Citing examples of other problems doesn't support your arguement very well. Senators and other politicians don't deserve it either. My pension contribution option was taken away a few years ago as a cost cutting measure. That doesn't seem to be a problem for govt. employees. If you need more money just raise taxes. Better yet, make sure your department is bringing money into the till (via chicken sh*t tickets) so the budget doesn't get cut. You're not keeping people safe, your taxing people outrageous fees for minor, meaningless offenses. I'll ask again, what impact does all of these tickets you write have on society other than raising revenue?

 

I've only called the police to help me once in my life. My truck was broken into and the police did nothing. I solved the crime myself. Almost every other encounter with the police has cost me money under the guise of making the streets safer for everyone else or for me. Pure BS. There are plenty of studies, some referenced in this thread, that support the theory that higher speed limits produce less traffic deaths. Keep on raping the people you are supposed to be protecting under the ridiculous notion of keeping them safe.
I will hazard a guess that everyone on this forum drives 80 mph or faster everytime they get in their Vette at some time during their drive. Guess what? They all get home alive with the exception of a very very small percentage. Of that small percentage an even smaller percentage die from excessive speed. It's a nonsense arguement. Please just admit youre just raising money and we can all get on with our day.

 

Ya know what... if you feel "THAT" strongly about Government/City/State employees i.e. Cops,Firemen, School Teachers, Park Workers, Garbage Men, just to name a few.. getting such great perks, and high pensions... maybe its time to rethink your job future...

You sound well educated, and post very clear & understandable posts (That is a big+ as Cops have to write reports on every call they respond to) I'm betting you would make a "GREAT" LEO...and you have already seen one side so we all know how "Fair" you will be ... with drunk drivers or drivers who are high on whatever they are on at the time...

I'm sure you also will give the bully who broke his wifes nose a 2nd chance so as not to waste time arresting him....

Hell if your able to put in 20 yrs many departments will give you a 50% pension.. OR if you are unable to do the full 20 yrs... in Ct. you can be "Vested" after only 10 years of work on the PD and when you reach 55 yrs old you would get 20% of your pay... but NO medical ins..you have to serve the full 20 years to get medical coverage...

Please tell me how you feel about Firemen... they get to SLEEP all night unless the alarm goes off.. sometimes only once in a week.. and in the town where I was a PO the Firemen made the same pay as us ....

 

Wow! This thread sure went off-topic!

I respect most of the cops out there and I think the majority of them are cops because they believe in right and wrong. I have friends and family who are cops and I know it is one of the most difficult jobs there is.

That said, I wish these good cops would stand up to the politicians and fight back when they are required to be revenue generators, or when they see speed limits put in that they know are just wrong, and not for safety. I am sure most would rather be doing some more worthwhile crime fighting.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that no speeding or traffic tickets should be issued. There are plenty of idiots out there who deserve tickets and in fact I would be happy to see many of them banned from the roads!

However, let's face it, some budgets are created and cops are hired just to generate speeding ticket revenue. I would much rather have cops patrolling and pulling over the idiots who are doing things that are just plain stupid, as opposed to spending most of the day aiming a radar gun from a hidden position.

 

Arresting some loser for breaking his wife's nose is violent crime which is what your department should focus on, not hiding behind mailboxes trapping the people that pay your salary.
As for firemen, no need to be on the job for 24 hrs. at a time, punch a clock like everyone else. Oh wait, you would need more employees which would be more expensive not because of the wages but because of the outrageous medical and retirement benefits they would receive. A nice niche the unions have carved out at the taxpayer's expense. In CA many firemen make over 100K/yr. while sleeping 1/3 of their shift, shopping, cooking, eating etc. all on the clock.
Thanks for the compliments but I would never be a public servant, especially one that belongs to a union.

 

From me to you:

To all the law enforcement men and women on this forum, I for one would like to THANK YOU for your service, sacrifices, and commitment to keeping me and my family safe.

I sincerely appreciate everything you do.

THANK YOU & God Bless!!

 

I was just thinking. In Baltimore County Md,I saw a cop shooting his portable radar gun up a long hill about a half mile. He was near a tree. What a setup,he could see you long before you would ever see him .It was rush hour the rd is 2 lanes up and 2 lanes down with a center turn lane.The speed is about 25-30 go figure. Money grab!

