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To: Mr. Brightside

Do police officers have jurisdiction in the freeways?


44 posted on 02/17/2008 3:19:19 PM PST by John123
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To: John123

“Do police officers have jurisdiction in the freeways?”

Depends, the judge has ruled the fire dept can determine what space they need to make an accident scene safe.

Pretty stupid to pull a guy away from the accident victim because he wasn’t moving the firetruck.


50 posted on 02/17/2008 3:23:25 PM PST by driftdiver
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To: John123; tioga
In New York, the State Police have final authority at motor vehicle accidents, if one happens to show up. Our village police are helpful and friendly. Our county sheriff's deputies are helpful and aloof.

Village roads are easier to close (more cross streets to divert traffic on), but we'll close anything to keep ourselves safe. If there's an accident, the fire chief will direct the fire police (an organization within the fire department; they are sworn officers of the peace) what we need closed, or reduced to a single lane, etc. This includes sections of the highway, knocking everyone off at an exit, especially during an accident in a winter storm. Sometimes a call will be dispatched just for the fire police, like for a flooded road. If we'll need a road closed for quite a while, eventually the state DOT will relieve them. Dispatch does a lot of the relaying of questions, if a law enforcement agency is wondering how much longer something will need to be closed. This are pretty cooperative about this stuff.

The village charter (Owego, NY) specifically says that all fire trucks, police, ambulances representing any hospital or other entity, and the US mail have right-of-way on village streets. Including the mail should show it to mean any official use and not just an 'emergency.' Though I don't know how far it would go in court, versus due regard and anything the state itself has to say about right of way.

117 posted on 02/17/2008 8:26:21 PM PST by Styria
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