Thursday, June 3, 2004 Posted: 10:26 AM EDT (1426 GMT)
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (AP) – State police are taking to the woods, dressed in camouflage and armed.
But the weapons are radar guns, the quarry is speeders and the season never closes.
Police at the Rockview Barracks near State College began using so-called “camo cops” patrols after a 44-vechicle crash on Interstate 80 that killed six people in January.
“As a result, there were many, many letters and questions and fingerpointing – What are you doing? What are you not doing enough of?” said Lt. Jeffrey Watson, station commander.
The tactic is catching on with state police in other counties.
In one five-hour blitz in Indiana County last week, troopers issued 25 citations to motorists zooming along at least 15 miles faster than the posted 55 mph limit – including one lead foot cited for going 90 mph.
“It’s going to continue throughout the summer months,” said Shawn Houck, a spokesman with the state transportation department, which partnered with the barracks.
Copyright 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
:ugh:
my fuzzbuster > them dressed like fools in the woods :bigok:
mike…i know your a pro when it comes to pa vehicle code…but this is NOT true. Cops do not have to be at all visible to pull you over. As long as they can see you is all that matters.
This is why I bring it up because of the other post. I poste dthe same thing. I will search for the rule / code
The reason they have to be visable is because if they are hiding in the wood or in a hole how can they say they got a clean visable shot of YOU as the perpetrator.
As for the comment by Fantom (eric) think about certin senarios, here in one classic one, coming down 376 toward monroeville you just pass the penn hills on ramp. The two places they hide are by the trees but in plain view, and up the raod where you come over the hill and down to the right slightly they are on that bend. Both are in plain view (weather you can see it at X distance or not) they are still visiable and not “hidden” underground some where.
Its busy and these questions keep poping up while I;m at work so i have limited tome to look right now. I may just call ron sunday and ask him where its at and if he can tell me the exact resoning.
no he is talking about the state police tracking speed with turbo prop planes.
As for the code its in Title 75 some where and states at 3360 (somthing) if its still in there. I’m talking to one of my co-workes that use to be a chief and he things they changed it a while ago but not sure how. That title is not on the PA code site so I have to look else where… :dunno:
I say hunting season start early. Get your licence and your rifle out and go hunt, near the Interstate. “Oops, why was that trooper wearing camoflauge anyways?”
Welp I found the title on another site and I don’t have time to cross reference the material and it seems the info I was given is outdated.
I did find some usfull info though…
State police are the only ones in the commonwealth of PA that are allowed to use Radar (I knew this).
The devices being used must be calibrated and have documentation of said calibration ever 60 days. (I knew somthing about this but I thought it was liek every 6 months)
So basically if you get nailed with radar take it to court and find out when it was calibrated last. If it was out of calibration or they don;t have said documentation you should be able to get out of it
In the commonwealth, State Police are the only ones permitted to use radar speed determination.
To the guy that said that you can use calibration records to get off a ticket, most district judges don’t care and also the PSP will argue that their units are guaranteed from the manufacturer to be within 1 mph of an accurate reading for a long number of years (forgot the exact figure.)
But the bottom line is, the PSP are usually on top of their calibration.
I’m not saying they arn’t on top of it but if they don;t play by the rules you might as well nail them on it and save yourself a couple bucks.
EDIT - They can argue till they are blue in the face. If the Title states they must be calibrated with docs every 60 days it don’t matter. The law is in your favor…
