Star reporter on those darn talking and driving cops

[Alberta Blue]

I have to say, I think in this case (ie: cell phone use while driving) we're our own worst enemy. The act says "while engaged in the performance of their duties". Yes, I suppose technically anytime you're driving a police vehicle while you're working meets the definition, but why poke the bear? If your traffic unit would jam joe citizen for taking that call from his wife while he's driving to work, does it look any better for us to do the same in a marked car? We take enough heat on other things, this one is so easy to make it a non-issue with just a little thought. Just my opinion.

Peace Officers are exempt from all traffic laws when in the execution of their duties. That said, simply being at work doesn't cut it. We ought to be setting an example, and you can bet that if someone crashes a pc the investigators are going to go after cell phone records. I've seen it.

[Bald Man]

Exemption for law enforcement officers

9. The following persons, while engaged in the performance of their duties, may drive a motor vehicle on a highway while holding or using a hand-held wireless communication device:

1. Police officers, within the meaning of the Police Services Act.

2. Special constables appointed under section 53 of the Police Services Act.

3. Auxiliary members of a police force.

4. First Nations Constables appointed under subsection 54 (1) of the Police Services Act.

5. Persons appointed under a statute of the Parliament of Canada and who are peace officers within the meaning of section 2 of the Criminal Code (Canada).

6. Persons appointed as police constables under section 44 of the Railway Safety Act (Canada).

7. Persons designated as park wardens by the Minister of Natural Resources or under the Canada National Parks Act (Canada).

8. Park wardens under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006.

9. Conservation officers under section 87 of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997. O. Reg. 366/09, s. 9.

Exemption for other enforcement officers

10. The following persons, while engaged in the performance of their duties, may drive a motor vehicle on a highway while holding or using a two-way radio:

1. Provincial offences officers designated under subsection 1 (3) of the Provincial Offences Act.

2. Municipal law enforcement officers appointed under section 15 of the Police Services Act.

3. The Fire Marshal and Deputy Fire Marshal appointed under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997.

4. Municipal fire chiefs and deputy fire chiefs.

5. Guards appointed under the Public Works Protection Act. O. Reg. 366/09, s. 10.

[HwyBear]

meh, just use my sun visor bluetooth

[falcon]

Isn't a citizen allowed to call 911 on a cell while driving?

[GoodWitness]

I would much rather it be a police officer beside me talking on their cell phone or reading a message on their MDT, someone with professional driver training and who is on the road all day long, than the bozos I see EVERY SINGLE DAY who are staring at their lap reading emails and texting, or driving along oblivious to what's going on around them with their phone stuck to their ear.

I also count on them to have the common sense to know when it's okay to talk and drive and when their attention needs to be 100% on the road, something that most of these other drivers seem to lack.

Must have been a slow news day.

[Bald Man]

If it provoked this much excitment for some on blueline, I suspect the Star has accomplished exactly what they set out to do with their regular audience and that's strike a chord with the left leaning police hating population in Toronto.

[No 20 Year Medal]

Isn't a citizen allowed to call 911 on a cell while driving?

That is the one exemption in Ontario:

(5) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of the use of a device to contact ambulance, police or fire department emergency services. 2009, c. 4, s. 2.

I pulled a woman over last week for a cell phone and asked her if it was an emergency. She said yes, it was, she was talking with her lawyer . As our conversation continued I explained to her that it was an offence under the Highway Traffic Act. Her reply? "But I'm not on the highway, I'm on a street". Another driver the week before said he thought the law only applied in Toronto.

Sigh......

[Toonces]

I won't talk on my personal, or work phone while on duty. I'm never doing anything so pressing that I can't pull over safely to use the phone.

Personally, I think the optics are horrible, on-duty police officers using handheld communication/entertainment devices. I personally care about what the public thinks, and this is something I can control.

[Shawshank]

I won't talk on my personal, or work phone while on duty. I'm never doing anything so pressing that I can't pull over safely to use the phone.

Personally, I think the optics are horrible, on-duty police officers using handheld communication/entertainment devices. I personally care about what the public thinks, and this is something I can control.

Way too many have an opinion about police; way too few are informed.

[Minimum Wage Warrior]

I stopped using the computer and never talked on the phone while driving. I pulled over when I needed too. People have been killed and cops have been in collisions from being distracted and most of my near misses happened while being distracted by a laptop or cell phone.

I used the radio all the time but that's normal and people think it's normal. Plus I never hold it in front of my face so most people wouldn't be able to see it anyway.

[recceguy]

People these days and their fancy cell phones. Technology will be the downfall of this planet!

The only thing I use mine for is an alarm clock in the morning

[Shawshank]

What about bathroom time? Although I will say that since I got an iphone, the time I spend in the bathroom has tripled.

[Ziggy Stardust]

I won't talk on my personal, or work phone while on duty. I'm never doing anything so pressing that I can't pull over safely to use the phone.

Personally, I think the optics are horrible, on-duty police officers using handheld communication/entertainment devices. I personally care about what the public thinks, and this is something I can control.