any VA Troopers on the air?

[jarobins]

I hear that not only in this incident but other times VSP summons other LEOs. Is this true? when they're in marked patrol cars?

There are idiots in every department. Unfortunately Troopers have written other LEO's. I don't agree with what happened nor can I change it, but any story on the internet is only half the story. You never hear the guys that were jerks admit they were an *** and talked themselves into a ticket. All I ever read is that a friend of a friend got stopped for doing 10 over and the Trooper took them down at gunpoint. I can give stories about guys I work with who got tickets by other agencies, but it seems like only Highway/State Patrol gets the bad reputations.

Is there such a thing as courtesy in VA, is it even extended to other VA officers?

It depends on the officer and the offense. Obviously everybody has their own personal criteria as to what is acceptable and what isn't.

[28Blue21]

"Let me say something else. Who cares what the "caller" demanded. You are the police. Not the caller. I would have loved for the caller to demand a warrent for the driver and have your people lock the NYPD personal up after helping the people of NO in their time of need. That really would have been wonderful. Thank for the COURTESY"

I wasn't there. And I know not how it is for VSP but I know down here, if you blow off a call and somebody complains, it can be your job - or at the least some days off unpaid. So I guess for you NY boys, you can do as you please. Good for you, wish it was the same here. But it is not. Sounds like the VSP was just doing his job. Sounds like some NYPD drivers were ****ed that they were not getting their deserved respect. And to add insult to injury, they weren't given their respect from the VSP.

I wasn't there and i may be making some generalizations. But with attitudes like "who cares, I am the POPO - I do as I please," it would not be a stretch of the imagination to believe that a NY convoy would intentioanlly block up 3 lanes of traffic, or speed 90 plus MPH, or block a VSP vehicle with lights activated.

Again, I say I wasn't there, but it sounds like the VSP was just doing their job(s) and NYPD (or whatever dept was convoying) got their feelings a little hurt.

[jarobins]

Regardless of all the "I heard this" and "I heard that" I have one thing to say. Now be warned that this is my opinion and mine alone.......


VIRGINIA SUCKS!!!!

I've tried to be professional about it, but asshats like you are probably why LEO's get tickets in VA.

[MC34]

Just curious...why would a citizen feel THEY have the right to pass a whole CONVOY of moving police vehicles, with their emergency lights activated? I wasn't there, but would imagine that they had no detailed info regarding the convoys' mission or purpose. Also, failing to yeild to an emergency vehicle is illegal and somewhat disrespectful, too...just my .02

[cst.sb]

Don't your dispatchers weed out the dumb*** complaints?

It seems to me coming from good ole neutral Canada, that stopping the convoy was in poor form. It's a bit foolish to stop a convoy of fifty vehicles of any sort for driving in the wrong lane.

Would the state troopers have pulled over the National Guard for doing the same thing? Would there have even been a complaint?

The dispatcher knowing these guys were coming in should have had supervisor authorize an escort if they were concerned about problems. Sounds to me like some police hater called in a made a complaint that was taken to seriously. I mean, really, who calls 911 over out of state police cars that have just left an aid mission. Those NYPD guys should be getting medals and escorts, not lectures over speed and what lane to drive in.

The dispatcher could have handled that as "broadcast only" type file and someone could have stepped up to the plate and helped out.

[actiontrooper]

