Do Badges Make Cops Safer?

Have you ever seen a cop speeding? Have you ever seen a cop roll through a stop sign, run a red light without lights and sirens, make erratic and unsignalled lane changes? I would venture everyone has. So the question is, why is he allowed to do that and I am not? We have to rule out that they willfully disregard the law in an unsafe manor.  Therefore, it would have to be because the officer is somehow safe in doing that and for some reason I am not. So let's look at some possibilities to explain this difference.

The Vehicle: Maybe he has a way better performing car than me. Cops driver some pretty nice cars, but they are not that special. Most of them are a Ford Crown Victoria with the Police Interceptor package. I can go to my local Ford dealer and order one myself or buy a used police car at auction. If I have the same car, I should be able to do the same "safe" maneuvers.

Training: Maybe officers go through a special driving course that gives them additional skills to be able to drive that way. There are many driving schools available that teach performance driving at extreme levels and conditions. If I go to one of those schools I should be able to drive the same way.

The Badge: Maybe it's the training and experience that comes with the badge. Maybe those guys are a bit smarter than most and can handle the freedom. I have been driving for 35 years, both here and in Germany, in all types of conditions; and I have an above average IQ (tested, not opinion). That would make me pretty smart and experienced (more than most people). Therefore, I should also be able to handle the freedom.

As we said in the introduction, what it cannot be, is that these officers are doing something unsafe. And that's the point. They are able to do these things because they are trusted to use their judgment and common sense to drive in a safe manner without necessarily following the rules.

I should be able to do that as well, and that is the subject of my post entitled Situational Driving Rules. See you in the fast lane!