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Search Observer-Reporter
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Ask the Officer: May 2008
Ask the officer
Sgt. Robert Lemons Jr.,
Washington police
community outreach
sgtlemons@officer.com
Previous Q&A:
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
To report suspicious activity in Washington County, call 1-800-281-0070. The hotline is confidential and operates 24 hours a day.
Ask the officer
Sgt. Robert Lemons Jr.,
Washington police
community outreach
sgtlemons@officer.com
Previous Q&A:
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
To report suspicious activity in Washington County, call 1-800-281-0070. The hotline is confidential and operates 24 hours a day.
Q. What's the law in the city of washington on how dark window tint can be on your car windows? 5/31/08
A. A vehicle cannot have any tint on the front driver and passenger windows. This is a state statute, not a local ordinance.
Q. What does it mean when a person is out on bond? 5/30/08
A. When you are arraigned on criminal charges, you are issued a bond by the state. It is a dollar amount you have to post to assure the courts you will appear when and where you are needed to resolve the case. Someone out on bond has posted the amount due to stay out of jail until his or her case is completed.
Q. Is there any speed in excess of the posted speed limit that is considered acceptable? 5/29/08
A. If you travel in excess of the posted limit, you could be issued a citation.
A. A vehicle cannot have any tint on the front driver and passenger windows. This is a state statute, not a local ordinance.
Q. What does it mean when a person is out on bond? 5/30/08
A. When you are arraigned on criminal charges, you are issued a bond by the state. It is a dollar amount you have to post to assure the courts you will appear when and where you are needed to resolve the case. Someone out on bond has posted the amount due to stay out of jail until his or her case is completed.
Q. Is there any speed in excess of the posted speed limit that is considered acceptable? 5/29/08
A. If you travel in excess of the posted limit, you could be issued a citation.
Q. How can you determine if somebody is wanted by the police? 5/25/08
A. The jail has an updated copy of warrants handed down by the courts, Also, officers can summit someone's information (date of birth, Social Security number, etc.) into a computer system that is countrywide, called NCIC. If someone is entered, the computer will alert and give information on the outstanding charge and what agency entered the person.
A. The jail has an updated copy of warrants handed down by the courts, Also, officers can summit someone's information (date of birth, Social Security number, etc.) into a computer system that is countrywide, called NCIC. If someone is entered, the computer will alert and give information on the outstanding charge and what agency entered the person.
Q. Dead deer seem to be everywhere. I know that there is a number to call PennDOT (1-800-FIX ROAD) to have them removed, but most people either don't know about it or just don't bother. Are police officers given the number and told to report them when they see them? It would seem to make sense to keep our roads clean. 5/24/08
A. Officers do call deer locations into PennDOT. There are contractors hired through PennDOT for deer removal.
Q. I know it is possible to get a citation for riding a bicycle under the influence, but what is someone were riding in a wheelchair or in a motorized wheelchair and intoxicated? If in public, could they get a similar citation? 5/23/08
A. Yes, someone could be arrested for DUI while he or she is using a regular wheelchair or a motorized one. You can be arrested for DUI even if you are not operating a motorized vehicle; definition of vehicle: a conveyance that transports people or objects.
Q. Is it legal to go over the speed limit to pass a slower-moving vehicle, then move to the right lane and resume the legal speed? 5/22/08
A. It is never legal to exceed the speed limit, even if you are passing a slower vehicle. You could be stopped for Section 3362 – Maximum Speed Limit or Section 3111 – Obedience to Traffic Control Devices, and issued a citation.
Q. When you are in a lane that is marked just for a right or left turn, do you have to use your turn signal? 5/21/08
A. Yes. Anytime you are making a turn, the vehicle code states you should use a turn signal to alert others of your movements.
Q. If the neighbors' shrubs obstruct my view of the road from my driveway, is there anything I can do to make them trim the shrubs? 5/20/08
A. I would explain your problem to them as it relates to your being able to see while pulling out of your driveway for safety reasons. If that doesn't work, check with your township about ordinances that might apply. The last resort would be to check with a lawyer to see if there would be anything under civil law that could apply.
Q. How long is the time at the police academy to receive your municipal police officers training Act 120? 5/19/08
A. Full-time academy is three to four months. Part-time takes a year to complete.
Q. What is the fine for disorderly conduct? 5/18/08
A. The fine is set by the magistrate and be as high as $300 plus costs.
Q. Who enforces the parking meters in the City of Washington? 5/17/08
A. The meters are checked by the parking authority. They also are the ones who write the parking tickets for meter and other basic violations.
Q. Who enforces the parking meters in the City of Washington? 5/16/08
A. The meters are checked by the parking authority. They also are the ones who write the parking tickets for meter and other basic violations.
Q. What is the fine for driving while suspended, non-DUI related? 5/15/08
A. Regular suspension per Section 1543A of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, fine is $200 plus costs. The total would be $283.
Q. What is a PFA order?5/12/08
A. PFA stands for Protection from Abuse. It's a court order issued by a judge to protect someone against being abused, usually in a relationship situation.
A. Officers do call deer locations into PennDOT. There are contractors hired through PennDOT for deer removal.
Q. I know it is possible to get a citation for riding a bicycle under the influence, but what is someone were riding in a wheelchair or in a motorized wheelchair and intoxicated? If in public, could they get a similar citation? 5/23/08
A. Yes, someone could be arrested for DUI while he or she is using a regular wheelchair or a motorized one. You can be arrested for DUI even if you are not operating a motorized vehicle; definition of vehicle: a conveyance that transports people or objects.
Q. Is it legal to go over the speed limit to pass a slower-moving vehicle, then move to the right lane and resume the legal speed? 5/22/08
A. It is never legal to exceed the speed limit, even if you are passing a slower vehicle. You could be stopped for Section 3362 – Maximum Speed Limit or Section 3111 – Obedience to Traffic Control Devices, and issued a citation.
Q. When you are in a lane that is marked just for a right or left turn, do you have to use your turn signal? 5/21/08
A. Yes. Anytime you are making a turn, the vehicle code states you should use a turn signal to alert others of your movements.
Q. If the neighbors' shrubs obstruct my view of the road from my driveway, is there anything I can do to make them trim the shrubs? 5/20/08
A. I would explain your problem to them as it relates to your being able to see while pulling out of your driveway for safety reasons. If that doesn't work, check with your township about ordinances that might apply. The last resort would be to check with a lawyer to see if there would be anything under civil law that could apply.
Q. How long is the time at the police academy to receive your municipal police officers training Act 120? 5/19/08
A. Full-time academy is three to four months. Part-time takes a year to complete.
Q. What is the fine for disorderly conduct? 5/18/08
A. The fine is set by the magistrate and be as high as $300 plus costs.
Q. Who enforces the parking meters in the City of Washington? 5/17/08
A. The meters are checked by the parking authority. They also are the ones who write the parking tickets for meter and other basic violations.
Q. Who enforces the parking meters in the City of Washington? 5/16/08
A. The meters are checked by the parking authority. They also are the ones who write the parking tickets for meter and other basic violations.
Q. What is the fine for driving while suspended, non-DUI related? 5/15/08
A. Regular suspension per Section 1543A of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, fine is $200 plus costs. The total would be $283.
Q. What is a PFA order?5/12/08
A. PFA stands for Protection from Abuse. It's a court order issued by a judge to protect someone against being abused, usually in a relationship situation.
