Police Pursuit today, and the trouble with stringers

[zz0468]

I dunno what to tell you, bud. Apparently you have it stuck in your mind that to do anything other than sit in the traffic jam is elevating oneself "above the law" regardless of extenuating circumstances. Taking that a step further, should the cops not have broken the law by exceeding the speed limit while chasing the suspect?

If you're stuck in traffic, you're stuck unless you can legally extricate yourself. Like get off at the ramp right next to you.

 

[KK4JUG]

I dunno what to tell you, bud. Apparently you have it stuck in your mind that to do anything other than sit in the traffic jam is elevating oneself "above the law" regardless of extenuating circumstances. Taking that a step further, should the cops not have broken the law by exceeding the speed limit while chasing the suspect?

C'mon, you know that's not the case. The law allows police, using emergency equipment, to exceed the speed limit, etc. to chase suspects.

 

[zz0468]

Being the responsible listener is just not a justification anymore to agencies. Scanner listeners are not even part of the equation in any decision making.

They never were part of any decision making process. Did you actually think they were at some point? Systems are designed to provide for the needs of it's users. Nothing more.

Scanner listener fall on the pecking order where whale poop lies.

Whale poop is higher. It's actually an important part of the ecosystem. Adapt, or die.

 

[WRCM]

C'mon, you know that's not the case. The law allows police, using emergency equipment, to exceed the speed limit, etc. to chase suspects.

That's right. And the law also allows a certain amount of leeway for people in other lines of work to do their jobs, too. Including the press.
Or maybe not, in California. If that's the case, I don't want to live there.
But I already knew that.

 

[zz0468]

And the law also allows a certain amount of leeway for people in other lines of work to do their jobs, too. Including the press.

Can you provide specific examples of vehicle codes were the press is afforded special privilege?

 

[d119]

And please keep it relevant to California, which is where this thread originated.

 

[KK4JUG]

That's right. And the law also allows a certain amount of leeway for people in other lines of work to do their jobs, too. Including the press.
Or maybe not, in California. If that's the case, I don't want to live there.
But I already knew that.

The lawmen may engage in discretionary enforcement for the media but I don't be the law does media.

 

[ChrisE_STB]

Why isn't this in the tavern?

 

[Anderegg]

Now that you have all bashed stringers to high heaven, I would like to let you know that the new model Ford Explorer with "61" on the tailgate was most likely a NBC7 KNSD news vehicle, if not an LA station vehicle (less likely). If this was the chase that ended with a K9 takedown in Camp Pendleton, there ended up being 3 San Diego news station white SUV's parked in the NB center divide, with a CHP motor behind them providing 11-84.

The primary issues with driving on the left or right shoulder is blocking an emergency vehicle, and having other drivers think you are cutting and following you initiating a shoulder caravan.

Paul

 

[mmckenna]

Doesn't matter. News agencies or Stringers, no reason to drive like that. Putting profits above lives never ends well. While the CHP might turn a blind eye to it, they won't if something goes wrong. Getting away with something isn't the same as it being legal.

I've got no sympathy for these guys.

 

[Anderegg]

Agreed...stringers typically drive a lot worse than station crews, simply because station crews don't lose money if they arrive late or not at all.

Paul

 

[mmckenna]

I guess I'm glad I'm not in a job that depends on variables like that to get paid.

 

[PaulNDaOC]

To be perfectly honest, the CHP themselves violate the CVC CONSTANTLY. I report them probably two dozen times or more per year. The last one involved an officer speeding to the CHP station (either the pizza was getting cold or it was past his go home time and wasn't getting OT) and almost ran me off the road at easily 130+ MPH. No lights on the front, no siren, nothing. Got a somewhat heartfelt apology from the Liutenant along with a bunch of excuses.

So apparently, even the law is above the law. That's the real reason for encryption. They don't want citizens checking up on them and keeping them in line.

What result are you expecting each time you call? The hammer to come. Even if a supervisor tried to write somebody up from a phone call it would get round filed quicker than you can say ' grievance'

Stop wasting your time and aggravation. Cops get to speed, ushes get to see free movies. Wanna speed, be a cop. Your calls are a waste of time,

 

[WRCM]

To be perfectly honest, the CHP themselves violate the CVC CONSTANTLY. I report them probably two dozen times or more per year. The last one involved an officer speeding to the CHP station (either the pizza was getting cold or it was past his go home time and wasn't getting OT) and almost ran me off the road at easily 130+ MPH. No lights on the front, no siren, nothing. Got a somewhat heartfelt apology from the Liutenant along with a bunch of excuses.

So apparently, even the law is above the law. That's the real reason for encryption. They don't want citizens checking up on them and keeping them in line.

Fify!

 

[alcahuete]

What result are you expecting each time you call? The hammer to come. Even if a supervisor tried to write somebody up from a phone call it would get round filed quicker than you can say ' grievance'

Stop wasting your time and aggravation. Cops get to speed, ushes get to see free movies. Wanna speed, be a cop. Your calls are a waste of time,

They get to speed in accordance with the provisions of the CVC. They can't just go around speeding whenever they want, wherever they want. That's the problem. You have idiot cops who think they are above the law, and they're not.

And it isn't just a phone call, I have video as well. The last instance, for example, the cop blew past me at probably 130 MPH. Where was he going? Back to the office. I followed him. Went inside and came out in his private car. So either the pizza was getting cold or it was go home time and he wasn't getting OT. That's unacceptable, and it's a violation of the law.

