VA State Trooper writes MEDAL OF HONOR Recipient a speeding summons

[Bearcat357]

I wouldn't tout your moral code so much. You are suggesting preferential treatment under color of law. It should be a priority to correct a lawbreakers actions in the most suitable way. If a person is mouthing off about not doing anything or referring to their achievements or social status they are obvious not concerned with their violation of the law but with the imminent ticket writing. At that point, it makes sense to resort to the most commonly feared threats; the wallet and driving record. By letting bad drivers continue on their merry way because of something irrelevant to their violation, you don't improve public safety you decay it.

Yeap.....I gave preferential treatment as a LEO when I was working the road writing summones....and will do it again if I end up going back out on the road......

Perhaps when you become a LEO.....and have to put up with the crap we have to put up with.....you will see why we do it......

As 1042 would say...... Have a nice day......

[djack16]

And there we have it. A person who does not understand some of the core concepts of our nation's legal system. Accountability, integrity, and equality. Must be too "idealistic" for people like you I guess.

[Bearcat357]

And there we have it. A person who does not understand some of the core concepts of our nation's legal system. Accountability, integrity, and equality. Must be too "idealistic" for people like you I guess.

Tell you what....get your butt through a background process.....get your butt through an academy.....get your butt through a FTO....get your butt through about an year or so on the road......

Then come back here and talk smack....... Then, and only then, will I respect you.....

As you have no clue.......to what the heck you are talking about.....

I don't care how many ridealongs you've done....how many times you have sat around in your white tighties watching COPS......or how many times you have watched Real Stories.....YOU HAVE NO CLUE WHAT IT'S LIKE!!!

Have a nice day.....

[djack16]

I have to say about 98% of my days are nice so bombarding me with that advice is tiring.

Attack me all you want with all the "have a nice days"'s you want but my argument remains solid. This is ABC's we are talking here. I don't think the law ever intended your discretion to mean letting people continue their dangerous conduct because they are "respectable" in your eyes. Get a dose of the three qualities I described in my previous post and I might respect you a bit.

Oh and by the way, it was seasoned police officers (among others) that conveyed those lessons to me for almost 5 years. I think this is a simple line in the sand; on one side there are people who enforce the law and see it as a responsibility. On the other are people who see it as a means to their own benefits. I'm sure you can't imagine a person who respects the person they pulled over but tickets them because they refuse to acknowledge they did something wrong.

[Bearcat357]

[QUOTE=djack16;893197 I don't think the law ever intended your discretion to mean letting people continue their dangerous conduct because they are "respectable" in your eyes. [/QUOTE]

Speeding 13 over (or whatever the hell he was going over) isn't dangerous conduct. You hit 20 over....and I will give you that....but I am still not going to write him.

Get off your dead *** and join the military......get the Nation's HIGHEST HONOR......and I might talk to you....but until then....give it up...... I (along with 99.9% of the folks on here) let folks off all the time when we are doing traffic enforcement....

But what do you know.....You're not a LEO.....

Hell....10-42 and several others that toe the line when it comes to writing summons won't write this guy....because they know it's the right and just thing to do.....

But then again....you've never been in that situation.....so.....

[mdrdep]

Been at this job for over 18 years. Would I stop a vehicle that had a MOH plate, yes. Would I cite a MOH winner, NO. Most people that have won the MOH were awarded after they were deceased because of their actions. As a veteran, a cop, and a citizen a MOH awardee deserves all your respect. Nobody here, even the most seasoned combat vet, knows the hell a MOH recepient has already lived through. USMC tradition is a MOH recepient gets saluted. If the Commandant of the Marine Corps comes across a MOH recepient he salutes first, any other time everyone salutes the Commandant first, enough said......


edit; The State of California obviously agrees to a degree. A person with a MOH plate in this state pays no reg. fees. Take that from one of the most liberal states in this great Union

[Gene L]

I wouldn't tout your moral code so much. You are suggesting preferential treatment under color of law. It should be a priority to correct a lawbreakers actions in the most suitable way. If a person is mouthing off about not doing anything or referring to their achievements or social status they are obvious not concerned with their violation of the law but with the imminent ticket writing. At that point, it makes sense to resort to the most commonly feared threats; the wallet and driving record. By letting bad drivers continue on their merry way because of something irrelevant to their violation, you don't improve public safety you decay it.