Va State Trooper Responds

jarobins, I'd like to thank you for the courtesy of your unofficial response/ explanation, as to the events that transpired from the perspective of the Virginia State Police. My initial inquiry was in reference to the one large convoy that was for the most part traveling in the left lane, traveling approximately 65mph with the lead escort vehicle with lights and no siren. In the official response there are some patent inaccuracies which you yourself acknowledge. The official response from Bud Cox conveniently blends unrelated incidents stating "due to complaints received through our communications centers regarding the legality of the vehicles and the unsafe manner in which they were being operated, and after the vehicles were recorded traveling in excess of 90 mph with their emergency equipment activated." I'm not sure what question there might be about the "legality" of marked police cars, they were not traveling 90mph in this specific incident, because as you said, the larger vehicles in the convoy did not have the ability to travel in excess of 90mph, and the lights were activated not the siren. I'd question the speed the concerned motorist was travelling when she became offended at the speed and driving abilities of an officer in a marked police car, when she attempted to pass the vehicle from the right lane, most likely speeding in the process. In your other post you state "Another Trooper stopped the convoy and asked them to show US a little courtesy and check up on their speed and move over for Troopers on traffic stops. They were let go, again ." You state"Thanks for making our job easier.Thanks for being grateful that we did not allow her to try and obtain a warrant. Maybe I'm naive or just have a Trooper's mentality, but why do you need an escort?" Maybe a bit of miscommunication here, since every other state provided an escort vehicle and this interagency dispute was avoided. As for this motorist reprt of officers relieving themselves in public, if that be the case it is quite unfortunate she witnessed such an event. You do have my sympathies that you have that woman living in your neck of the woods, seeking to be a citizen vigilante on the roadways of Virginia. rpd1794 You state"Unlike NY, appearently, we can't just tell people to F-off....we're the police and we'll do as we please.The brotherhood is a two way street....don't put another officer into a position where he is obligated to act....then when he does and doesn't write anyone, bitch about it afterward.
Can we end the family fued now please?? '
I still have a difficult time understanding the practice of attempting to issue a moving violation to a MARKED police car with uniformed ON DUTY police operating the vehicle, in Virginia, Florida, Alaska, New York or anywhere else in the United States. Do you not see the ludicrous nature of such events here? I can not understand why the Virginia State Police would pull over a MARKED police car from New Jersey, traveling to DC to honor fallen officers from every state in the nation, as reported here and issue a summons to the driver of the vehicle, a uniformed police officer. One thing Bud Cox did emphatically state that Virginia State Troopers "use professional discretion in the execution of their duties as a police officer in that they may warn, summons or arrest for violations coming to their attention". Please inform, what I hope is the rare Virginia State Trooper that finds it necessary to write moving violations to uniformed police officers in marked police cars from agencies within Virginia and throughout the nation that Bud Cox says it is "ok to warn for violations coming to their attention" if for some God foresaken reason said trooper feels it necessary to pull over a marked patrol car. The Thin Blue Line sheds enough blood every year, and is assaulted from outside forces without the need for fratricide.

[PhilipCal]

VA Troopers

I read JA Robbin's response, and I'm satisfied. We've got to work together Guys. Side note: VSP is doing good(and I mean that) providing one Trooper per county. Wish we could do that well in Alabama.

[28Blue21]

"Just curious...why would a citizen feel THEY have the right to pass a whole CONVOY of moving police vehicles, with their emergency lights activated? I wasn't there, but would imagine that they had no detailed info regarding the convoys' mission or purpose. Also, failing to yeild to an emergency vehicle is illegal and somewhat disrespectful, too...just my .02"

I believe that I read here somewhere that due to some of the vehicles involved the convoy had to slow down considerably due to hills (mountains in VA). Also the convoy drove a stretch of 81 for 300 or so miles. If someone got caught up behind the convoy that WAS DRIVING SLOW IN THE LEFT LANE, I would not fault them for passing in the right or far right hand lane. Especially after a few to a hundred miles of following behind.

And there pops that RESPECT word. And because of that word, I kind of believe that cars in this convoy WERE cutting of other vehicles and shutting down ALL 3 LANES. And quite possibly some lady was almost run over.

[28Blue21]

"Don't your dispatchers weed out the dumb*** complaints?

It seems to me coming from good ole neutral Canada, that stopping the convoy was in poor form. It's a bit foolish to stop a convoy of fifty vehicles of any sort for driving in the wrong lane.

Would the state troopers have pulled over the National Guard for doing the same thing? Would there have even been a complaint?

The dispatcher knowing these guys were coming in should have had supervisor authorize an escort if they were concerned about problems. Sounds to me like some police hater called in a made a complaint that was taken to seriously. I mean, really, who calls 911 over out of state police cars that have just left an aid mission. Those NYPD guys should be getting medals and escorts, not lectures over speed and what lane to drive in."

Agai, some department CANNOT blow off calls. Jobs get lost or money comes out of your pocket.

National Guard convoys usually drive in the 3 lane due to large slow vehicles and don't usually cut off car or block 3 lanes of traffic.

Yes, this person probably was a police hater. And this person probably was intentionally cut off by a NY vehicle.

