Speeding Privileges Should Not be Allowed.

The Kentish Express reports that magistrates in Ashford decided not to prosecute a Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) officer for driving over 49 miles over the speed limit on the M20.

At what point did being an agency police officer excuse you from committing a crime?

While officers on active duty are entitled to breach speed limits in pursuance of that duty, the diabolical that privilege should be extended to driving to work. By the same rationale, doctors, teachers and politicians should all be entitled to drive at Extortionate, life endangering speeds.

In addition to the professionals within civil service, perhaps we should also consider extending this privileged to their administrative support staff, from the receptionists that let them in the door to those that type the minutes of the meetings.

The officer in question was speeding to reach an undercover operation in another county. This operation resulted in convictions of drug trafficking. However, An ambulance driver rushing to work in his own vehicle who subsequently saves the life of someone when he later drives the ambulance there is not entitled to such a privilege, yet could be by this ruling by Ashford Magistrates Court.

This could potentially create a far reaching precedent that would allow any civil service employee to evade conviction when prosecution for that crime exists to protect the public.

The sort of privilege creates ill feeling and a lack of respect to the law that could have devastating effects. Imagine if everyone who was late for work, whether attending a crime scene or simply needing to clock in to pay the bills, decided to drive significantly over the speed limit.