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Do rent cops have same rights as cops

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Y

ylen13

Guest
What is the name of your state? CA

I always was wondering this and not sure which forum to post this question. Are rent cops that escort funeral possession have the same power as police officer if for example you disregard there instructions as to stop and just continue moving etc. Can they pull you over, ticket you or are the only thing they can do is attempt citizen arrest?
 


CdwJava

Senior Member
ylen13 said:
What is the name of your state? CA

I always was wondering this and not sure which forum to post this question. Are rent cops that escort funeral possession have the same power as police officer if for example you disregard there instructions as to stop and just continue moving etc. Can they pull you over, ticket you or are the only thing they can do is attempt citizen arrest?
If they are police officers, on marked units, then they CAN issue citations. If they are in security uniforms on escort motorcycles, then they can TRY to stop someone, but your failure to yield would not necessarily be a crime.

However, you DO proceed past them at your own risk as any civil liability will almost certainly fall back on you in an accident.

But, from a more human standpoint, why wouldn't you choose to yield for a minut eto let a funeral procession past? It seems the least that can be done.

- carl
 
Y

ylen13

Guest
CdwJava i would never not yeild, was just wondering as they are always acting as if they are cops on security motorcycle. Just wanted to know what law said on this issue, thanks for the answer
 

HomeGuru

Senior Member
ylen13 said:
What is the name of your state? CA

I always was wondering this and not sure which forum to post this question. Are rent cops that escort funeral possession have the same power as police officer if for example you disregard there instructions as to stop and just continue moving etc. Can they pull you over, ticket you or are the only thing they can do is attempt citizen arrest?

**A: of course they can if they are real cops on special duty.
 
Y

ylen13

Guest
HomeGuru said:
**A: of course they can if they are real cops on special duty.
Would real cops on special duty ride on rent cops motorcycle and also wear rent cops uniform?
 
Last edited:

HomeGuru

Senior Member
ylen13 said:
Would real cops on special duty ride on rent cops motorcycle and also wear rent cops uniform?

**A: yes in certain circumstances some of which are: while filming a movie say Third Watch or on Halloween.
 

CdwJava

Senior Member
ylen13 said:
Would real cops on special duty ride on rent cops motorcycle and also wear rent cops uniform?
In San Diego County there is (or was) a company that paid officers to do such escort duties. They provided the motorcycle and the uniform, but the riders were real off duty motorcycle cops ... though there would be no legal obligation for a motor vehicle to yield to them if they tried to stop someone.

- Carl
 
F

Fat Tony

Guest
We had the same problem here. Funeral Companies used to hire off duty deputy sheriffs to do funeral escorts, until 2000 when our sheriff was running for re-election, and his opponent was the guy who owned the company that whored the deputies out to the funeral homes. Well guess what, out of spite, the sheriff made the deputies start wearing clothing and signage that said "escort" instead of "sheriff", and basically revoked all police powers, they cant run red lights, they cant stop traffic, and a few other things. There was a story about it in todays paper where the Columbus Police are actually ticketing these guys when they run red lights to guide funeral percessions. Its just so funny cause its all politics. They cant use their police uniforms or powers in this instance, but off duty columbus officers can work bars and nightclubs with full uniform and full power. Politics are funny.

Here is the link to the newspaper article if anyone is interested.
http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2005/02/07/20050207-B1-03.html&chck=t
 
Y

ylen13

Guest
HomeGuru said:
**A: and what, you have no credit card?
your point? Maybe he has link to another website were its free. I wasn't able to find it on another webpage don't mean he don't know of any
 
F

Fat Tony

Guest
ylen13 said:
your point? Maybe he has link to another website were its free. I wasn't able to find it on another webpage don't mean he don't know of any
Who am I? The editor of the Columbus F%$king Dispatch or something? Sorry they asked you to register. Dont bite my head off for it. Here, I cut and pasted it for you, hope they dont sue me now.

It’s a solemn sight repeated on area roadways dozens of times every week.

A funeral procession of cars, headlights on, snakes its way through traffic toward a cemetery.

In most cases, a motorcycle escort leads the way, making sure the line of cars keeps moving and stray vehicles keep their distance.

In a political fight four years ago, Franklin County Sheriff Jim Karnes banned uniformed deputies from working as escorts. Private companies complied and made changes to uniforms and motorcycles.

But problems remain, according to Columbus police.

"We have . . . recognized over the last couple of years, a trend where we see reckless driving on their part (and) we see improper lighting, which borderlines on impersonating a police officer," said Lt. Jeff Blackwell, of the Columbus police traffic bureau.

"In fact, I would venture to say most motorists and civilians think those people are police officers."

