Hillsborough Circuit Judge Bill Levens furthered the concept of equal protection by striking down an amnesty program for police officers who break the law. A policy in place for 22 year bars the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office from ticketing deputies who commit civil traffic violations. Levens ruled that the mandatory ticket ban is wrong, and that deputies should have the discretion to write citations to their colleagues.
This reasoning is a no-brainer to anyone who believes in equal treatment. Officers who break traffic laws in routine driving should be held to the same standard as the average citizen. There are, of course, legitimate instances when officers in the course of their policing duties may need to run a stop sign or traffic light. These acts already are legally protected. Leven's ruling pertains to traffic infractions made in nonemergency situations, and the change would still enable the Sheriff's Office to make a judgment based on the circumstances in each case. There is room within the ruling to balance justice and reason.
A sheriff's spokesman said the agency would appeal, which is a bad idea, legally and politically. Lt. Rod Reder said that because deputies involved in accidents must face a crash review board, a traffic ticket would amount to double jeopardy. This doesn't make sense. Many public and private-sector employeesface sanctions from both their employers and the legal system formisconduct including traffic infractions.
If law enforcement agencies cannot stand as symbols for what is right, they should at least not symbolize a practice that is wrong.
