If they are speeding to get back to the nick because they are late off, then YES they should get a ticket.
Its not quite as black and white as it reads though.
How many of these were caught speeding yet going on official business? Quite a few i bet.
I was in an unmarked car yesterday and noticed a car overtake me at speed, so followed him. I followed for just over a mile at speed before i put the blue lights on, clocking him at just over 100mph. Now, if i put the lights on straight away he would have slowed down straight away, and i wouldnt have caught him speeding at all (we have to check average speed over a distance). So i was guilty of speeding without my lights and siren on, but that is the only way off getting that job done (at the time).
When responding we should have both blue lights and sirens on, sometimes we NEED to drive at speed without the sirens on. For instance, a report of a burglary in progress comes in, (and believe me we all want to catch a burglar), we respond to get there quickly, but if we put the sirens on the burglars will hear this WELL before we get anywhere near and make it virtually impossible for us to lock them up. If we turn the sirens off we stand a GREATER chance of getting them. Its the same as the blue lights, they flash, and at night can be seen for some distance.
A few years ago i was dragged into the office and accused of speeding in a police van, and that i was going to get a ticket and points. It was on a 50mph road with a temp speed of 30mph (the photo showed 49mph). To cut a long story short i checked the photo and found that it was the wrong VRM, and not me but another officer. He didnt get let off, he got points on his licence.
Posted: 12/03/2010 at 11:40
