# Nice Cops?



## IronClaud (Oct 17, 2011)

Have any of you ever been pulled over and then let go "scotch free" upon the officer finding out you where a member of the EMS family?


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## ArcticKat (Oct 17, 2011)

Sigh...Again?

:deadhorse:

It's all been answered here:

www.emtlife.com/showthread.php?t=4919

And here:

www.emtlife.com/showthread.php?t=25263

And several other threads that can be found with the search function.

And a teensy bit here:

www.emtlife.com/showthread.php?t=9586


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## amb999 (Oct 17, 2011)

Here in blighty the local Road Policing units do regular drink driving checks in the festive season. 
Before I got to know the local guys I had a couple of times where I was flagged down to be breathalysed, as soon as I pulled over, they spotted my para bag or hi viz vest on the rear seat and just waved me on even when I was in civvies.

Also on a few occasions I have been responding for my local service and have been flagged down and waved on straight away not even the tyres have stopped turning!!

daryl


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## STXmedic (Oct 17, 2011)

amb999 said:


> my para bag or hi viz vest on the rear seat



LOL!


That is all.


Edit: I've been let off more times than I care to admit.


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## FourLoko (Oct 17, 2011)

mmmm scotch


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## mycrofft (Oct 18, 2011)

*Couple of times when I was a firefighter.*

Kept a wallet badge opposite my license, before these new cards came out that are ruined if they get deformed from the badge. I got chewed out good (they were for speeding) and released.

I NEVER tried to use my sheriff dept affiliation to get out of a speeder, though. "Tinning" (allowing your badge to show when  being cited), wearing uniform items off duty, etc. for those purposes is strictly forbidden.


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## VCEMT (Oct 18, 2011)

No one is above the law. I hear my partner and other co-workers talk about getting away without a ticket. I don't agree with that, if you are speeding and get caught... You deserve a ticket. That just speaks for the quality of law enforcement, which is pretty piss poor.


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## Minnick27 (Oct 18, 2011)

I had a Delaware trooper write me a ticket and then flip out when he saw my uniform shirt on the other seat. He asked why I didn't say anything. I told him I was speeding, why argue. He told me to go to court and fight it because he wouldn't show for it. It was easier to pay it than take the day off and go to dover


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## JPINFV (Oct 18, 2011)

VCEMT said:


> No one is above the law. I hear my partner and other co-workers talk about getting away without a ticket. I don't agree with that, if you are speeding and get caught... You deserve a ticket. That just speaks for the quality of law enforcement, which is pretty piss poor.




I agree that no one is above the law, but if you're caught, take it to court. There are plenty of 'outs' in California if you play the game properly.


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## Shishkabob (Oct 18, 2011)

VCEMT said:


> No one is above the law. I hear my partner and other co-workers talk about getting away without a ticket. I don't agree with that, if you are speeding and get caught... You deserve a ticket. That just speaks for the quality of law enforcement, which is pretty piss poor.



I'll be the first to say I won't B*** and moan if I broke the law and got a ticket, HOWEVER:


It's called officer discretion, and they can choose to do everything from verbal warnings to arresting you.  Giving a verbal warning is still punishment for breaking a crime.  If an officer wants to let someone 'slide', that's their choice.


Think of it in terms of our job:  We don't force every drunk to decide between the hospital or an officer, do we?  We don't choose to do every single protocol order for a patient, do we?  We make judgement calls, we have not only the right, but the expectation, to do that.




Now, back to the OP about "Good cops"... that title makes the assumption that most cops are "bad".  It's just the opposite.  I've met far more 'good' cops than 'bad' cops, not only in my career, but my personal life.

Having said that, yes, I have gotten out of citations due primarily to me being a Paramedic, and some of the officers have even said as much.  I see no problem with that.


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## JPINFV (Oct 18, 2011)

Linuss said:


> Think of it in terms of our job:  We don't force every drunk to decide between the hospital or an officer, do we?  We don't choose to do every single protocol order for a patient, do we?  We make judgement calls, we have not only the right, but the expectation, to do that.



The issue with "discretion" when it comes to the police is when they selectively enforce the law. Police officers refusing to ticket other police officer is corruption, not discretion. If the police feel that they don't need to enforce the law among themselves, then they have no business citing someone else for the same crime. 




