Red-light-running officers, firefighters to pay up-Dallas, TX

Original link http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/storie...

DALLAS - Officers and firefighters who run red lights will soon have to face the music to the tune of a $75 fine.

While emergency vehicles are given the okay by state law to go through lights when responding to emergencies, chasing a suspect or going to a fire alarm, they haven't been give the privilege to simply fly through lights while out for a drive.

"We have had some officers simply on routine patrol running red lights," said Lt. Sally Lannom. "...That's what we need to be adhering to, not simply, 'I'm in a squad car; I can do what I want.' That's not how the law is written."

So, starting April 15, officers and firefighters who improperly run red lights will have to pay a $75 dollar fine.

"I know that a lot of the officers are not real happy about it," said the president of the Fraternal Order of Police. "Nobody out here is just running red lights left and right."

There are 39 red light cameras around the city, and since mid-January, at least 355 emergency vehicles have been recorded running them.

While not all of them are from Dallas, the Dallas Police Department has investigated nearly a dozen cases and found the officers had legitimate reasons for running the light.

"Chief Kunkle feels if an officer can articulate what deemed the call an emergency, and the officer is being reasonable and prudent, then they can proceed through the red light," Lammon said.

Officers said they are pressured to get to calls from citizens quickly, even if it's not an immediate emergency. By running lights, they said, they can save several minutes. However, the DPD says an officer won't be able to do anyone any good if they don't get there safely.