Pulled over for speeding by a bylaw services van?

[metallicat]

Originally Posted by Neeper

The vehicle was clearly marked BYLAW SERVICES. I remember looking at it to make sure I was about to past a cop over 60.

He pulled me over with his red/blue flashing lights. That's why I stopped. You see those lights flash, your first instinct is to stop.

I really wish I got this guy's name so I could file a complaint. I never thought of it at the time. But I think it was embarrasing. " look at that guy, he got pulled over for dog license expiring".

A simple bylaw vehicle does not use red/blue lights, I am quite sure that is reserved for police and fire only. This is a weird situation.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

A simple bylaw vehicle does not use red/blue lights, I am quite sure that is reserved for police and fire only.

And I am quite sure that you are wrong.

I hate to tell you this, but just because you guys do something a certain way in Edmonton, doesn't mean the rest of the world follows suit.

[Eddie Bronze]

I've seen two of these Bylaw services vans in the past couple days before never having seen one in my life. Where are they coming from all of a sudden? I definitely saw lights in one of them, although not turned on, as we drove by it in a Tim Horton's parking lot yesterday morning.

[Jayems]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

A simple bylaw vehicle does not use red/blue lights, I am quite sure that is reserved for police and fire only. This is a weird situation.

Yes they do.

[metallicat]

Based on what I've read, only a vehicle that is classified as an emergency vehicle can use red/blue lights. A special constable that is charged with traffic duties can have red/blue lights, as some are deemed as emergency vehicles. I don't think this would have been a regular bylaw officer that hands out tickets for parking or fireplace infractions.

http://www.solgen.gov.ab.ca/download....aspx?id=46527
http://www.qp.gov.ab.ca/documents/Re...sbn=0779717090

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

Based on what I've read....

So, you base your opinion about what colour lights vehicles have on what you have read, and the rest of us will base our opinions on the vehicles we see every day, alright?

I've never seen one of those vehicles use those lights before, so that is why this is thread worthy, one guy actually did and did so as an abuse of power.

[BlackArcher101]

ken0042 and oilers_fan, you are both right.

Bylaw cars can have either yellow or red/blue lights on them. When I lived in Calgary, I saw parking bylaw cars with yellow lights.

And Ken, it's not an abuse of power. The person was appointed a special constable.

If you guys read this special constable handbook, it describes everything.

http://www.solgen.gov.ab.ca/special_...ember_2005.pdf

Some key notes from the handbook:
"The markings should clearly identify the vehicle as a special constable
vehicle and should not confuse the public as to the authority of the operators
of those vehicles."

"The use of unmarked vehicles for traffic enforcement is not permitted."

"The emergency equipment present on a special
constable emergency response unit is to facilitate traffic stops and to provide
warning to other users of the road."

"It is possible for bylaw officers to
become special constables to enhance their ability to conduct enforcement of provincial
statutes."

[Neeper]

Well, BA101, I guess that explains it. He did have the authority to pull me over??

[Sylvanfan]

When I lived in Sylvan Lake they employed two special bylaw constables who could hand out traffic tickets on any street that wasn't under provincial jurasdiction. The speed limit in Sylvan is 40km/h on all municipal roads and 30 in playgrounds. If they saw you going 42 they would pull you over and give you a ticket with a $60 fine. Their job was to look for every and any obscure violation and hand out as many fines as possible. And they gave zero leway whatsoever and were more ruthless than Nazi's. They once fined the MS society big time for parking their trailer on the wrong side of the road one night when they were doing the bike tour through town. Yes those two bylaw officers were just like Cartman in Southpark, except worse. I don't miss living in Sylvan Lake one bit just because of those two. Amazingly I survived 4 years in that town without a fine from those two, it's probably a record.

Ok, I will try to clear up everything on this thread... some of it is correct info, some of it is not.

1) As stated before, bylaw officers are special constables and are therefore considered a peace officer. They have all the powers of a police officer including stopping you for speeding. That being said, stopping you for 6 km over is rather weak. And yes, they do have vehicle's with red and blues. CO's do as well and can also write you a ticket for any municipal bylaw or provincial statute.

2) Juristiction- I hear this one alot. Police in Calgary are not bound to the city only. They have juristiction in ALL OF ALBERTA. Section 42 of the Police Act details and defines a Special Constable.

3) 'Citizen's Arrest'- there are 3 major type of offences in the criminal code- Indictable (serious offences including robbery, murder, aggravted assault, house B&E, etc), summary (causing a disturbrance, indecent act, trespass by night, etc), and hybrid offences called dual procedure (assault, theft, mischief to property, etc). Heres the kicker, dual procedure offences are treated as indictable offences until the crown decides which way to proceed. A police officer is the only person that can arrest and charge based on reasonable grounds for an indictable/dual procedure offence (in other words, they dont have to witness they offence- summary conviction offences however, must be witnessed by a police officer in order to affect an arrest). Citizens including security, have to witness the offence (indictable, dual or summary) to arrest. If a citizen is chasing someone they have witnessed commit an offense, they must keep CONSTANT visual contact with them- if, at any time, they lose visual contact, they can no longer effect an arrest. As police officers are, citizens are also bound by sections 24 and 25 ot the crim code dictating conduct when it comes to arrest and the use of force.

4) The use of emergency equipment by police is governed by the Traffic Safety Act. Police DO NOT have to use sirens are lights when attending to a call for service or any other reason that can be reasonably articulated.

5) The sign at district offices stating, 'Drive as if everyone is watching you.... they are', has been there for a dozen years if not more.

[Daradon]

^^^ Re signs. I believe ya, though this incident DID happen 10-11 years ago. I never notcied that sign before, but it is very possible that it was there before. Just thought it was funny.

[Dynamic]

I think I was pulled over by a bylaw officer. I think I was doing 110 in an 80 zone (stupid secondary highway bs) but as soon as I saw the blue and red lights on top of his Ford Explorer Sportrac I assumed it was a cop. Later that day a guy at work told me he was just a bylaw officer.

[MoneyGuy]

I haven't read this entire thread so don't know if it's been answered, but muni bylaw officers do have the authority to pull drivers over and ticket them for traffic offences. I'm affiliated with a municipality in Alberta (not City of Calgary).

[Buzzard]

The speed limit on the Blackfoot is 80 isn't it?

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

I haven't read this entire thread so don't know if it's been answered, but muni bylaw officers do have the authority to pull drivers over and ticket them for traffic offences. I'm affiliated with a municipality in Alberta (not City of Calgary).

Your right, they have the authority. The department policy may be different tho. A lot of municipal agencies have a clearly defined engagment policy and many of them don't include pulling vehicles over for traffic violations. It is one of the most dangerous aspects of law enforcement and municipal by-law enfocement usually don't have tools and training for it.

[Lanny_MacDonald]

Forget it, things have obviously changed.