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1. SivaHP
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   There was a post earlier about how there is a speed trap in West Seattle. Many people posted, "If you break the law then you should be penalized." "I am glad there are police out there, speed kills."
   Well, today I was driving down Ambalm and then Roxbury and there was a sheriff driving the same route I was.
   He was weaving in and out of traffic and had to be going at least 50 in a 35MPH. (even on Roxbury where the speed limit is 30 and has school zones.)
   It makes me mad because if I drove like this guy I would have been pulled over and gotten a ticket. If speed is a safety concern then it isn't right for law enforcement to get away with doing it as well.
   Aren't they supposed to be abiding by the same laws we do?
   I am not ranting because law enforcement gets to get away with something I don't. I am ranting because it sucks that law enforcement have a special unit just to capture speeders because it is so dangerous and here their own get to do it. If it is so dangerous nobody should be doing it.
   With the way the weather was today speeding is more dangerous.
   Thanks for letting me RANT!

   Posted 3 years ago #         

2. gunnerddog
   Member Profile

   

   Did you contact Sue Rahr before posting this?

   Posted 3 years ago #         

3. JanS
   Member Profile

   

   Siva...I have always wondered aobut the driving habits of our finest out there. I have had cops tailgate me, etc. until I've actually had to pull over...and they just gave me the thumbs up sign and smile.

   I realize that there are times when they might be making a call...a silent one, no lights, so the perp or whatever doesn't know that they're coming...but, yeah...they need to set an example, I do believe, if it's not an emergent situation.

   Posted 3 years ago #         

4. SivaHP
   Member Profile

   

   Well, I have talked to a sheriff who bragged to me that he was able to get away with speeding.
   I don't know it is really annoying.

   Posted 3 years ago #         

5. cruiser
   Member Profile

   

   You could call the cops on him..tell them somebody must have stolen a police cruiser 'cause a policeman wouldn't drive like that.

   Posted 3 years ago #         

6. Anonymous
   Member Profile

   Law enforcement officers put their neck and life on the line every single day. Who are we as civilians to rant about how a cop drives when we have no idea what the heck is going on out there, and especially going so far to say they're breaking the law?

   I'm more worried about the civilian drivers than I am the cops. At least the cops are expertly trained in driving their vehicles.

   To JanS's point, the unit may have been heading to a call and didn't need to go in with lights and siren blazing.

   Support our local law enforcement and quit questioning everything they do! They're people just like you and that guy over there.

   Posted 3 years ago #         

7. gunnerddog
   Member Profile

   

   And the best part is, if they do cause an accident, they have deeper pockets than most insurance companies right now. Wait, these were King County cars? Nevermind.

   Posted 3 years ago #         

8. richwseattle
   Member Profile

   I'm all for supporting law enforcement when they're doing their duty, but "quit questioning everything they do" is not the kind of advice I can agree with, no disrespect to the poster.

   Police have rules to follow, they're not above the law, and can endanger citizens needlessly when they don't follow them.

   You don't know when they're responding to a silent call, but you can still report them. The police have records of who was responding to a call and when. If it was a silent call, no harm, no foul.

   Posted 3 years ago #         

9. SivaHP
   Member Profile

   

   Point taken Luigilinguini- I understand that police do put their necks on the lines and I am in no way saying that every police officer breaks the law or that they are horrible.
   And you are right I don't know what he was doing or why he was doing it.
   But, it is frustrating to me that I see a sheriff weaving in and out of traffic and speeding when I have been told by a law enforcement person before that he takes advantage of his badge.
   Points have been taken though and for all I know this peticular officer may have been on a call.
   I appreciate your opinions and letting me know about other reasons that the officer might be doing that.

   Posted 3 years ago #         

10. Anonymous
    Member Profile

    richwseattle - If I understand your post, you're advocating random civilian "oversight" of our law enforcement professionals, and suggesting that civilians record and report any police / sheriff activity they deem inappropriate or unnecessary?

    You've got to be kidding me.

    Great idea. Let's bog down the already overloaded system with minutia from the civilian deputy dawgs.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

11. richwseattle
    Member Profile

    Luigilinguini: no I'm not kidding. The occasional report of a speeding cop is a far cry from the "random civilian 'oversight'" you claim I'm advocating.

    The cops can handle the occasional citizen report, and I bet it's rarer than occasional. When I see a speeding cop without lights or siren going, I can't help but wonder. But I've never called one in yet.

    I'll agree with you that they can't have their every action dogged by the average citizen. If you're saying we have to close our eyes to everything they do because they're cops, that's where we disagree.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

12. Anonymous
    Member Profile

    richwseattle - I don't subscribe to the notion of closing our eyes to everything they do because they're cops, as that would be very dangerous. Rather, what I'm suggesting is the existence of an irrational and dangerous anti-cop culture wherein folks subscribe to a belief that "all cops are up to no good" and critically analyze their actions in the absence of understanding the situation at hand or with more nefarious intentions.

    I'm particularly sensitive to this stuff because my Dad has been in law enforcement or corrections for 40 years (he's working in corrections right now).

    The reality of being a cop means 90%+ of the people you deal with don't want you there / don't like you / don't respect you / shoot at or fight with you. I'm all about respecting all public safety folks as they do fine work every single day.

    But I digress. I don't believe we're that far apart in our opinions.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

13. richwseattle
    Member Profile

    LL: agreed.

    Firstly, kudos to your pop for his service to the public. It's folks like him that make civilized society possible. And thank you for sharing him with us.

    I used to watch "Cops" a lot, because I was fascinated by their job. I had to stop watching because I got so angry at how stupid and disrespectful the citizens were. Granted, these were the ones that made the show, but still.

    I don't think we're far apart at all. We just say it differently.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

14. NewGuy
    Member Profile

    

    Luigilinguini: On a similar note, if I KNOW someone who has been busted, live, on the Cops television program -with cameras and all...does that make me more of an RN?

    But now "Cheaters"...whoa...that's a whole other story! That show rocks.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

15. Anonymous
    Member Profile

    Roger that, richwseattle. I apologize if any disrespect was conveyed on my part.

    Lars & Barb - It depends on what they were doing when they got busted! Siphoning fuel from a pickup truck with an 8-ball stuffed in the glove box? That definitely qualifies them as RN (Redneck, not Registered Nurse)!

    Posted 3 years ago #         

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