 

Your right..I've retired afer too many years. No quotas and a 15 mph buffer was our window. I'm glad you solved your own case. When a more serious crime happens..say you are at the local mini-mart and a customer freaks out and starts random gun fire and God forbid you are standing in the wrong place. Please feel free to find the guy and turn him over to the Detectives. We know that without Police, Fire, EMT and Military it would be a much safer place. Now I'll move along..

 

Don't drag anyone else into it. COPS. NOT teachers, EMT's, Firemen, etc. This is not about a fireman, teacher, or EMT, who don't go out of their way to raise funds by ticketing people for stupid things. No "hiding behind the flag", so to speak. If you can justify the crap tickets get issued for, fine, but don't put the monkey on the backs of those who don't collect taxes for a living.

As to bullies and beaten wives, that's the judge's decision whether he gets another chance or not, and the cop won't get to him before he bloodies her face anyway. A strong community and a will to defend herself and her CCW would be the best defense a woman with an abusive spouse could have. How the cops deal with the aftermath doesn't much matter if your SO beats you brainless with a bat. It's just paperwork and it isn't bringing you back to health.

As to tax collectors, the city needs money for stuff, and I would rather pay a speeding ticket than an extra tax, so I don't so much mind a legit ticket, like speeding, parking in a fire-zone, etc. which I agree the OP got a legit ticket. I am against the little BS tickets like window-tint, non-current inspection sticker, etc.

Those aren't safety items like some people want you to believe. If they really were a big safety, there wouldn't be states that didn't have laws regarding them. Ironically, the state I live in has some of the toughest tint laws around, and yet we have the highest insurance rates, etc. So apparently...it's not working. Just another tax, and I am against it.

Cops do some dirty, nasty jobs, and I think their pay is just fine. I suppose my MAIN issue is that cops are forced by their management to do stupid crap like issue tickets for the sole purpose of generating revenue. I don't even think cops are over-paid. Around here, they start at around $25/hr, and I don't begrudge them that in the least.

Nor do I think all of them are bad, sure, plenty are, but I have met some that are not as well, and I like the bad ones anyway, because if you shut up, keep your cool, and are polite, they are usually the most polite in return, because they don't want ANY attention drawn to themselves. Investigations are not their friends, and you get enough civil complaints, your dept. WILL look into your behavior.

The main thing is, I think cops are misunderstood. They are REQUIRED to write BS tickets sometimes. Not officially, but try not writing any BS tickets and see how long they keep you around. Unwritten rules. Also, they are NOT personal body-guards. People get off on cops being "useless" because they didn't prevent such and such. Well, it's not their job. So yes, vent about them online, etc. so you feel better, but understand they are under pressure from management, hate the management. I strongly dislike the state/city laws, but the cops, meh, I have never been rude to them and they never to me, but they went to far the other day stalking me outside the gym just to train some noob to write a tint ticket.

Going to show up in court in my Baby Blue polyester suite or something off-key but not contemptuous. Dunno. Might as well make a joke of it and have fun if I am going to be paying, lol

Lol, I used to work in Waskom, TX for the city (not LE related). I saw numerous sad faces enter that court-house for 1-3mph over. Sounds like you had some pretty fair rules. Lenient, even.

But you just underscored my above points. OUR window. Meaning not YOUR window. IE, big brother told you what to and not to do, to some extent.

 

cops everywhere are being very aggressive about all kinds of infractions.
They "need the money".

 

OK so now we know you can pass the test to become a "Detective", thats great as it shows you have a good future in a PD which has a high B&E problem they can just put JAXON on the case, and have it solved in a day or two..


Oh...OH... "Houston We Have a Problem Here" ... we have an applicant to become a LEO.. but he had an "Extensive record.. seems he cant obey the rules... he refuses to drive the POSTED speed limit, & drives at whatever he wants..

Some of our officers have stopped him & even gone as far a issuing him a "Speeding Summons" .. but it seems to have NO EFFECT...


Should he still be considered for the position of LEO? He said the streets are not safe even though he puts innocent lives in jeopardy by disobeying the law (wants it HIS WAY)...

Has anyone suggested he try to have the speed limit raised on the roads where his is unhappy with the posted speed...

Also I'll put out a memo asking if any PO will give this gentleman a PBA card, which may or may not help get him off next time he "BLATANTLY DISOBEYS THE SPEED LAWS"

Also if anyone knows a lawyer contact the BAR association the see if we can get more pressure on the judges and prosecutes who continually treat him unfair!!

