, 2001
44,303
15
81
As I understand it, police officers are supposed to obey the same laws as the rest of us unless there's a damn good reason why not (i.e. high-speed chase). This is a safety issue, and as you're aware, it can affect people you know and care about. I think you did the right thing. On the other hand, if you were just posting to complain that some store released a video for rental a few days early...
 

Antisocial Virge

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 1999
6,578
0
0
I have no prob with someone complaining about the cops driving but don't be one that comes bitching in here about how to get out of a speeding ticket.
 

Kelvrick

Lifer
Feb 14, 2001
18,438
5
81
I think the cop should be punished, but not that much. From your past experiences, the cops should have turned on their lights but they at least had a reason. If he didn't have a reason though, he should get reprimanded at least.

<== monkey dance
 

MedicBob

Diamond Member
Nov 29, 2001
4,151
1
0
Originally posted by: XZeroII
Was the cop's lights on in your friend's cases? If so, then it's their own fault for not looking.

I disagree. Emergency vehicle operators, Police, Fire, and EMS, are required to operate with due regard. In other words the peeps with the green light have right of way over an emergency vehicle running emergency, but blocked by a red light. This is Wisconsin state law and a majority of other states.

 

Mardeth

Platinum Member
Jul 24, 2002
2,609
0
0
At least in Finland and I expect that it the same there, emergency vehicles have the right to go throught red lights and civilians have to dodge them. Of course if a car is broken in the middle of a crossroad they dont just ram throught or something :).
 

Mill

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
28,558
3
81
Originally posted by: Mardeth
At least in Finland and I expect that it the same there, emergency vehicles have the right to go throught red lights and civilians have to dodge them. Of course if a car is broken in the middle of a crossroad they dont just ram throught or something :).

Most states have a due regard type of idea like MedicBob mentioned.
 

ChefJoe

Platinum Member
Jan 5, 2002
2,506
0
0
Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
Originally posted by: Spac3d
Did the cop turn on his lights into the intersection or no?

I see cops do that every couple days. It will be a red light, the flip on the lights, go through then turn off their lights. And continue on their way. Is that the same thing that happened with you?

Spac3d
Nope....he didn't turn on his lights at all. He just coasted through like he didn't care to follow the rules of the road. A car had just pulled up to the adjoining street as well, but he was already in front of them so they had to pause before they could pull out.

I did get his car number as well.

Good for you. Traffic laws are just that, there are exceptions made for certain reasons, but they're written into the law. The police need to follow the law like everyone else.
 

compudog

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2001
5,782
0
71
In Pennsylvania, only fire apparatus responding to a fire call can disregard traffic control devices. Ambulances, police, etc must obey traffic signals slowing down, or stopping and proceeding when clear. This requires the use of lights and sirens/horns. I've seen our local cops run with lights and sirens through intersections and turn them off afterward.
 

Led Zeppelin

Diamond Member
Oct 15, 2002
3,555
0
71
Good for you for not letting this go unnoticed. I'm sure it will be looked into, that's what Internal Affairs is for, to police the police.
 

NikPreviousAcct

No Lifer
Aug 15, 2000
52,763
1
0
Originally posted by: yobarman
i was gonna that was a waste of time, but if you had friends hurt in the past, then i can definately see your reason for it.

It's never a waste of time to rat out corrupt cops.

Corrupt cops are called "pigs". I hate pigs. :|
 

Mill

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
28,558
3
81
Originally posted by: LedZeppelin
Good for you for not letting this go unnoticed. I'm sure it will be looked into, that's what Internal Affairs is for, to police the police.

IA can either really clean up corruption or it destroys the job.
 

db

Lifer
Dec 6, 1999
10,575
292
126
When I returned after a month to see if the wallet I found had been claimed (I called all numbers and names in it to no avail), the cops didn't know anything about it. THEY ripped me (and the owner, who couldn't be found) off for the money that was in it.
Hopefully, anyone reading this will be wiser after having read this and act accordingly in the future.
 

Rogue

Banned
Jan 28, 2000
5,774
0
0
There's absolutely nothing wrong with calling in and reporting the incident, nothing at all. The officer should and probably will get an ass chewing from his superior. However, everyone here needs to remember something, cops are human just like everyone else. You don't know how long he'd been at work at that point or what his life is like. Everyone runs in this thread saying "don't you know that cops make their own rules..." and bull$hit like that, but not a single person in here so far has admitted that they've EVER run a red light before, intentionally or accidentally. When you work in a car for 8+ hours per day, it can get very tiring to drive and when people get fatigued behind the wheel, stuff like this happens. And really, what's a cop supposed to do if he accidentally runs a light like that, turn on his lights, pull over to the side of the road and write his own ass a ticket? Most of you are much too hard on law enforcement officers. For the record, I am one.