Edmontonians frustrated with photo radar fines may be surprised to learn the city’s police officers are also being dinged for speeding, even when they’re responding to an emergency.
CTV News has learned that many of the city’s police officers are paying for speeding tickets out of pocket rather than undergo the time-consuming process to have the fees waived.
“It is frustrating for the front line,” Sgt. Mike Elliott, president of the Edmonton Police Association, told CTV Edmonton. “It’s frustrating for us because we hear it from the front line members when members come in and say ‘I can’t believe I’m getting this.’”
Police officers aren’t required to pay for photo radar speeding tickets they receive while on the job, provided they can prove they were responding to an important call.
“[The member has to answer] ‘What were you doing at that time?’” Elliott said. “And then the member has to add comments, which goes to their sergeant, to their staff sergeant, to their inspector, and to the superintendent to try to determine is that speeding justified or unjustified?”
Edmonton Police Chief Dale McFee agrees that the process is more cumbersome than it needs to be.
“I think it’s a significant time drain on our professional standards branch,” he said. “We need to make those decisions that balance the fact that we need to get there safe with the fact that we need to get there because somebody’s safety is in jeopardy.”
McFee said officers should be trusted to make certain judgment calls themselves while they’re on duty.
