Why can cops run red lights when they like?
This seems to be a common theme here. Police can not run red lights just because they want to. We can run them if we need to in order to get to a serious call faster. My State’s laws allow me to ignore traffic laws while responding to important calls or attempting to catch violators as long as I do it in a safe manner (i.e. stop at a red light, visually clear the intersection, then turn on your blue lights and proceed through it). It is a common misconception that Police respond to all serious cars with blue lights and sirens blazing. That is not practical or tactical. Anyone that has ever run code to a call knows how crazy traffic gets (people freeze up when they see lights, they stop in traffic, pull in front of you, slow down and keep going in front of you, it is a nightmare). Running code also tips off the bad guys that you are coming. When I am not responding to calls I follow all traffic laws. I’m not in a hurry, I have a 12 hour shift with no where to go. Besides I can see more
