Police: Required to Comply With Speed Limits in Non-Emergencies?

Factual Questions
1

I’m not talking about situations in which law enforcement officials are responding to emergencies.

Instead, I’m talking about those many, many occasions I’ve seen police, sheriff deputies, and state troopers routinely driving 15-20 mph over the speed limit, as they bob down the road.

Obviously they’re in a hurry and have many competing demands. My question is simple: are these officials bound by the same motor vehicle laws re: speeding that we non-law enforcement folks are?

2

Yes, they are legally bound by it. No they are not practically bound by it.

But if questioned, they can always claim some emergency. Plus, who’s going to stop them, another cop who would also like to be able to speed?

3

In Virginia, the law permits the driver of any emergency vehicle to disregard speed limits (while having due regard for safety of persons and property) when his vehicle is being used in the performance of public services, and when it is operated under emergency conditions. He may also proceed past red lights and stop signs without stopping, again having due regard for safety.

The law requires the presence of emergency conditions.

Since police officers are (in general) loathe to ticket each other, most times a cruiser being driven other than recklessly will not get stopped, even if it’s speeding. But this is not always true: a friend of mine is a Virginia State trooper, and was ticketed in his cruiser by the US Capitol Police for a right turn on red when prohibited by sign. He was quite surprised.

He paid the ticket.

  • Rick
4

The other thing to consider is that the officer may indeed be responding to an emergency, but not have the flashing lights on. This could be for two reasons:

  1. In a neighborhood setting, perhaps they don’t want to alert the criminal and scare him off.

  2. A police officer told me once that they can actually get down a crowded freeway (to the crime scene for example) FASTER if they leave their lights off. By doing so, they keep up with the speed of traffic and use openings to pass when they can. But by turning the lights on, all the other drivers slow down, thus effectively blocking the officer.

But yes, I am sure that many, many times there is no valid emergency.

5

Also if he does go the speed limit he will cause a traffic jam behind him as no one is going to pass him