Saw a cycle cop doing a baddie today. While waiting to cross the street to my apt,I saw this bike cop talking to another cop in a cruiser. He was sitting next to the driver's side door. There are three lanes;two normal traffic lanes,and one parking/turn lane. The bike cop was at the very edge of the turn lane,maybe two inches from the traffic going by. He was wearing a blue uniform;no bright colors and nothing attention-getting on the bike. Not too bright in my opinion. What's worse,they were blocking the busstop. A bus came up and had to block the right traffic lane(there was a car parked behind the stop,so he couldn't pull in behind the cop). If a civilian had done this,they would've gotten a ticket.

I gave the bike cop a dirty look,but he didn't see me. Riding the elevator up to my apt,I decided to post this in the forums,and then had an idea. I'd take a couple pics to show everyone what happened. I got my camera,ran back down,and snapped a couple pics from the safety of my lobby. I got one just before he rode off. You can plainly see how close he was to traffic. You can also just see part of the signs that say you can't park where they were.

FYI,I've also seen at least 3 or 4 cops yakking on cell phones while driving(illegal in DC).

Have you checked to see if the Police have an Omnibudsman or something like that? You could file a complaint with them perhaps?

As for the uniform, they may not have a choice in regards to that. I know the cops here in Toronto where dark blue uniforms (although they can wear shorts sometimes). I've never seen them with reflectors or vests (other than bullet proof ones) and imagine they get fairly hot under all that gear and such. But perhaps you can suggest the idea of leg band reflectors (those that go around the ankle) as something the force should consider in the future.

Things must have really improved in DC since I was last there if this qualifies as a bad cop report.

Around here, we are more worried about police shooting innocent people, millions of dollars in lawsuits paid by tax payers to settle brutality suits, sexual assaults by cops, drunk cops involved in shootings, etc...

Dirty Cop.....

Cops blocking traffic and talking to their girlfriends on the phone? Forget it, strictly trivial. In Jersey the cops routinely get away with murder.

I haven't bothered to complain because it wouldn't do any good. Like I said,I've seen cops yakking on cell phones while driving with impunity.

I don't know why that guy had on blue. Most of the bike cops have yellow shirts and wear shorts. Most of them also have black bikes,so I don't know what was up with this guy. Maybe he was just a fill-in and didn't know what he was doing.

cops are above the law

Right......

don't forget the off duty cop in NYC who spent the night at a strip club, got really drunk and mowed down a whole family a couple years ago.

This one I'd have to let slide. No donuts though.

Do not be surprised, comrade:

The police culture is one of picking and choosing which laws to follow, and which to ignore;
Of deciding where and when to enforce the law, as well as which groups they would rather protect and serve.
But of course, this trickles down through the legal bureaucracy: from the politicians and petty bourgeoisie.

[/rant]

Ya know, you really need to find something constructive to do with your time. Cops screw off just like everybody else.

Now, if a guy came up and slipped him a white envelope and you caught that on film....