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Futurecops dad sounds like a stereo typical policeman. Abuse of power, abuse of privilege. Nothing personal.
And LauraC, that settles it. I'm moving to the Yukon Territories.
For me public transportation is not possible. I have to take my kids to and from school. But I am considering riding a motorcycle again.
That's not abuse of power. It's a benefit to being a police officer. They're out risking their lives everyday. He's been to the Police Academy, he's been trained on high-speed driving and everything.
If somebody's driving like a nutcase he'll blow the air horn. The guy driving like a bat out of hell has never been trained on driving like that. HE will be the one that kills somebody.
And they encourage him to take a work vehicle home or else they'll be sitting in the parking garage in the city... Not a good idea. Work cars have been broken into before.
Speeding when not answering a call and having absolutely no fear of being pulled over, is an abuse of power. Those are not the same rules that others have to follow. Accidents and the unexpected happen and they more likely to occur at higher speeds (trained or not)
Taking an unmarked police car home and not paying for gas is a nice perk but the taxpayers are paying for his privelege and getting no benefit. Cars can be involved in accidents and can be broken into anywhere. And it's more likey to happen on a Kmart parking lot than in a garage.
In the city of St. Louis, cops were encouaged to take home for personal use a squad car. It was thought that having a squad car park in front of your house would deter criminals.
Speeding when not answering a call and having absolutely no fear of being pulled over, is an abuse of power. Those are not the same rules that others have to follow. Accidents and the unexpected happen and they more likely to occur at higher speeds (trained or not)
Taking an unmarked police car home and not paying for gas is a nice perk but the taxpayers are paying for his privelege and getting no benefit. Cars can be involved in accidents and can be broken into anywhere. And it's more likey to happen on a Kmart parking lot than in a garage.
In the city of St. Louis, cops were encouaged to take home for personal use a squad car. It was thought that having a squad car park in front of your house would deter criminals.
I know it's not an abuse of power. He can speed, he's a police officer. When you are a police officer, you're a police officer, on duty or off duty. Doesn't matter. When you're a cop there is no speed limit. They are trained for fast driving and they can do it much better than some person going home from work who has had no training.
If you believe it's an abuse of power, then every police officer is abusing their power in America. They all do it, if you don't like it, then tell them. I'm sure they'll take you seriously... I know I'd be laughing my ass off, and I'd double the fine if somebody told me that bull**** when I pulled them over.
That "tax" line is a classic. Some idiot will get pulled over and say "I pay your taxes" to the police. "Huh, I protect your thankless ass. Can I have a raise?"
I was going to leave you alone because I felt like I was attacking your dad but you're wrong, ask him.
The law is the law. Period. Because you're a cop doesn't mean you're above the law. He can not legally speed when he is not answering a call. Now, no cop would ever give him a ticket but that doesn't make it right or okay.
And I don't care if you're Mario Andretti, being trained in driving on a course and driving in the city are two different things. The driver cannot control things that happen around them, out of their control.
And I never said that I would ever challege a cop by telling him I pay his salary. You're right, that's BS. But taxes do supply the money for the police budget and hence pay his salary, right??? And by the dept. paying his gas for the ride home, they have less money for something else. I'm sure it's a minor piece of the budget and if that's what the police board decides, then okay.
And if you think that you're going to double the fine of someone who you don't like then that too is an abuse of power. Another thread asks which cities have the worst cops? The answer is that all areas have arrogant cops who think because they have a gun and power they're better than everyone else. That's Bull****
And just so you know, I have a lot of friends who are policemen in the city of St. Louis. They are good honest people who deal with more crap than Scarsdale will ever put out. They do their job and treat with courtesy with courtesy.
So if you're going to be a cop just like dad, launch that arrogant attitude that gives cops a bad name and ask yourself why you want to be a cop.
I know it's not an abuse of power. He can speed, he's a police officer. When you are a police officer, you're a police officer, on duty or off duty. Doesn't matter. When you're a cop there is no speed limit. They are trained for fast driving and they can do it much better than some person going home from work who has had no training.
That's definetly an abuse of power, I know PLENTY of friends who are both police officers and highway patrol and I know none of them would EVER abuse their position like that. He may be a cop but it doesn't mean that he is ABOVE THE LAW. He may be trained to drive fast but it doesn't mean that he has the RIGHT to speed whenever he so pleases.
Cops are required to obey the speed limit like everyone else. Unfortunately all too often they don't, and FutureCop is right, they'll often laugh about it. It's an abuse of power and an unfortunate reality. Wearing blue doesn't put you above the law (officially) but unofficially they often are above the law. It's wrong and illegal, but Sgt Joe Average is going to say "who's gonna stop me? all my buddies are on the force too."
LauraC - I don't think that many people have the concerns about public transportation that you think. I've been using public transportation for years (almost daily for over 12 years and less frequently for an additional 12 years ... I started riding it on my own when I was 13-14 years old). I used the Chicago subway sept 10, 11, and 12th of 2001 and most every day since (and quite a few years before).
Most of us who ride public transportation realize that if something is going to happen, it is going to happen, and honestly, in a disaster, where I live in the city, car or no car, I probably wouldn't be going anywhere quickly, most people realize this but also have enough sense to realize that adjusting ones entire life in an inconvenient and economically foolish way for a remote possibility doesn't make much sense (to not take public transportation would be both for me). Oh, and my train ride is less than 10 minutes long, I don't care too much about getting a seat.
LauraC - I don't think that many people have the concerns about public transportation that you think. I've been using public transportation for years (almost daily for over 12 years and less frequently for an additional 12 years ... I started riding it on my own when I was 13-14 years old). I used the Chicago subway sept 10, 11, and 12th of 2001 and most every day since (and quite a few years before).
Most of us who ride public transportation realize that if something is going to happen, it is going to happen, and honestly, in a disaster, where I live in the city, car or no car, I probably wouldn't be going anywhere quickly, most people realize this but also have enough sense to realize that adjusting ones entire life in an inconvenient and economically foolish way for a remote possibility doesn't make much sense (to not take public transportation would be both for me). Oh, and my train ride is less than 10 minutes long, I don't care too much about getting a seat.
But you are on the train so everyone who rides with you shares your opinion that mass transit is fine. Ask the people who don't ride the train why they don't do it. I think the original poster was trying to get at why people don't take public transportation when they could.
The light rail system leaves much to be desired in STL. I drive from an eastern suburb in Illinois to a western suburb in Missouri. Its 30 miles and takes me about 40-45 minutes. Not bad for the city, BUT I work at 9:30, so its not bad.
And yes, driving above the speed limit is against the law, even if you are a cop. That is an obvious abuse of power, and also the most common. A cop is trained to use tazers too, but if an off-duty cop is dancing in a club and tasers a guy that he shares words with, he's going to get charged with assault/battery.
And "FutureCop," you can't "double their fines" unless you find more things to write them a ticket for. Please. I've never heard of a cop that can write their own fines on a ticket. hah.
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