> Now, back to the OP about "Good cops"... that title makes the assumption that most cops are "bad".  It's just the opposite.  I've met far more 'good' cops than 'bad' cops, not only in my career, but my personal life.



Most cops are bad in the sense that they, at a minimum, tolerate bad cops. The blue line of silence is akin to lying down with dogs. When you lie down with dogs, don't complain when you get fleas.


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## VCEMT (Oct 18, 2011)

If a cop wants to let someone off, whatever... However, I've seen a lot of cops not enforce laws or break them. From not pulling over a person on their cell to cops driving without due regard and nearly running over pedestrians and running reds.

I don't like braggers, especially, those that brag about how many times they've been let off.


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## akflightmedic (Oct 18, 2011)

IronClaud said:


> Have any of you ever been pulled over and then let go "scotch free" upon the officer finding out you where a member of the EMS family?



They never let me go scotch free...they always insist I take at least a 1/5th with me....

Now scot free has occurred once or twice in my day...

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/scot free.html


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## Sasha (Oct 18, 2011)

I do appreciate being given a verbal warning. I have gotten them a few times and not always in uniform.

It's amazing what being polite and respectful will do.

Or crying.

Sent from LuLu using Tapatalk


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## dstevens58 (Oct 18, 2011)

Only time I've been pulled over by a cop was for speeding.  My honesty and polite mannerism got me off more than my connection with law enforcement (my registration with DMV at the time noted I worked for an agency).  I immediately pulled over when I saw him turn around as we passed each other.  I was about 7 over the limit, saw him hit his brakes and turn around as I calmly pulled to the side and kept both my hands on the steering wheel.

He checked me out, said I appreciate you not making me chase you down and to watch my speed and bid me a good evening.


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## firetender (Oct 18, 2011)

If someone throws you a bone because you're a medic, grab it without  bragging or complaining. Just enjoy it for Goddsakes!


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## Shishkabob (Oct 18, 2011)

VCEMT said:


> If a cop wants to let someone off, whatever... However, I've seen a lot of cops not enforce laws or break them. From not pulling over a person on their cell to cops driving without due regard and nearly running over pedestrians and running reds.



Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

You break laws on a daily basis, I don't see you going to the police station to turn yourself in.




JPINFV said:


> The issue with "discretion" when it comes to the police is when they selectively enforce the law.


  Uh.. that's the very definition of officer discretion...





> Most cops are bad in the sense that they, at a minimum, tolerate bad cops. The blue line of silence is akin to lying down with dogs. When you lie down with dogs, don't complain when you get fleas.



Have proof of this?

As someone who is a very vocal proponent of "science based medicine" you sure are making accusations without being able to back it up...


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## Seaglass (Oct 18, 2011)

Sasha said:


> It's amazing what being polite and respectful will do.
> 
> Or crying.



Or boobies. 

Never gotten a ticket in uniform. Never gotten a ticket while wearing a low-cut shirt. Never deliberately tried to show off either, and never will, but that's the way things go. 

With all the problems I've gotten for both the job and the body, I don't feel all that guilty when they bring something good. I'm not really happy about it either, but short of insisting the officer give me a ticket, there's nothing I can do. And my budget and career really can't afford morals like that. 

Besides, it's human nature to help out other members of your tribe. I don't expect my cops to be perfectly fair--if a friend of mine gets off because an officer thought he had a funny bumper sticker (that's happened), I don't see much difference. All I'm looking for is reasonable. I hope that they wouldn't ignore me if I was actually driving dangerously, rather than just going 5mph over a limit set for the city budget.


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## dstevens58 (Oct 18, 2011)

Coming from a former law enforcement background, there may have been a blue wall years ago, however, it is disappearing.  

I'm not saying it does not exist today, but there are quite a few things being a cop won't get you out of.  Can't remember anyone I (or my friends) ever let off for drunk driving or spousal/child abuse or any felony crime for that matter.  Also, anything that involves personal integrity.  

Lying will lose the job quicker than any type of criminal behavior, not just in law enforcement, but fire or EMS service.


