You said 'minor law violation"- stealing a box of donuts is not the same as being given donuts.

My comments addressed the "minor law violations" in your op. To me, a minor violation is getting a free donut even though the cop should pay for it.
To me, a minor violation could be speeding, but not recklessly and hazardous to others.

Most people would consider stealing a box of donuts as being a "minor violation" compared to say, murder, armed robbery, or rape.

If someone GIVES someone a donut or a box of donuts, it is no violation of the law at all, at least that I am aware of. TAKING a donut or a box of donuts without permission, however, would still be stealing, no matter who is doing it.

Speeding is a violation of the law, and if a LEO is engaging in speeding while off duty and not in the performance of their duties and gets caught AND the officer allows him or her to walk SOLELY because of the LEO status whereby a civilian WOULD have gotten a ticket, is just wrong and an abuse, in my opinion. It is allowing LEO's to violate the law solely based on their status of being a LEO.

What is even worse, in my opinion, are those LEOs that EXPECT that sort of preferential treatment and abuse the laws by acting as if they are above the law.

Has anyone here been stopped for speeding and NOT been issued a citation?

I've only been stopped once for speeding while living in Florida, the day after Christmas, 2008, and yes, I got a ticket. It was one of those areas where the speed limit drops from 55 to 45 just because of the intersection.

Yeah, I've gotten away with a few doozies in my driving lifetime. :champagne:

It's a discretion thing really. I know one trooper that lives in your area Rich, that would write his own mother a ticket, really. And another that just doesn't write speeding tickets. He told me, "I don't write speeding tickets, I speed". It's up to the individual officer and what their agency makes them do/allows them to do. I wrote very few speeding tickets, a lot of warnings, but few actual speeding tickets. 92 in a 55, yeah, you get a ticket. 65-70, probably not. Every officer has there own pet peeves but the bottom line is we all have our faults, none of us are perfect. Yes, I speed, but not in a dangerous manner. In other words like on a highway with no other vehicles and no pedestrians. And, no, I couldn't tell you how fast my patrol car could go. Unlike some other officers I know.

Heck, I dont' have a problem with the discretionary nature of such things EXCEPT in the case where LEOs give carte blanch to other LEOs to do as they please. This smacks of "do as I say, not as I do", and it sets a bad example for people observing such actions.

Quite frankly if a LEO gets pulled over for speeding while in civies, he or she shouldn't even flash their ID or badge expecting to get let off. I find it pretty difficult to respect any LEO that would do such a thing. The fact that you are a an off duty LEO is no excuse for breaking the law.

IMHO, of course.

Well, it's like this. If I wouldn't give Joe Blow a ticket for it, I'm not going to give my brother in Blue/Green/Tan a ticket for it. I've stopped a few that warranted a legitimate stop for excessive speed(10-15 mph over posted) but I personally haven't witnessed another officer driving in a reckless/dangerous manner. I've heard stories of others that have and they deserve what they get. Like I said, 92 in a 55, you get a ticket. You only get professional courtesy when you act professional.

Besides, I don't think there is a soul that has been driving for more than five years that can honestly say they have never been guilty of speeding at some time or another.

And we don't "flash our badges". That is very unprofessional, the kind of crap you see on TV. Unless we are in an undercover position we are advised to identify ourselves as law enforcement officers when we have contact with other officers. If that officer wants to ask for ID then it is presented. Most of the time we will know through casual conversation if the person is LEO or not.

That sounds reasonable enough to me. Fair is fair.

And this is not about professional LEOs.

I would say no, there is no problem. I've been pulled over before for speeding and knew he had me dead to rights, but only received a warning. Of course, it wasn't professional courtesy that was behind his decision to give me a warning. But I was grateful anyway. I certainly wasn't going to argue with him and demand he give me a citation because I thought if he didn't it would look bad. I took the gift and went on my merry way.:yesnod: