For Police Officers - Ethics question

[Sleww]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Ohio
Hello,

Let me start by saying that I have law enforcement officers in my family and I do respect the law and appreciate what law enforcement officers do. I have a few questions regarding ethics.

I was recently pulled over by an officer who was sitting about 20 feet back in a private driveway not visible by me due to large and steep hills. He pulled me over for speeding while going down a very long steep hill. I was doing 55MPH in a 45 MPH, I agree I was speeding. There were two cars behind me riding me and I was breaking to avoid going 60MPH. When he pulled me over he told me I was speeding, I replied that it was hard to stay doing 45 while going down such a steep hill and that i had two people within 5 car lengths behind me and that breaking to do 45 would have been dangerous given the situation. I then asked why he decided to pull me over and not the other motorist. He told me he clocked me doing 55 but he though I was slamming on my breaks and I must have been doing 62 or more. I told him i had my breaks on because i was going down a long steep hill and if I didn't have my breaks on I would be going well past the posted speed. He told me he pulled me over for slamming on my breaks. I didnt think slamming on your breaks was illegal. After all that he asked me where I was from, where I was going, ect. i told him i was going to work. He went back to his car, took 25 minutes to write me a ticket then gave me a citation for my bike rack blocking my license plate. I wish i could post a picture. The tie downs on the rack partly cover the outside edge of the plate. You can see all numbers and sticker but not the very edge of the plate. What do you guys think. Should I go to court essentially it is his word vs mine. Also this particular TWP has a reputation for being rude and issuing tickets for next to nothing they have even made our local news a few times. How do you tackle something like this. I'm personally sick of the TWP but have to go through it for work.

 

[CSO286]

So, did you actually get cited for speeding?

Frankly if you weren't, then the cop was being kind.

I'm betting that the plate obstruction ticket would be far less expensive than the speeding ticket and might not carry any points...

And if you were, well, you admit that you were speeding and that the plate was--even if only partially--obstructed.

Where's the ethics question?

 

[Zigner]

There is a tested & true method to not going too fast down a hill. Use a lower gear.

 

[CSO286]

There is a tested & true method to not going too fast down a hill. Use a lower gear.

That and braking early..... I know when I slow down, the cars behind me generally do as well.....

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

This is a duplicate post but I will play along. So you are saying you don't know how to operate the brakes on your car? How did you get a license? You could have maintained close to 45, but chose not to, unless your brakes are defective and the vehicle unsafe. The reference to braking hard, I think is obvious. You knew you were greatly exceeding the speed limit and hammered the brakes, when you saw the police car. He knew it, you knew it, I know it. I bet you smarted off, which is why you received the extra ticket.

 

[eerelations]

I'd like the OP to explain what this has to do with employment law, and why he thinks this employment law forum is staffed by police officers.

 

[CSO286]

I'd like the OP to explain what this has to do with employment law, and why he thinks this employment law forum is staffed by police officers.

I'm guessing he feels it's an etics vioaltion and the good officer ought to lose his job.....

'course, I'm jes' spitballin' here**************

 

[eerelations]

Well if the good oifficer ever loses his job over this, he can come on over here and rant about it, until then though, there's nothing we can do.

And I still don't understand where OP got the idea this forum is staffed by police officers!

 

[Just Blue]

Posting Hx os relevant. 55 or 62...hummmm...Only the Shadow knows.

 

[Sleww]

Too many thing to respond to.

1. I understand I was speeding. The ethics question is should a police officer be allowed to use a private driveway not visible from the street and if its not visible from the street how could he have clocked a radar reading like it says on my ticket, furthermore if he said he clocked me at 55 then the ticket says 62 which happens to be 1 pay scale higher for the offense. And why were there no other tickets issued to the other people on me.

2. If the officer was ther in the interest of public safety why wouldnt he be out in the open where he can have an effect on the driving habits of people. You see a cop you check your speed in theory you are going to be "safer". This guy hide behind trees far up a private driveway to catch people speeding down a super steep hill. then he pulls you over at the bottom where people are wizzing by you at 60 mph. that puts me at risk.

3. for the guys who said , "just drive the speedlimit, don't youknow how to use your brakes". Thanks for the comment you have provided nothing valuable to this conversation and if you think believe for a second you guys never speed you can go to hell.

4. if you actually look on the forums there are a lot of law enforcement officers that respond to these things

 

[Sleww]

So, did you actually get cited for speeding?

Frankly if you weren't, then the cop was being kind.

I'm betting that the plate obstruction ticket would be far less expensive than the speeding ticket and might not carry any points...

And if you were, well, you admit that you were speeding and that the plate was--even if only partially--obstructed.

Where's the ethics question?

I got cited and i'll pay the speeding ticket. The ethics question is in my general response above. I would like a definition on obstruction for the plate since none of the information on the plate was blocked. You can read all letters of my LP and see clearly the stickers

 

[Zigner]

3. for the guys who said , "just drive the speedlimit, don't youknow how to use your brakes". Thanks for the comment you have provided nothing valuable to this conversation and if you think believe for a second you guys never speed you can go to hell.

...says the guy cited for speeding who is trying to rationalize it away...

 

[Sleww]

This is a duplicate post but I will play along. So you are saying you don't know how to operate the brakes on your car? Seriously How did you get a license? You could have maintained close to 45, but chose not to, unless your brakes are defective and the vehicle unsafe. The reference to braking hard, I think is obvious. You knew you were greatly exceeding the speed limit and hammered the brakes, when you saw the police car. He knew it, you knew it, I know it. I bet you smarted off, which is why you received the extra ticket.

Are you an angry cop? I didnt break hard at all. I rode the brakes like anyone with half a brain cell. I wanted to be clear why I was being issued a citation. I'll let you in on a little secret you can ask cops questions and cops have to be accountable for their actions and that being the reason i received an extra ticket is pretty stupid. Presuming to KNOW things is the first step to living a very ignorant life. Keep assuming, you know how the saying goes

 

[Sleww]

I'd like the OP to explain what this has to do with employment law, and why he thinks this employment law forum is staffed by police officers.

I thought i posted this under non moving violations my apologies

 

[Zigner]

Are you an angry cop? I didnt break hard at all. I rode the brakes like anyone with half a brain cell.

Anyone with half a brain cell will do their best to avoid riding the brakes down a steep hill.