Cop charged under street racing law.

[V A N Q U I S H]

http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_22702.aspx

OPP Officer Charged Under Street Racing Law
Wednesday May 14, 2008
CityNews.ca Staff

As the Ontario Provincial Police scan the province's highways from the sky and the ground looking for dangerous and aggressive drivers there's word one of their own is facing charges under the new street racing law.

A 43-year-old Peterborough County OPP constable was allegedly clocked driving at least 50 kilometres over the sped limit on Highway 115, just south of Peterborough, on March 25 according to a published report. The officer was in his cruiser at the time.

Under the street racing law, which went into effect last September, a driver caught speeding 50 km/hr or more above the posted limit can have their licence and vehicle seized immediately. The maximum fine for the crime was also bumped up to $10,000.

On Tuesday police organizations from across the province gathered in Markham to kick off Project Erase (Eliminating Racing Activities on Streets Everywhere). Authorities say 42 people have been killed by speeders in the GTA since 1999.

Since the street racing law went into effect, more than 4,500 charges have been laid.

The officer charged in March has been moved to desk duty at his detachment and is scheduled to appear in court in June.

Lloyd Tapp is facing two charges under the street racing law.

Amidst my bag being lost with possibly my job on the line due to the contents, I can't help but smile at this one.

[camber]

http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.c...th=SARAH+DEETH

Officer charged with racing; OPP constable taken off road
Posted By SARAH DEETH
Posted 12 hours ago
A Peterborough County OPP officer has been charged with two counts of racing a vehicle while on duty in a police cruiser.

Const. Lloyd Tapp, 43, was charged April 8 after an investigation into a March 25 incident.

Tapp is charged with driving at least 50 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 115 in Cavan Monaghan Township, court records state.

Const. Gord Klingspohn, media relations officer for Peterborough County OPP, said the public wasn't told about the charges because of the time lapse between March 25 and April 8.

"Due to the fact of the time lapse between the date of the offence and the actual date of the charge, a press release was not issued," Klingspohn said.

He said he couldn't get into specific details about the charges because the case is before the courts.

"It was relating to the on-duty operation of a police cruiser on March 25," Klingspohn said.

Tapp was charged by the OPP central region traffic and marine unit, he said.

The OPP cruiser wasn't impounded for seven days, he said.

"Roadside impoundment is only applicable if the charge is laid at the roadside," Klingspohn said.

He said he wasn't sure if Tapp's driver's licence was suspended for seven days, again citing the lapse in time between the alleged incident and the day charges were laid.
Under Ontario's new street racing laws, drivers face having their vehicles seized and the driver's licence suspended for seven days for speeding at more than 50 km/h over the speed limit.

Tapp has been moved to administrative duties at the detachment, Klingspohn said.

Insp. Mike Johnston, detachment commander of the Peterborough County OPP, was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Tapp made an appearance in Provincial Offences Court yesterday dressed in his OPP uniform, provincial prosecutor Alan Staples said. His next court appearance is June 9.

If convicted, Tapp faces a minimum fine of $2,000 and a possible jail sentence of six months

I like it when police don't follow this BS new law to a T, when it involves one of their own

It pretty much demonstrates that they themselves feel that any upfront penalites before due process is complete garbage...... I guess you wouldn't expect anyone on your side of the fence to intentionally violate your rights would you?

Police to require surrender of licence, detention of vehicle
(5) Where a police officer believes on reasonable and probable grounds that a person is driving, or has driven, a motor vehicle on a highway in contravention of subsection (1), the officer shall,
(a) request that the person surrender his or her driver's licence; and
(b) detain the motor vehicle that was being driven by the person until it is impounded under clause (7) (b). 2007, c. 13, s. 21.

[untaka]

CityNews is horrible,

On Tuesday police organizations from across the province gathered in Markham to kick off Project Erase (Eliminating Racing Activities on Streets Everywhere). Authorities say 42 people have been killed by speeders in the GTA since 1999.

Can anyone confirm that these 42 people died because of the speed of the car and the speed they were going at? Can anyone else confirm there was nothing else involved? (Seat belt use, Alcohol, Drugs, Sleepy, Not paying attention, Illegal Turn/Changing Lane, occupied).


I'm getting sick of this activism against this supposed street racing.

[camber]

CityNews is horrible,

Can anyone confirm that these 42 people died because of the speed of the car and the speed they were going at? Can anyone else confirm there was nothing else involved? (Seat belt use, Alcohol, Drugs, Sleepy, Not paying attention, Illegal Turn/Changing Lane, occupied).


I'm getting sick of this activism against this supposed street racing.

I've contacted the head of E.R.A.S.E.

They don't even know where their own stats came from or if the people in their stats where every convicted of "street racing". However, they still see no problem in stating those stats everytime someone asks.

[untaka]

I've contacted the head of E.R.A.S.E.

They don't even know where their own stats came from or if the people in their states where every convicted of "street racing". However, they still see no problem in stating those stats everytime someone asks.

We as Canadians should be seriously questioning this new law, it seems the politicians are ignoring us.

[Nikita]

We as Canadians should be seriously questioning this new law, it seems the politicians are ignoring us.

Ya think? It takes more than complaining on RFD to get politicians to act.

[untaka]

Ya think? It takes more than complaining on RFD to get politicians to act.

That is insane I thought RFD was the center of the universe

[VorteC]

I thought on-duty police officers are exempt from the HTA..?

[Shaner]

I thought on-duty police officers are exempt from the HTA..?

Only in the course of their duties. Plus, he could very well have been off duty but for some reason had possession of the cruiser. It's not completely uncommon.

[cwb27]

I have a feeling there is more to this story than we're being told...

[jeeva86]

So how did he get caught if he was in his cruiser? Did they pull him over and ask if he was on duty?

[cwb27]

So how did he get caught if he was in his cruiser? Did they pull him over and ask if he was on duty?

"Roadside impoundment is only applicable if the charge is laid at the roadside," Klingspohn said.

Doesn't sound like he was pulled over.

[Tomy]

every cruiser i see on the street speeds, tailgate, change lanes without signal..

i always tell my friends, the best example of a bad drivers are the cops.

[gh05t]

Going 50kph above unnecessarily might be why he was ticketed although he may have been on duty and in his cruiser. That is,he wasn't trying to get to the scene of an emergency with flashing lights nor was he chasing someone.

This could just be a publicity stunt though, to gain the confidence of the public and convince most that the law is laid down equally though we know this isn't so, and while he may seem like a fall guy now, the 20hrs of community service he will be slapped with will hardly feel like a chain gang.

[kramerz80]

I'm getting sick of this activism against this supposed street racing.

Ya, because street racing never hurt anyone right? Lets get sick at the activism against murders, rapes and gangs as well... gimme a break...