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## JPINFV (Oct 18, 2011)

Linuss said:


> Have proof of this?
> 
> As someone who is a very vocal proponent of "science based medicine" you sure are making accusations without being able to back it up...



Let's see. To name two from California alone...

The homicide of Oscar Grant at the hands of Officer Johannes Mehserle.

The brutal beating death of Kelly Thomas at the hands of 6 Fullerton police officers. The one where it took a month for FPD to even seriously begin to look into it. 

Are you telling me you've never noticed that when ever a police officer ever does anything remotely wrong, intentional or not, the first thing police officers do is circle the wagons? Heck the Grant/Mehserle incident is akin to physicians circling the wagons around Conrad Murray.

Ever visit the forums at Officer.com?


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## DrParasite (Oct 18, 2011)

dstevens58 said:


> Can't remember anyone I (or my friends) ever let off for drunk driving or spousal/child abuse or any felony crime for that matter.  Also, anything that involves personal integrity.


really?????  you actually believe that??????

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/05/off-duty_nj_state_police_offic.html

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/04/state_police_look_the_other_wa.html

and those are just the ones that hit the paper.  It might not have happened to your personally, but it does happen, and incidents like this are not isolated to the NJ State Police (which was the agency involved in the above two articles), nor does it only happen in NJ.  It happens more often that you probably are willing to admit.

Police officers will almost always back fellow police officers, except when the PO is 100% undeniably wrong.  than there will be no support, but little condemnation.  Remember the police officer who choked the paramedic on a call?  cops on various forums were all saying the paramedic was wrong, and the cop was 100% justified in his actions.

BTW, I have been pulled over by LEOs for motor vehicle offense.  been ticketed too, and let go as well with just a warning.


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## chuck stank (Oct 18, 2011)

Was given a ticket while in uniform for having tinted windows.


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## Shishkabob (Oct 18, 2011)

JPINFV said:


> Let's see. To name two from California alone...
> 
> The homicide of Oscar Grant at the hands of Officer Johannes Mehserle.
> 
> ...



Funny, could have sworn you said MOST cops.  I've yet to see any sort of evidence of MOST cops, aside from your anecdotal stories that don't really prove "most cops" covering something up.




DrParasite said:


> Remember the police officer who choked the paramedic on a call?  cops on various forums were all saying the paramedic was wrong, and the cop was 100% justified in his actions.



Go back to the umpteen threads WE had on it here and you'll see a good portion of Paramedics and EMTs saying the paramedic was in the wrong too...


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## Sasha (Oct 18, 2011)

Linuss said:


> Funny, could have sworn you said MOST cops.  I've yet to see any sort of evidence of MOST cops, aside from your anecdotal stories that don't really prove "most cops" covering something up.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Actually I think you were the only one defending the cop.

Sent from LuLu using Tapatalk


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## chuck stank (Oct 18, 2011)

Sasha said:


> Actually I think you were the only one defending the cop.
> 
> Sent from LuLu using Tapatalk


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## JPINFV (Oct 18, 2011)

Linuss said:


> Funny, could have sworn you said MOST cops.  I've yet to see any sort of evidence of MOST cops, aside from your anecdotal stories that don't really prove "most cops" covering something up.



So... show me the support in the LE community for the Mehserle conviction.


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## firetender (Oct 18, 2011)

*Wherever there is power...*

...there is corruption. 

It is not the rule with these people or those professions or them guys, it's something, we, as human beings are all too prone to embrace. Corruption is the easy way. Backing your Buddies means that (maybe -- it's playing the odds; that's what being corrupt includes) they'll back you, in peace and war and everything in between.

The proportion of cops who are corrupt in the work they do is equal with the proportion of medics who would be *if they had the opportunity!*

Some jobs, like politics and law enforcement and money-generating enterprises have a lot more opportunities then we do. When moral slippage occurs in our business, however, the stakes are lives.

So I say it's a human thing defined by opportunity. And, yes, I have taken advantage of such opportunites as presented to me by corrupt cops, thereby joining them in their corruption! In the towns that I worked where this happened, however, part of the deal was that most of us would die for each other if called to do so, but what does it matter? Corruption is corruption and it's a game we, those damn humans, invented.


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