Police Procedure

[DarkCloud]

Just wondering, can city police officers patrol on a state highway if the highway is within the city limits?

That is, can they write tickets for people who have, hypothetically, been speeding on the state highway- or is that only done by the county sheriff?

Also, can a city police officer work both traffic duty and then be called to deal with a domestic disturbance?

PS: ...And NO I'm not asking this question because I received a ticket.

[Winston]

Donegeal will be able to answer that. I've only ever known one guy to be smarter than him, and only slightly so.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Re: Police Procedure

Originally posted by DarkCloud
Just wondering, can city police officers patrol on a state highway if the highway is within the city limits?

That is, can they write tickets for people who have, hypothetically, been speeding on the state highway- or is that only done by the county sheriff?

Also, can a city police officer work both traffic duty and then be called to deal with a domestic disturbance?

PS: ...And NO I'm not asking this question because I received a ticket.

Yep, on all counts. I don't remember if it was a SCOTUS case, or just one of the circuit courts of appeal, but there was a humorous case a few years ago in which a city (nominally, anyway - it was incorporated) had an interstate pass through the city limits for a few hundred feet, but no onramp or offramp within city limits.

Since the municipalities or counties who issue tickets get a portion of the proceeds from the fines, the issue came up as to whether the city had a legal entitlement to issue tickets on its "part" of the freeway, when it had no freeway access within city limits.

If the cop on traffic duty is a sworn peace officer (i.e., not just a meter maid), then yes, he or she can respond to any call.

[Donegeal]

Your a good man Winston. Good man.

MtG is right, but I don't know if it was any type of SCOTUS case or not. Hell, any sworn officer can write a ticket in another juridiction so long as they get permission from that jurisdiction. Frequently, during the concert season, the City of East Troy commissions a number of Walworth County Deputies to write tickets for them at Alpine Valley Music Theater.

Traffic and domestic disturbance are just two different types of cases and frequently you do both in a single night (sometimes multiple times ). What you might be thinking about is a thing called "revised priorities". If your sitting at a simple traffic stop (say speeding or some other minor stop, not OWI/OAR etc) and you get a call that there is some guy brandishing a gun at a domestic, then you leave the traffic and get your ass in gear (that is if there is no other officer available).

[SlowwHand]

Yes they can, and if in pursuit can tail you forever.

[Zkribbler]

[Zkrib conceives of a really great sci-fi/horror film, where a cop car sets out in pursuit of evildoers from Anytown USA and follows them all the way to....the Twilight Zone ]

[SlowwHand]

I have startling news for you. When you leave ACS, look around. Unmarked cop cars a-plenty. Don't freak out. Walk normally.

[Lancer]

If a German trafic cop was patroling the Polish corridor to the 'free city' of Danzig prior to the German invasion were to write a ticket on Polish national, would the Pole have to pay it?

[Zkribbler]

Jeez...I remember what happened when one of them refused...blitzkrieg, world war, millions dead....it's just not worth it for one lousy traffic ticket.

[Lancer]

I think WW2 was just the German way of collecting on unpaid tickets.

[DarkCloud]

Thanks guys, especially Donegal and MichaeltheGreat!

So, it would be feasable for a police officer of a city to be hiding in a speed trap of sorts about three miles from the exit ramp to a city?
-
Also, may as well ask another question since I see that Donegal is actually a law enforcement officer (how long have you been in the service of your country, by the way?)- what's the procedure if a police vehicle strikes a civilian vehicle? Say that, hypothetically, the police car turns into a parking lot, going much faster than it should have (30 mph) and it puts a dent into the side of the other car?

What might the penalties be for the officer involved?

--
I figure that it's only fair to mention why I'm wondering for the answers to these questions. It has to do with a novel that I'm writing. I'm about 1/4th of the way done with the rough draft so far. With luck, I should have it finished by the end of July (fingers are crossed).

And don't worry, of the three police officers who are playing small bit parts in the book- two of them are saints- the third one just happens to accidentally make a poor decision while driving one-handed and distractedly speaking on his car radio to headquarters.

[Donegeal]

Originally posted by DarkCloud
Thanks guys, especially Donegal and MichaeltheGreat!

So, it would be feasable for a police officer of a city to be hiding in a speed trap of sorts about three miles from the exit ramp to a city?

Yes, but highly unlikely. There is usually enough other things going on that he wouldn't be there. Additionally, cops are frequently lazy and if they did have some free time, they'd find some place to hide and not be bothered. If your cop character was some kinda hard ball, then maybe he get permission, but it just seems odd.

Also, may as well ask another question since I see that Donegal is actually a law enforcement officer what's the procedure if a police vehicle strikes a civilian vehicle? Say that, hypothetically, the police car turns into a parking lot, going much faster than it should have (30 mph) and it puts a dent into the side of the other car?

What might the penalties be for the officer involved?

There would be an internal investigation into the cause. The officer inquestion could even be cited for unsafe driving or too fast for conditions (not speeding as most parking lots are not covered as public traffic areas. All those stop signs in a parking lot are suggestions. I only obey them if there is traffic nearby).

Pending the findings of the internal investigation, the Officer, as alreaddy stated, could receive citations, but he could also be disciplined. Disciplines vary department to department, but there is generally a verbal, a written, suspension (paid or unpaid) or dismissal depending on both the severaity and frequency of disciplanary issues.

I figure that it's only fair to mention why I'm wondering for the answers to these questions. It has to do with a novel that I'm writing. I'm about 1/4th of the way done with the rough draft so far. With luck, I should have it finished by the end of July (fingers are crossed).

And don't worry, of the three police officers who are playing small bit parts in the book- two of them are saints- the third one just happens to accidentally make a poor decision while driving one-handed and distractedly speaking on his car radio to headquarters.

Is this one that is going to get published? Cool.

(how long have you been in the service of your country, by the way?)

It'll be 9 years on December 2 for the Sheriff's Department, but I also served in the Wisconsin Army National Guard for 12 years.

[DarkCloud]

There would be an internal investigation into the cause. The officer inquestion could even be cited for unsafe driving or too fast for conditions (not speeding as most parking lots are not covered as public traffic areas. All those stop signs in a parking lot are suggestions. I only obey them if there is traffic nearby).

Pending the findings of the internal investigation, the Officer, as alreaddy stated, could receive citations, but he could also be disciplined. Disciplines vary department to department, but there is generally a verbal, a written, suspension (paid or unpaid) or dismissal depending on both the severaity and frequency of disciplanary issues.

Thanks! That's exactly what I needed.

Is this one that is going to get published? Cool.

With luck. I'm still working out a few kinks though. Namely I wrote myself into a hole and now I'm hard at work digging myself out. Today I spent a few hours downgrading one character from a main to minor character and deleting 3000 words (about 4 pages)... then writing 6000 new words (about 10 pages) and revising my outline.

'Tis a tedious, though rewarding chore.

It'll be 9 years on December 2 for the Sheriff's Department, but I also served in the Wisconsin Army National Guard for 12 years.

Nice.