This morning while driving to work, I received a speeding ticket. I admit that I was driving over the posted speed (not by a lot, but enough) and I do not dispute the charge. Subsequently, I will pay the fine and outrageous court costs without complaint.

I do, however, find it objectionable when I frequently see police officers speeding themselves. I’m not talking about officers on their way to an emergency call (meaning that they are using lights and sirens). I am talking about officers with what appear to be spouses in the car, who are in plain clothes, or who are from agencies that don’t have jurisdictions in that area (county police from 75 miles away or more, for instance). These officers are driving in excess of the posted speed, without lights or sirens and very clearly not on their way to an emergency call of any kind. In short, it appears that they are on their way to or from work, or to some other engagement, just like I was this morning when I was stopped.

What makes police officers exempt from the same traffic laws that govern me?

I see this often enough, that I feel that I must speak out, especially when citizens, such as myself are ticketed for the same offense. In fact, the last time I received a ticket, I was absolutely amazed to see an officer in plain clothes—but driving a marked conservation officer vehicle—go past the same speed trap I was caught in while driving faster than I was traveling. The police officer who stopped me just seconds later actually waved at the first officer before pulling me over and handing me an outrageously expensive ticket. Again, I was wrong here, but so, too, was the off-duty officer ahead of me. At least if our law enforcement officers are going to apply the laws so selectively, they could try to be a little more clandestine about it. There were a good 10-15 cars in the immediate vicinity and every one of those motorists saw the laws unevenly applied. In fact, the officer who drove away unscathed had been tailgating me because he wanted me to lane over so that he could go on his merry way, at a speed a full 20 mph over the posted limit.

I realize that there are times when an officer might exceed the speed limit without lights and sirens for some official purpose unknown to the general public, but I do not believe that each and every time I see an officer speeding in a marked car—often times wearing plain clothes or from a jurisdiction far outside the area I’m in—that the speeding is warranted or legal. Because I take the same home route every day from work, I regularly see the same officer who must get off work at the same time I do. He is a city officer who obviously lives 15 or so miles outside the city in which he has jurisdiction. He consistently speeds, rides the bumpers of the cars in front of him, and in general is an ass on the road. And he’s obviously just driving home. Where’s his ticket?

I have an immense respect for police officers and for the work they do ensuring the public’s safety. I realize that their job is dangerous and mostly thankless. I also realize that they are not paid nearly well enough. That said, I get a pretty bitter taste in mouth on days like today when I receive a ticket for the same offense I see police officers committing regularly. That’s pretty hard to accept or respect.

Frankly, I think those officers out there who do drive in excess of the speed limit because they know they can do so with immunity ought to be ashamed—especially if those same officers write speeding tickets for civilians who are caught speeding. The inequity is just flat stunning.

In the end, I will pay my fine because I was wrong. I just wish the officers I see speeding illegally had their wallets tapped, too.