Dear Mahatma: I make a daily commute to North Little Rock, and I am often passed by a police car going well over the speed limit, no lights or sirens. How can they do this while riding herd on the rest of us? More often than not it's a sheriff's car. -- Puzzled Senior
Dear Puzzled: You have asked what is known in the newspaper business as an "evergreen." Something that comes up repeatedly. One of the very first questions answered here years ago was this one, specifically about police in Little Rock.
The question also made us think of John Robert Starr. Hold that thought.
Since you reference the sheriff and his deputies, we pitched the question to Lt. Carl Minden of the Pulaski County sheriff's office. He responded by sending along a copy of General Policy 04-001: Department Vehicle Operation and General Policy 04-002: Emergency Driving.
Previous experience shows the Little Rock Police Department has a similar policy, as does the Arkansas State Police. If there's a police agency in Arkansas without a policy that addresses vehicle operation and emergency driving, well, that's incomprehensible.
Here are some parts of the sheriff's office policies and some context from Minden:
Folks who work for the sheriff will operate county vehicles "in a lawful, safe and prudent manner at all times."
The driver and any passengers "will use seat belts and shoulder strap restraints at all times."
Vehicles will be driven "at a reasonable and prudent speed considering the circumstances."
"Public complaints regarding improper driving conduct by members shall be investigated and may result in disciplinary action."
On emergency driving:
"During emergency driving situations, Deputies will operate their vehicles with extreme caution and in compliance with Arkansas Code Annotated 27-37-202, which requires that the emergency light bar and siren be activated on authorized emergency vehicles."
Emergency driving is done "in response to a life-threatening situation or a serious crime in progress, using due regard for the safety of others."
That's the background. Minden offers something more.
He says not all calls justify lights and siren but may require a deputy to "arrive in an expedient manner." Danged if you do (get somewhere necessary without lights and siren); danged if you don't (get to the scene expeditiously). Minden said that, sort of. We colloquialized.
Back to Starr, managing editor and columnist here circa 1978-91. The man was irascible -- to put it mildly.
The Mahatma had a conversation recently with a longtime reader who recalls Starr writing about a state trooper who blew by Starr at a high rate of speed but without lights and siren. Starr, skeptical newsman he was, followed the trooper -- to a coffee shop where the trooper met his law enforcement buddies.
After which Starr scorched the trooper in his statewide newspaper column.
Vanity plate seen on an orange Jeep: CRUSH.
Mahatma@arkansasonline.com
Metro on 11/29/2014