Lastly, this is to you citizens.. please take your Video cameras, to try and document this "Innocent" person being "Harassed" by all those crooked cops who are "Padding Their Pensions" by issuing undeserved tickets !!

Thank you all for the help..

 

Lets get back on topic. If you get pulled over for speeding just out run the SOB. After all you have a vet.
Capt Bob

 

If I'm in a mini mart and someone goes nuts and starts shooting what will the cops do besides notify my next of kin?
Please don't equate the public servents with the military. When there is gunfire, the military go and kill the losers. The cops (not SWAT) park a few blocks away and hide behind the fender of the cop car until the gunfire stops. Just read the report on the VA Tech shootings.
Everyone that wears a uniform is not a hero. Only some are. Riding the real hero coat tails is just sad.

 

Meh.

Enlisted are just more members of society, they have the role of following orders to protect it. They take our tax-dollars to finance weaponry, etc. to do so. They are just like cops, except they only go up against civilians in situations like Katrina where they went door to door taking weapons at gunpoint, etc. from law abiding citizens who legally owned said weapons. The military isn't some grand Dudley doo-right outfit. It's just more people making a living and doing what they think they would like to do best at that time in life. REspect for those who do their jobs well, whether they are military, cops, firefighters, or librarian's. If that librarian wasn't worth as much as a soldier, there would be no need for the soldier. Every component of society has a purpose. I find it ridiculous how some people honor some professions above others, although I can understand how most people are more FRUSTRATED by certain professions over others. I got frustrated about some rookie giving me a tint-ticket a while back, but the real problem lies at the top of the food chain that demanded he do so as part of his duty.

Who knows what face is ultimately behind that action, or the cause of it. Frustrated, yes, but we need cops. We just don't have to like all that they do, and don't expect them to do more than their job--same as anyone else--and that means they aren't your personal body-guards.

At any rate, venting online is healthier for your wallet than venting to the judge. I have vented online myself and things went much better than bottling it up for court, lol.

 

So do some PD's. I agree though, in some cases that would be best depending on the speed you were doing when Lidar'ed.

Loss of license + car taken vs....loss of license and car taken...if you get caught (100% certain punishment vs. somewhat likely punishment--radio's do 0-100 rather swiftly).

I don't see much difference, but I am not a cop or a judge, so maybe there is one. Care to enlighten? I have seriously wondered about that. If you are doing 120, or racing, or something serious, why even bother stopping? You're done if you stop or not, but if you don't, you MIGHT just get away with it.

 

What highway I'm in Orlando several times a year.
z51vett

 

I got one for parked and unattended vehicle. Left the car with the keys in and running at the curb, I was standing along side it. Cop pulled up reached in and grabbed the keys and started shaking them saying " whose car is this". Long story short, he showed up and I paid the fine. So don't bank on him a no show.

That high over the speed limit. The judge will assign another date.

 

If everyone in society breaks a certain law (speeding) then the law needs examined or changed. The speed limit is kept low intentionally. A lower speed limit generates more revenue. If the speed limit on the freeway was 30 mph people would still drive 80 mph but more revenue would be generated, cars confiscated etc. Then the people would revolt and demand change.
If the cops want to help the citizens they are employed to protect, why don't they just ticket the people that are slowing traffic down? It's the officer's choice who he pulls over is it not? Will they be happy if traffic stops moving completely?
The cops work for us, the citizens. It is incumbent upon us to demand the cops enforce meaningful laws.
BTW, I don't think for a minute that any cop joined the force to hide in the bushes with a radar gun. You joined to make a difference in society. Making a guy remove tint off of his windows isn't making a difference in society.

 

The flip side that would never be argued is that if the cops only accosted those who truly posed a danger to society, funding for many other city-funded things/services would cease. Including things that actually benefit society. I consider cops the tax-collectors of the unlucky, and rarely the reckless. Don't necessarily dislike them, just their station/job.

 

Here in Maryland, I read in the paper that officers will be vigorously enforcing tint,speeding,all vehicle related infractions. Fines will be going up too. Why won't they have the same attitude towards murders and robberies. You can't generate money that way I guess. Driving around in unmarked cars, hidding behind things, oh sitting off the highway. All that adds up to is a money grab