Police above the law ?
 

Once again I read a story about a member of our police force, committing an offence, then getting let off, how do they do it ?

Story here

It p***es me off to say the least, they get the usual compassion for feeling depressed etc
You or I would get fined or worse.

Re: Police above the law ?
 

Surely being above the law would suggest he would never have been charged due to being a copper, but he was charged, tried and found not guilty.

Re: Police above the law ?
 

good point.
now if he had been found guilty of say doing over 100mph and wasn't given an automatic ban, then there would be a problem. But surely things like that don't happen...

Re: Police above the law ?
 

and i will second that , it doesnt smell of a whitewash to me , i just hope he has learned his lesson ;)

Re: Police above the law ?
 

Well I was just looking for the link to that one, which I'm sure I heard on the radio yesterday - but no luck!
(Didn't the copper involved just get 6 points and a £400 fine?)

Re: Police above the law ?
 

I think you know what I was trying to put across.

Re: Police above the law ?
 

But the police will be taking disciplinary action against him anyway! ;)

Re: Police above the law ?
 

My thoughts exactly.

Yesman: I think you are being a bit rough on him. His story is perfectly plausible, and could well be true. The whole depression thing, was probably added by the journalist. As they call it, it is "adding colour" to the story. And the jury hardly deliberating at all. That indicates the case against him wasn't all that strong/convincing.

Re: Police above the law ?
 

OK, as I read it, he was charged with "Passing forged banknotes", he was then taken to court and found not guilty, but the police are taking disciplinary action anyway ?

Re: Police above the law ?
 

Yes, I know what you are talking about, but I think you are completely wrong in this case. If he never faced any legal comeback, or if he was found guilty, but the judge gave him a very lenient punishment then I could see that maybe it would be a case of being above the law, but he was charged, tried and found not guilty by a jury! This wasn't just a judge pulling strings for a fellow law enforcer, or things being swept under the mat. It was all open and above board. He was found not guilty and to be honest the whole thing probably cost the taxpayer a shedload more than it was probably worth.

Re: Police above the law ?
 

something like that whereas you or I would get a 12month ban and fine

the police are disciplining this forged note guy because he should have handed in the evidence rather than keep it in his locker and use it in pranks

Re: Police above the law ?
 

OK OK I will rest my case, this thread will be adjourned until I can summon more evidence :D

Re: Police above the law ?
 

Um, they do it by getting charged, tried, and being found not guilty by the jury.

Pretty standard stuff - I don't see what your point is here :confused:

Re: Police above the law ?
 

Ok, so not completely on the same topic....ish, if its now illegal for us to use mobile phones whilst driving is it therefore illegal to use walkie talkies :shrug:

I drove past a copper the other day ( he was driving and moving ) and was talking away on his, so ok, I know its work \ comunication but whats the difference, its still taking up one hand and creating " lack of concentration "

:wtf: Its so unfair, one law for them and another for us :rant:

Re: Police above the law ?
 

it also seems like he was treated unfairly, I mean look at the crimes its not exactly earth moving it seems he made a mistake and went to court

Re: Police above the law ?
 

I think police radios are exempt from the current law - so let's all go out and buy walkie talkies! :D

Re: Police above the law ?
 

The police in general are good, Its sad to see people trying to look for injustice all the time

Re: Police above the law ?
 

My point exactly, whats the difference between walkie talkies and phones NOTHING, its the them and us bit all over again :mad:

Re: Police above the law ?
 

Granted, but as this thread is about them being above the law in certain cases ( or so it seems ) it not a case of us looking for " injustice " just one law for all

Re: Police above the law ?
 

Police have far more advanced training with cars

Re: Police above the law ?
 

It has nothing to do with us/them - the mobile phone law simply does not apply to two-way radios (whoever is using them).

Re: Police above the law ?
 

True, but does that make it right \ ok :shrug: ( don't think so )
What about an advanced driving instructer, is it ok for him to use the phone on the move as he has " advanced training " and as I've said previously, it not about individual things but the differences in penaltys dished out, if any at all :mad:

Re: Police above the law ?
 

So it ok for me to drive down the road talking away on walkie talkie but not a phone, now that makes a lot of sense, not :shrug: surely theres just as much chance of that causing a distraction, now I know the worlds gone mad :pp

Re: Police above the law ?
 

Not quite. The current law means you're not allowed to use a handheld phone. It allows for handsfree kit use. Now, if you were using your mobile (as I still see so many people doing) you theoretically have to hold it to your ear with either your hand or your shoulder, meaning you don't have complete control over the car. You also have a continuous connection with the other person, which in typical human behaviour means they must try and keep in contact (ie talking/listening) as much as possible to chat with your friend. If you suddenly stop talking or listening they are going to wonder where you are. You can't talk into the phone without it being near your mouth and you can't hear without it being near your ear. You also have to dial the number, or navigate to it through the menu system by looking at the screen.

A police 2-way radio doesn't need the user to hold it always near their face/ear. It has a speaker so you don't need to have it by your ear to listen, leaving your hands free. To talk you press a button and you are immediately connected to the person you want to speak to. To stop, you release the button. There's no navigating through a menu system to find the person, or pressing buttons to redial. You don't have to necessarily have it right next to your mouth to be heard down it either. The person at the other end has a speaker and can hear you clearly. It's also only going to be used for short bursts of conversation to report something, or listen to the speaker for something. They're not having 20 minute chats with their mates instead of concentrating on driving.

Besides which, if you need to, CB is still legal so get your mates to all buy one and you can happily chat/crash to your hearts content! :)

I'm always very annoyed when I see people still chatting on mobiles even after the law has been passed. The number of people trying to steer one-handed around roundabouts at 2 miles an hour while chatting away into the phone!! :mad: I also notice it mainly seems to be younger drivers chatting on the phone too. I would have thought any young driver would be much better advised to use their limited driving skills/experience to concentrate on the road rather than risk other peoples lives just so that they can arrange their night out 20 minutes sooner than if they left it until they got home. (rant over) :)

Re: Police above the law ?
 

The use of mobile phones in cars is a bit off topic for this thread - please use this one - and get this thread back on topic :)

Re: Police above the law ?
 

Thing is, joe public chats and has conversations on their mobiles, copper is relaying what he is concentrating on, ie where he's driving, what the car he's after is doing etc.
Also, they're trained to do it, ie when to talk and when to drop mic and concentrate on driving safe.

Its like why they can speed aslong as they have the lights going etc

Re: Police above the law ?
 

I think the only people who are 'above the law' (as in engaging in illegal activity and getting off scot-free) are people who drag thier knuckle's along the pavements (usually at night and near pubs) and periodically apply the totality of thier 75 IQ to use them and inflict damage on passers by.

See if you can get the government and courts to effectively deal with these proto-homoniods. Fat chance !