Is it just me? Over the last two weeks, I’ve spotted a huge number of CHP and local police officers in police cars using their cell phones.
I mean really. At first, I kinda did a double take when I saw one female officer next to me at a stop light using her cell phone (in California, we have a headset law, and there was no headset). No big deal I though, police officers are human too.
Having shared the story with rest of the team this week, almost everyone in The Bay Area had a similar story. We’re thinking we’re all crazy.
I mean once in a while, I get it, but the stories were just too close together. I’m going to kick off a tiny investigation and see if I can get a comment or two.
I’m going to pay those parking tickets I owe in San Fran first though.
In all honesty though, I’m having fun with this one. It just seems strange to see the very people who’d give me a ticket for doing what they were doing in their squad cars, doing the little minor bad thing we all sometimes do.
It’s just strange to me, I guess. It’s like having a heart surgeon serve you one of these:
I know what I’m having for lunch today…
4 Responses to “Police On Cell Phones While Driving Squad Cars?”
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abc
I was told that it was “legal” for police to use cell phones while driving. I’m also in CA. Do you know if this is true? I actually took a picture of the police officer on her cell phone as well as her license plate. She was so into her conversation she had no clue I was trying to take a picture of her.
@Melissa
I think Sara was working on calling the PR folks at CHP and other local police offices to see if she could turn anything up. I think there’s a follow-up post coming on Tuesday.
@Melissa
Working on a followup post for Tuesday. I did find that it is it legal for police and emergency responders to use their cell phone while responding to a call (in some states). Sort of like how Police cars can run an intersection without stopping during a call.
I’ll be calling CHP and other Bay Area police PR offices on Monday to get a straight answer.
You and your friends are not crazy. Same thing happens in northwest Louisiana. The “adults” who enact such bans exhibit a KNEE JERK (JERK emphaises) rush to “doctor” the SYMPTOM of cell phone use behind the wheel. They ARE NOT addressing the ROOT of the problem-crashes, mostly. And just as I suspected, when such a ban is placed, ONLY THOSE who supposedly enforce the ban WILL CONTINUE TO USE the cell phone while driving. I’ve seen city cops, county cops and even the illustrious Louisiana state troopers “doing it.” The “adults” who enacted such a ban need to study the ROOT of the problem…not just arbitrarily set a ban.