State Police Challenge New Gas Restrictions

perhaps if the state police would slow down they would save alot of money and gas, seems everytime there is a state police marked or unmarked theyre always speeding, now they cant all be going to a call all the time,they are spoiled because whose going to police them and pull them over,the state needs to put gps in thes cars and monitor speed and where theyre going.some get to take their cars home and use them i am sure they use them for personal use,i was on the merrit parkway last week and i am doing 70 and an unmarked car came right up on my rear bumper, no lights no nothing and he was on his cellphone,if i had to stop fast someone would have gotten seriously hurt, i had cars in the right lane and couldnt pull over right away,then when i did, he pulled over right in front of me, and got off the next exit, so i followed him, where did he go? he went into a cvs, i sat there and watched him and he came out with a prescription and a bottle of soda, not exactly an emergency call

john wrote:

perhaps if the state police would slow down they would save alot of money and gas, seems everytime there is a state police marked or unmarked theyre always speeding, now they cant all be going to a call all the time,they are spoiled because whose going to police them and pull them over,the state needs to put gps in thes cars and monitor speed and where theyre going.some get to take their cars home and use them i am sure they use them for personal use,i was on the merrit parkway last week and i am doing 70 and an unmarked car came right up on my rear bumper, no lights no nothing and he was on his cellphone,if i had to stop fast someone would have gotten seriously hurt, i had cars in the right lane and couldnt pull over right away,then when i did, he pulled over right in front of me, and got off the next exit, so i followed him, where did he go? he went into a cvs, i sat there and watched him and he came out with a prescription and a bottle of soda, not exactly an emergency call

hey smarty - you should have taken the time you spent on following a state trooper to practice your reading skills....YES, they get to use the car for personal use in EXCHANGE for being on duty on their days off so they can arrest idiots like you for being illiterate and stalking them on the way to pick up their sick kids medication....

john wrote:

perhaps if the state police would slow down they would save alot of money and gas, seems everytime there is a state police marked or unmarked theyre always speeding, now they cant all be going to a call all the time,they are spoiled because whose going to police them and pull them over,the state needs to put gps in thes cars and monitor speed and where theyre going.some get to take their cars home and use them i am sure they use them for personal use,i was on the merrit parkway last week and i am doing 70 and an unmarked car came right up on my rear bumper, no lights no nothing and he was on his cellphone,if i had to stop fast someone would have gotten seriously hurt, i had cars in the right lane and couldnt pull over right away,then when i did, he pulled over right in front of me, and got off the next exit, so i followed him, where did he go? he went into a cvs, i sat there and watched him and he came out with a prescription and a bottle of soda, not exactly an emergency call

But he would risk his life for you if he were so called.

I think they shouldnt be allowed to fuel the cars on thier days off. Why should the taxpayers pay for them to do their errands. I see the wives driving the cars which should not be allowed.

Whos policing our police? You should have written down his plate number and made a written complaint. Why should they get away with breaking the law. Tax payers shouldn't foot the bill for them to speed around above the law on their days off!

I agree with Lisa, why should they get free gas on their days off, does that mean I should get free insurance because I work for an insurance company!!! Why Not!!!

Tammy wrote:

I agree with Lisa, why should they get free gas on their days off, does that mean I should get free insurance because I work for an insurance company!!! Why Not!!!

probably won't be able to but atleast a discont would work for you....you're working for them, the least they could do is give you a discount.

Wives driving the police cars? I doubt it Lisa. I dont know that they are allowed to have family in their cars, if they are on call 24/7 what do they do kick their kids or wife out? As far as I'm concerned you can't pay a cop enough to put up with this crazy stuff going on in this world. I say let em, what is it 40 bucks on their day off to fill the car up please. Also, the cop cars that are parked at their houses act as a deterrent.

Okay here are my thought: I give kudos to cops for putting their lives at risk for us and I say thank you. On that note however, many, many a time I've seen cops driving in the HOV lanes at excessive speed (no lights or sirens) and taking on a cell phone. If that was me, I'd probably be hauled off to jail for endangerment or something! I have no problem with them taking cars home, and yes I've seen families in them - with suitcases!- but lines do have to be drawn and I say they should pay for any gas they use on personal business. Yes they are "on duty" all the time, but if it's not official police business, pay for the gas! NOTHING is free these days and with the price of gas I say good job Jodi!

--- Just as an FYI I live in CT (Somers) not in MN like this shows.

Just some clearifications......

1) Cruisers DO HAVE GPS in their cars

2) Use of the cars OFF DUTY is part of a UNION CONTRACT - like it or not, it's a benefit, like medical, they have Negotiated for it. Would you grieve it if your company stopped paying your perk's all of a sudden?

3) They CAN have their family in their vehicles off duty.

4) They are required to provide assistance when off duty if they happen across something.

5) No FAMILY members or anyone else is allowed to drive their cars.

6) Public Safety Officials are afforded an exemption regarding use of cell phones in a vehicle, when conducting business.