Escort companies say they operate lawfully and are being unfairly targeted.

"We feel it is a form of harassment and so we are in the process of contacting our attorney," said Dennis Thomas, a former Franklin County deputy sheriff who operates Police Motorcycle Escort.

Blackwell said some escorts unlawfully stop traffic at intersections, misleading motorists into thinking they are law-enforcement officers. He said he has received complaints from motorists and officers.

Blackwell said some of his officers have started ticketing escorts who use flashing red warning lights instead of amber lights. Red lights are reserved for law-enforcement and emergency vehicles.

"In the traffic bureau, we see it as a potential problem that we need to address before it gets out of hand," Blackwell said.

State law permits funeral processions to proceed through red lights if the first car in the procession enters the intersection on a green light.

"But what these funeral motorcycle guys are doing is running like a full-fledged dignitary escort-type situation where they roll up with the whistles and they stop traffic against the light," Blackwell said.

"They let the funeral procession start. Then they zip up to the next light and they stop traffic."

In 2001, Karnes and Thomas, who had run against him, butted heads over funeral-escort services.

Karnes banned uniformed deputies from working for private-escort companies unless his office controlled their work under special-duty regulations.

Thomas, who lost the November 2000 election, sued Karnes for trying to change how the escort operations ran.

In a settlement, the escorts were allowed to operate with the amber-colored warning lights and the word escort on their gas tanks instead of sheriff.

"Basically since Nov. 21, 2001, we have been operating with the same lights, same procedure and everything. There has been no problem with any of the other communities that we go through," Thomas said.

Thomas said the escorts wear bright colors, reflective gloves and coats that do not look like police officers’ or deputies’ uniforms.

"Of course, it is wintertime — we look more like the Pillsbury Doughboy more than anything else," Thomas said.

Keith Semones, who operates Funeral Police Escort, said his escorts perform their duties safely.

"We don’t have any problem out of anybody else except Lt. Blackwell. Let’s just put it that way," said Semones, an escort for more than 25 years.

Semones said his escorts haven’t been ticketed and complaints about their work are minimal.

Semones, a Franklin County deputy sheriff, said his company knows the rules and trains escorts to follow them.

"In the position I am in working at the sheriff’s office, I make sure the men who work for me toe the line," he said.

Karnes referred questions about funeral-escort services to Chief Deputy Gil Jones, who said the office has received "isolated calls" from motorists complaining about the escorts.

"But as an agency, we haven’t had any problems or concerns with them recently," Jones said.

The Ohio Funeral Directors Association has not heard complaints about the performance of funeral-escort services, said Stephen Gehlert, executive director.

Members, however, say motorists seem to cut into funeral processions more frequently and "don’t seem to understand what the rules and regulations are," he said.

"I think one of the problems is simply a generation ago, it was pretty easy to identify a funeral procession because they were about the only ones out there who had their headlights on," Gehlert said.

"Today almost every car does that automatically."

[email protected]


There, now could somebody answer my other question? (Next down on this same forum)
 

HomeGuru

Senior Member
Bottomline on this thread is that a cop whether on duty or off, wearing a badge and uniform or not and whether driving an official police vehicle or not, has the same law enforcement rights and duties period.
 
Y

ylen13

Guest
HomeGuru said:
Bottomline on this thread is that a cop whether on duty or off, wearing a badge and uniform or not and whether driving an official police vehicle or not, has the same law enforcement rights and duties period.
Fat Tony thx for posting article

Homeguru you seem to be contradicting some what CdwJava said.

"If they are police officers, on marked units, then they CAN issue citations. If they are in security uniforms on escort motorcycles, then they can TRY to stop someone, but your failure to yield would not necessarily be a crime."

If they are cops they are cops but if i am reading cdwjava post they can't really pull me over as i have to pull over only if i see red lights behind me and escort not supposed to have red light on there motorcycle.
 

ENASNI

Senior Member
Take care

I truly think this Ylen13 character is doing homework, research or on some kind of fact-finding.

Please look at the threads he has started, and other debates he has
taken on almost taking over peoples threads, so that the true question gets lost.

I don't think he should be encouraged.
Carl.. you are just the most helpful man and always polite and respectable. (and dang, sometimes I wish you weren't married ;) ... but I am not sure you are aware that in giving this person advice, you are not really helping someone in need.

Guru... I hate to see you wasting your time too.
Fat Tony... love ya big guy.. same thing..

If I have stepped on any of your toes telling you this, I do apologize. :eek:

But I will be dagnabbed if I will apologize to this Ylen.. He is a menace and like Racer says... the worst kind of troll.

Thanks for your time...
 

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