You obviously don't know, because you're not a cop, that a speeding ticket is an option, not a mandate. I am not concerned with writing a ticket to every single person who speeds. I have my personal moral code, and will speak of it as I please. And you probably don't know that "under color of law" Medal of Honor winners are given certain preferential treatment: free license plates, in my state. And free drivers' license; all vets are.

You are still a child, and probably don't understand these things. I doubt you've ever served your country, or you would know what it takes to be awarded a Medal of Honor and still live.

Writing the man a ticket in no way that I can see improves public safety as a whole.

[Woofdog]

As much as I respect a MOH winner and would be humbled in his presence, the fact remains that he can still be a danger to the public.

I would not want to be in a situation where I have to make a casualty notification because a war hero killed a loved one while careless & reckless or DWI.

Every situation is different. I agree that, under normal circumstances, a MOH winner would probably get off with a verbal after I stop him and advise him of his dangerous driving. But that's not set in stone. If he is arrogant and un-repenting, he gets written, and I'll take the hit with those who disagree.

We should all remember that us cops work for the victims, not the law breakers.

[Gene L]

Yes, he could be a danger, but nothing in this thread indicates he was.

Writing a ticket for an offender being "arrogant or unrepenting" is serving the public in what way?

[scratched13]

Yes, he could be a danger, but nothing in this thread indicates he was.

Writing a ticket for an offender being "arrogant or unrepenting" is serving the public in what way?

It denotes a driver who shows no concern for the law. They are "never wrong" and therefore can do what they want in their eyes. You let them go with a warning (IE, let them think that they are right) and you have just reinforced their mindset. It makes it even worse for the NEXT officer that stops them - and there WILL be plenty of other officers.

Sets up a dangerous situation where anyone around them "is wrong" no matter how "not right" the individual you let go with a warning is.

[Gene L]

You are assuming that your attitude has nothing to do with his attitude.

That is presumptive. I've seen some pretty arrogant traffic cops in my time, and other cops as well. This seems true especially in traffic cops, as they have all the evidence, they are dealing with minor infractions (usually) and they won't be argued with. I've found the more minute the law enforcement task, the more strictly it's enforced.

Try doing anything fun at a US Park, for example. Pick a flower, even carry home a feather...you get caught, you're busted.

And please don't tell me you never speed, or roll through a stop sign, or whatever.

Writing a ticket for attitude may be your policy, and I can't say I've never done it, but it is more of an indicator of you and me than it is the offender. And it's possible that I have encouraged that attitude, to tell the truth.

[t150vsuptpr]

Where in God's name did you come from....?

The banned zone.

I thought you were MIA...?

I'm OK.

Welcome back.....

Thank you.

[Woofdog]

Yes, he could be a danger, but nothing in this thread indicates he was.

Writing a ticket for an offender being "arrogant or unrepenting" is serving the public in what way?

As anyone who has any time on the street knows, "attitude tickets" are a fact of life. An offenders demeanor weighs in when a decision to go verbal or written has to be made. If I stop an offender and he's a pr*ck, he gets written (or arrested if he's obstructing and delaying). If he's professional and appears to be remorseful, he may get off with a warning.

ANYONE who speeds to the point of getting pulled is POTENTIALLY dangerous. Our job is to protect the public and minimize the danger of someone getting hurt on the highways.

It's called preventive patrol, and it's NOT a novel concept.

[Gene L]

Sure, but I can't see an 82 year old MOH winner going 13 over (I think that's the speed) being enough of a ***** to get a ticket.

I've seen plenty of cops who were, and are ******. A citizen can't write him a ticket for a ****poor attitude, and his prickiness is reinforced.

I'm sure you've seen plenty of cops who are ******. If you haven't you haven't been in law enforcement long enough.

[Woofdog]

Sure have. And sometimes I engage in conversations with one in a message board!

Assuming, of course, that everyone here is a cop - which may not be a valid assumption.

You know what they say about ***-U-mptions...