What I would like to know, is what makes the Ct. State Police so much better than other State Police Agencies around the country that DO NOT take their cars home with them? Do the others suffer gravely because the troopers are not on duty 24/7? WHy cant the Troopers use their own cars to go to/from work just like hundreds of other police agencies? Keep the cars at work where they need to be. It would not hurt the state to have troopers do this. They have bben spoiled for far too long. Yes! I know they put their lives on the line. Thats admireable and appreciated. However, more often than not, the cruisers are used for going food shopping, taking the wife and kids out around town, going out drinking ect.. Now I ask you, why should they enjoy these things when other police officers in the state, who also risk their lives, can not? How can an off duty trooper respond in an emergency if the wife,kids, dog are with them? Or better yet, and I know this happens a lot with these guys, what about when they go out drinking with the cars? Do a search on the Depts. records of off duty accidents involving alchohol. Why is the high and mighty CSP so much better than everyone else? They are not! Leave the cruisers at the job, save the gas and use your own dam cars, enough already......

State Troopers are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I have been a passenger in my husband's car on his days off when he has pulled over speeders, stopped to help disabled vehicles, stopped for accidents that has just happened where no on duty officer has arrived yet. Yes troopers get to use their vehicles when they are technically "not on duty" but when they are in that vehicle they are considered always on duty. Not to mention when they are constantly called out to work on their days off. It is a small price to pay for these troopers putting on a vest and carrying a gun to work everyday and risking their lives for their community. Next time before you speak badly about our law enforcement officers you should remember that they these individuals are the ones that we call when we need help.

As for going fast with no lights and sirens, many times troopers respond to calls without lights and sirens. That doesn't mean that they are driving recklessly.

And for the person who commented that she has seen trooper's wives driving the vehicles, that is absolutely not true. I am not even allowed to move my husband's vehicle in the driveway.

Wife of a State Trooper wrote:

State Troopers are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I have been a passenger in my husband's car on his days off when he has pulled over speeders, stopped to help disabled vehicles, stopped for accidents that has just happened where no on duty officer has arrived yet. Yes troopers get to use their vehicles when they are technically "not on duty" but when they are in that vehicle they are considered always on duty. Not to mention when they are constantly called out to work on their days off. It is a small price to pay for these troopers putting on a vest and carrying a gun to work everyday and risking their lives for their community. Next time before you speak badly about our law enforcement officers you should remember that they these individuals are the ones that we call when we need help.
As for going fast with no lights and sirens, many times troopers respond to calls without lights and sirens. That doesn't mean that they are driving recklessly.
And for the person who commented that she has seen trooper's wives driving the vehicles, that is absolutely not true. I am not even allowed to move my husband's vehicle in the driveway.

Thanks. Well stated and thanks to your husband for serving in such a dangerous capacity. He never knows what will greet him when he stops someone and some idiot has tinted windows. Be safe!!

Rosco wrote:

<quoted text>Thanks. Well stated and thanks to your husband for serving in such a dangerous capacity. He never knows what will greet him when he stops someone and some idiot has tinted windows. Be safe!!

Thank you. I am glad that some people appreciate what they go through.

Jodi doesn't say whether or not she breaks out her Visa when it's time to fill her limo. What do you think? Would it be a problem if she needed off duty oficers to come in for escort/bodyguard duty and they told her the tank was on "E"...sorry. I can see it now. A fleet of Prius's with light bars on top. Very intimidating. Ha!

Wife of a State Trooper wrote:

<quoted text>
Thank you. I am glad that some people appreciate what they go through.

You are welcome. I think most people with a half a brain DO appreciate the risks they take. It's the few dummies who mouth off without knowing what they are talking about.

Wife of a State Trooper wrote:

State Troopers are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I have been a passenger in my husband's car on his days off when he has pulled over speeders, stopped to help disabled vehicles, stopped for accidents that has just happened where no on duty officer has arrived yet. Yes troopers get to use their vehicles when they are technically "not on duty" but when they are in that vehicle they are considered always on duty. Not to mention when they are constantly called out to work on their days off. It is a small price to pay for these troopers putting on a vest and carrying a gun to work everyday and risking their lives for their community. Next time before you speak badly about our law enforcement officers you should remember that they these individuals are the ones that we call when we need help.
As for going fast with no lights and sirens, many times troopers respond to calls without lights and sirens. That doesn't mean that they are driving recklessly.
And for the person who commented that she has seen trooper's wives driving the vehicles, that is absolutely not true. I am not even allowed to move my husband's vehicle in the driveway.

I agree with you. I don't mind them getting gas on their days off. The presence of the cruiser on the road is a deterent to crooks. The bad guys know how to spot an unmarked car.
The state needs more Troopers on our highways. Ever day I drive on CT highways and I see CT motorists driving over the posted limit by more than 20MPH. no one's concerned about high gas prices since the majority of cars speed excessively.
So before you pick on the cops, look at your own driving habits, cell phones, speeding, weaving in and out of traffic, etc.
Jodi's action will save next to nothing. If anything, try to cut down on idling where possible.
These guys put their lives on the line every day for us. I wish we had more.

Oh yes lets not talk badly about the police officers cause they are not corrupt at all. Oh wait they spead they talk on their sell phones they oh yes run prostitution rings and will be easily be swaid by a woman not to give her a ticket for favors. Good job yes give them free gas! They shouldn't have to spend their paycheck or stimulas check on gas and oil! like us poor smucks who work all day and support our family and keep them safe ourselves!

speed* cell* sorry for the spelling errors and I am from Ct not MN