Police and Penalties
This letter is to voice my complaint about a misinformed comment made by your staff writer, Michael Granberry, in his (Oct. 23) article on car pool lanes. Granberry mistakenly says that violators are “penalized” by “cops.” I have been with the California Highway Patrol for over 15 years and I have never “penalized” a single violator. What I do is write citations to people I see violating state laws. Once the contact with the motorist is over, CHP officers’ part in the judicial system is limited to testifying in court if subpoenaed, and to defending ourselves to our supervisors against the many bogus complaints from motorists who knowingly break the law, get caught and think that by complaining their conscience will be eased or the citation voided. The only person that can “penalize” a violator is the judge. It is my opinion that comments like this from someone like your reporter is one of the things that drive wedges between the “cops” and the public.
TOM CHRISTIAN
El Cajon
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