Professional courtesy from police at traffic stops

Cobweb · Aug 24, 2007

I was in the ER one night when an older cop (Missouri redneck like myself) came in with his trainee. The older cop said to the younger one, "Now you see these nurses, boy? You be nice to these gals. They deal with the same people that you do and they don't even get a gun!" I laughed myself sick and immediately filled out a requisition to my DON for a gun, but they wouldn't give me one, or even handcuffs :lol2:

ogerpus · Aug 24, 2007

I am a former police officer, and now a nursing student. I was trained, and trained others subsequently, not to give tickets to nurses, doctors, fireman and other cops. There are very few in this society that are willing to stand in the path of evil. These professions I mentioned are heroic, and deserve a great deal of latitude...I believe it is part of a social contract with society....we get breaks because of the other stuff we have to put up with.

FireStarterRN, BSN, RN · Aug 24, 2007

I am a former police officer, and now a nursing student. I was trained, and trained others subsequently, not to give tickets to nurses, doctors, fireman and other cops. There are very few in this society that are willing to stand in the path of evil. These professions I mentioned are heroic, and deserve a great deal of latitude...I believe it is part of a social contract with society....we get breaks because of the other stuff we have to put up with.

:yeahthat: :welcome:

JailRN · Aug 24, 2007

I was in the ER one night when an older cop (Missouri redneck like myself) came in with his trainee. The older cop said to the younger one, "Now you see these nurses, boy? You be nice to these gals. They deal with the same people that you do and they don't even get a gun!" I laughed myself sick and immediately filled out a requisition to my DON for a gun, but they wouldn't give me one, or even handcuffs

Well, I have the handcuffs (actually, they are pink), can't carry a gun in the jail, and the chief won't give me a lightbar for my little red corvette, no matter HOW much I whine and beg...

HAHAHAH!!

woody62, RN · Aug 24, 2007

I know this is likely to get a large group down on me but why give just nurses, firemen and other police officers a break? Police are there to protect the public. This doesn't mean just some of the public, it means all of the public. If someone is speeding, has run a red light or done anything that warrents pulling them over, they have broken the law and deserve the ticket. And if they feel they don't, they can always go to court and fight it. Then it is up to the judge. When I have gotten a speeding ticket, I have deserved it. And I haven't tried to get out of it by referring to my occupation or the fact that my uncle was a detective with the NYPD. Why can't you just accept the ticket and move on? At the worse, you can just get a ticket, at best a warning.

Woody:balloons:

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Aug 25, 2007

Woody -- I understand what you are saying. I don't and would not use my RN status to get out of a ticket. What a lot of people are referring to is that police officers themselves have an unwritten rule that they don't ticket nurses. I think that's what it's about, anyway.

Anytime a police officer stops me, it's his/her discretion whether I get a ticket, period. In or out of scrubs, ID or no, vanity plate or no. Anytime a police officer stops anyone for anything, it's entirely up to them whether they ticket that person.

woody62, RN · Aug 25, 2007

Woody -- I understand what you are saying. I don't and would not use my RN status to get out of a ticket. What a lot of people are referring to is that police officers themselves have an unwritten rule that they don't ticket nurses. I think that's what it's about, anyway.
Anytime a police officer stops me, it's his/her discretion whether I get a ticket, period. In or out of scrubs, ID or no, vanity plate or no. Anytime a police officer stops anyone for anything, it's entirely up to them whether they ticket that person.

But it is this unwritten law that is wrong. Why should police officers let anyone off, including brother officers. Laws are written for a reason. In no law that I am aware of, does it say 'let off a follow officer, or his spouse, or a nurse, or a fireman or a paramedic off. If a person speeds and gets caught, regardless of their occupation, they deserve the ticket. And that it might impact on their employment, such as in the case of police officers, they should have thought about that prior to speeding or running a red light.

You are correct, it is up to the officer. But if an officer repeatedly lets off a certain group of people, he doesn't deserve to remain a police officer. It is like a physician who writes prescriptions for a friend, without clarifying the need. If caught, the physician stands a good chance of losing his license. And gaining very nasty reaction from most of us.