 

[ChrisE_STB]

They get to speed in accordance with the provisions of the CVC. They can't just go around speeding whenever they want, wherever they want. That's the problem. You have idiot cops who think they are above the law, and they're not.

And it isn't just a phone call, I have video as well. The last instance, for example, the cop blew past me at probably 130 MPH. Where was he going? Back to the office. I followed him. Went inside and came out in his private car. So either the pizza was getting cold or it was go home time and he wasn't getting OT. That's unacceptable, and it's a violation of the law.

So following the law/speed limits, you were able to catch up to a unit that was going 130MPH and follow it back to the office?

 

[Anderegg]

 

[trentbob]

Interesting discussion. As a newspaperman for onwards of 40 years, retired from one newspaper where I was there for 25 years as a staffer, Department chief and Department editor I've had a lot of experience with stringers.

All full and part-time staffers got State Police press IDs, City Press IDs, NFL plastic permanent sideline passes, various University permanent sideline passes amongst various other IDs including New Jersey Turnpike press IDs. I have to admit I also accommodated some trusted stringers with some of these IDs as permanent and some as daily issue.

Pennsylvania PP tags or press photographer tags which are front and back do allow while performing newsgathering duties and with a yellow flashing light to ignore certain traffic restrictions such as turning around at authorized vehicle only Highway turnarounds amongst other benefits. State Police also issue visor press parking permits.

You're always going to have your Arthur Selig wannabes who I would have to swat away as gnats... of course until that day they were the only ones with the shots I needed for the front page. I never trusted them and never gave them assignments. Other stringers and interns performed better than some of my deadwood staffers but they were far and few between.

A good rule of thumb at an emergency scene or crime scene is park down the street so you don't get caught by any active fire hoses or equipment blocking you in, hide in the shadows with a long lens and get everything you need for the front page and the inside. Always keep your press ID in your pocket. After you have everything you need then show up at the scene to try to get information from cooperative Public Service people. Some cops were cooperative and some violated First Amendment rights at the drop of a hat. You wash my back I wash yours.

I remember I was sitting on a murder suspect house waiting for something to happen or to get any license plates I could. Later a homicide detective called me and said how did you know and what do you know? I gave him everything I had because I knew I would get paid back. If he had treated me badly in the past I would tell him to buy tomorrow's paper and hang up on him. Same with the mayor.

Stringer's Crossing police lines or acting unprofessionally always hurts the professionals.

Of course I'm from yesteryear and the whole business has changed. We had to confirm every story three different ways before we could publish it as news and not opinion or editorial content. That's all changed now. Manipulated pictures, set up photos and Publishing rumor for politically-motivated reasons as above the fold headlines is commonplace now.

Stringer's will always be part of the process and keeping them in line will always be challenging.

 

[WRCM]

Interesting discussion. As a newspaperman for onwards of 40 years, retired from one newspaper where I was there for 25 years as a staffer, Department chief and Department editor I've had a lot of experience with stringers.

All full and part-time staffers got State Police press IDs, City Press IDs, NFL plastic permanent sideline passes, various University permanent sideline passes amongst various other IDs including New Jersey Turnpike press IDs. I have to admit I also accommodated some trusted stringers with some of these IDs as permanent and some as daily issue.

Pennsylvania PP tags or press photographer tags which are front and back do allow while performing newsgathering duties and with a yellow flashing light to ignore certain traffic restrictions such as turning around at authorized vehicle only Highway turnarounds amongst other benefits. State Police also issue visor press parking permits.

You're always going to have your Arthur Selig wannabes who I would have to swat away as gnats... of course until that day they were the only ones with the shots I needed for the front page. I never trusted them and never gave them assignments. Other stringers and interns performed better than some of my deadwood staffers but they were far and few between.

A good rule of thumb at an emergency scene or crime scene is park down the street so you don't get caught by any active fire hoses or equipment blocking you in, hide in the shadows with a long lens and get everything you need for the front page and the inside. Always keep your press ID in your pocket. After you have everything you need then show up at the scene to try to get information from cooperative Public Service people. Some cops were cooperative and some violated First Amendment rights at the drop of a hat. You wash my back I wash yours.

I remember I was sitting on a murder suspect house waiting for something to happen or to get any license plates I could. Later a homicide detective called me and said how did you know and what do you know? I gave him everything I had because I knew I would get paid back. If he had treated me badly in the past I would tell him to buy tomorrow's paper and hang up on him. Same with the mayor.

Stringer's Crossing police lines or acting unprofessionally always hurts the professionals.

Of course I'm from yesteryear and the whole business has changed. We had to confirm every story three different ways before we could publish it as news and not opinion or editorial content. That's all changed now. Manipulated pictures, set up photos and Publishing rumor for politically-motivated reasons as above the fold headlines is commonplace now.

Stringer's will always be part of the process and keeping them in line will always be challenging.

Best post in this thread. Thanks!

 

[mmckenna]

Interesting discussion. As a newspaperman for onwards of 40 years, retired from one newspaper where I was there for 25 years as a staffer, Department chief and Department editor I've had a lot of experience with stringers.

Thanks for adding to the conversation. That's good stuff.

I do have to admit, as I was reading your post I was hearing Darren McGavin/Kolchak - the Night Stalker in my head.