[ilkevinli]

Your misunderstanding my point. Im not saying you can just "blow off" any caller because your the police. But you have to use COMMON SENSE. This caller could have been handled like I said above. It is a reasonable reponse. Period. There was no need for the convoy to have been pulled over.

Also the issue about the speeding. NY Transit buses can NOT go over 65mph do to governers built into the bus. Its impossible.

I wasn't there. And I know not how it is for VSP but I know down here, if you blow off a call and somebody complains, it can be your job - or at the least some days off unpaid. So I guess for you NY boys, you can do as you please. I wasn't there and i may be making some generalizations. But with attitudes like "who cares, I am the POPO - I do as I please," it would not be a stretch of the imagination to believe that a NY convoy would intentioanlly block up 3 lanes of traffic, or speed 90 plus MPH, or block a VSP vehicle with lights activated.

[PeteBroccolo]

Ok, chiming in from the Great White North.

I can understand the NYPD gals/guys trying to get home, tired, dirty, hungry, and wanting to get there RFN!

I can understand the one, or more, civilians, wondering WHY the convoy is in the passing lane AND YET also cutting off any other vehicle passing the convoy in one of the other right hand lanes. I can even understand the civilian(s) concerns of OUT-OF-STATE LE Agency vehicles running with emergency lights on.

I can also understand the position that this whole shmozzle put the Virginia State Police in - they were understaffed as the convoy came through, probably not aware that there were heavy vehicles that MIGHT have needed some assistance, are like every other Agency and have to worry about budgets so can't just bring Troopers and vehicles in on O/T, but are now faced with multiple complaints, or inquiries at the least, from the public as to just WHAT THE HELL is going on here!

IF the Va SP investigator WAS cut-off while trying to pass the convoy, how is that showing ANY respect for the State of Virginia or its State Police by NYPD? Did any NYPD get charged by any Virginia SP Trooper? Has anyone from NYPD offered to at least write a "mea culpa" apology to the various newspapers in Virginia, acknowleging that they MAY have caused some problems, and asking understanding, due to how their personnel were absolutely bagged after working in the Big Easy to help out after the Big Washout?

Congratulations to NYPD and other Agencies for helping out the people of the Gulf Coast. Congratulations to the Virginia State Police for doing their job and trying to head off problems all around.

Is it NOT far past time that this discussion is locked out?

[ilkevinli]

You guys can't honestly believe that do you. Thats absolutley absurd.

IF the Va SP investigator WAS cut-off while trying to pass the convoy, how is that showing ANY respect for the State of Virginia or its State Police by NYPD? Did any NYPD get charged by any Virginia SP Trooper? Has anyone from NYPD offered to at least write a "mea culpa" apology to the various newspapers in Virginia, acknowleging that they MAY have caused some problems, and asking understanding, due to how their personnel were absolutely bagged after working in the Big Easy to help out after the Big Washout?

[GrayW4442]

I've got one thing no one has asked or answered.....

If the convoy was so dangerous and citizens were complaining why is it that it only happened in VA. The convoy went through numerous states in order to get too NO and back. However, they only had problems in ONE state.

Being a prudent LEO I would come to the conclusion that the problem wasn't the convoy but the state of VA.

[jarobins]

Being a prudent LEO I would come to the conclusion that the problem wasn't the convoy but the state of VA.

If the problem was with VA, we would have stopped them going southbound as well. It's not like this was the only convoy that passed thru VA in the last few weeks.

The problem was with the caller(s) who were tired of NYPD blocking the whole interstate. Perhaps someone from NYPD can answer the question about problems in other states. Did they block the entire interstate all the way from New Orleans to NY or was it just in VA because we didn't provide them an escort?

[GrayW4442]

So let me get this right, one person calls in several times with a complaint and the whole VSP comes to a stand still. If I would have received that call I would have driven out there took one look at the convoy and radioed back in, "This is a NYPD convoy, everything looks ok, show me back in service." If the complaintant wanted to speak I would have had her meet me at the next stop and talked to her. But there is no way in hell I would have disrespected those men and woman by pulling them over and lecturing them.

Also, I would assume this didn't happen in other states because they would have posted it on here. You say the woman started calling from Knoxville, TN dont you find it awful strange that the THP didn't stop them? Only the VSP.

I know one thing is for sure, I wont be traveling through VA.