An old friend of mine, who is a state trooper, once told me, don't expect to get a free pass from me. I have a job to do and friend or no friend, I have to do it. He never stopped me but I believed him. And I respect him much more then an officer who would let me off because I am a nurse. And if one is stopped, all they have to do is hand over their license, registration and proof of insurance. And they don't have to make an excuse for why they were speeding, not even when the officer ask why. I was speeding when an officer pullrd me over, I had no excuse. That is what I told the Judge when I appeared before him for doing 57 mph in a 35 mph zone. The other 52 people who appeared before me offered their excuses. They all got fine, points and court cost. I just got traffic school. And told never to appear before him again. And I didn't, until nine years later, which is an entirely different story.

Woody:balloons:

AR_RN · Aug 25, 2007

It's interesting how black and white your view of the world seems to be, Woody. Have you always, in every circumstance, gotten exactly what you deserved? Or has someone, somewhere occasionally cut you a little slack or maybe given you a second chance? It happens everywhere all the time. I personally am eternally greatful that I have not always received exactly what I deserved and that it is ok to sometimes get a second chance.

auntyabua · Aug 25, 2007

suppose this is some of the perks of the job. You are treated slghtly differently if you are in your uniform. I wonder what the nursing board would say about this! Mmm..

woody62, RN · Aug 25, 2007

It's interesting how black and white your view of the world seems to be, Woody. Have you always, in every circumstance, gotten exactly what you deserved? Or has someone, somewhere occasionally cut you a little slack or maybe given you a second chance? It happens everywhere all the time. I personally am eternally greatful that I have not always received exactly what I deserved and that it is ok to sometimes get a second chance.

I don't think my view of the world is black or white. But my view of laws is. A frequently heard remark "if you can't do the time, don't commit the crime." I have been pulled over three times for speeding. Twice I got a ticket. Once I got a warning. The officer asked why I was in such a rush. I told him and he gave me a warning. I didn't expect him to give me the warning and was quite surprised.

On the other hand, my daughter was pulled over when transporting me to an appointment in the next county. Her crime? Her muffler had just fallen apart. When the officer ran her license, he came back asked her to step out of the car, escorted her to the back of our car and handcuffed her and put her in his car. He would not tell me why and threatened me with arrest for interferring with a police officer, in the performance of his duties. He drove off leaving me in the car, unable to drive because my leg was in a long leg brace and my left hand and arm in a dynamic splint. A state trooper came along and pulled over asking me what was wrong,. After I explained he called his dispatcher. There was an arrest warrent out for my daughter. It had been issued by mistake but had never been removed. He called a cab for me and I went to the jail to bail my daughter out. I understand the officer was doing his job. What I don't understand was why he couldn't explain to me what was happening. And why he left me on the side of the road, knowing that I couldn't drive, since my daughter and I had both told him so. So, my views are not entirely black and white. They are various shades of gray. I understaand people going out of their way and I equally understand those that stick to the rules. What I don't understand, is police officers letting someone off because they are a fellow officer, a brother sister, mother, father, nurse, doctor, fireman. Why even pull someone over for.

Woody

ogerpus · Aug 25, 2007

Woody,

All you would have to do is insist on getting a ticket, by word or attitude, and I would have obliged you! I always felt I used tickets as a method to educate the public - if you don't need the education I don't need to start writing.

My good friend once told me that there were two kinds of people in police work: those who had their milk money stolen, and those who stole milk money. No one ever took my milk money, so I don't need to go on a power trip by writing nurses tickets. We MUST respect those who care for society. So again....teachers, doctors, nurses, fireman all got a pass from me. Heroes deserve latitude - they don't hide behind the safety of a mundane job...they are the stewards of our society.

It comes down to officer discretion. Be honest and humble, and you most likely will avoid most tickets - no matter your profession.

Stay safe.

KeechieSan · Aug 26, 2007

It is so weird that today is the first day that I've ever seen this thread, because I got pulled over today on my way to work! Lol

I wasn't late or anything, and I really wasn't speeding too badly (65 in a 55). The cop asked where I was going, I told him the name of my hospital, he asked what I did there so I told him that I'm an RN, and then he says "well, have a nice day ma'am".

He was cute too.. Shoulda gotten his number