Elberton K-9

Fast Tube by Casper

Once the vehicles are stopped several things may happen. Some Officers will turn on their spotlights at night and point it at the violator’s vehicle, this gives the Officer a measure of protection. He or she can see into the vehicle better and the driver and passengers have a harder time seeing where the Officer is at.

Fast Tube by Casper

Get the point?

Instead of quoting off some Georgia traffic code and giving my opinion I wanted to talk about traffic stops, especially here in Elberton. Every department does and teaches different methods for traffic stops and sometimes people (violators) seem a little confused about what they are supposed to do, so I thought it might be a good idea to give a few dos and do nots.

This is in no means an all inclusive list, simply some of the things I have run across over the last few years.

Fast Tube by Casper

The Initial Stop

Please remember there is no such thing as a routine traffic stop. The reason we do things the way we do is to try to maximize the safety for ourselves and the violator.

If or when you get pulled over pleased DON’T pull into the center lane and stop. State law says that you should pull as far right as is safe and stop. The center lane is dangerous to stop in as there are 2 lanes of traffic to worry about it doubles your chances for a vehicle to hit your vehicle, the patrol vehicle, or the Officer. Parking lots are also a wonderful place to stop, they are very safe for the Officer to get out and speak to the violator.

It is alright to keep moving if you are in a very dark area, at least till you get to a well lit location. I would suggest turning on your hazard lights to make sure the Officer knows you see him and are preparing to stop.

Once you are stopped, please sit still. Officers are watching through the rear window. Actions such as reaching for a cell phone or into the glove compartment can look very suspicious and the Officer could act accordingly.

Here is an example of how some traffic stops can go. I have made sure this is as family friendly as I can. In this video the officer pulls the vehicle over for an improper lane change, a minor offense. It ends up that the driver has a gun and flees from the scene. This stop could have gone a lot worse for the Officer.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8Sk_Dj7aus ]

Oh, and yes, this type of stuff like this does happen here in our sleepy little city.

More tomorrow.

Training

With only a few more days to go before NNDDA certification we have been working overtime with our narcotics detection. We still have a ways to go with it so that I am more than confident on running through the certification and being ready to hit the road. Many thanks go out to Kim Newman and Ron Parsons, of Smart Critters, for their help so far.

As long as everything goes as it should we will be riding to Forsyth County to meet with David Garrison to test me and Camie and or Leeda. I will be taking whichever one shows the strongest in detection prior to heading up.

If everything goes well it will mean that we are on the road the becoming a very good team. Once certified we will be able to be utilized by the department, schools, and other departments as needed for narcotics detection. After certification I will be looking harder into some of the other training we have been working on such as tracking and searching which we will also have to certify in later. There are several other certifications I want to see in the teams folder and this will be a very positive step forward, but we are a long way from the finish line…

I was informed a few weeks ago that I was was to be headed to Athens this week for a Federal Law Enforcement training class. We headed down there this morning for the 3 day class to learn even more about drug interdiction and investigations. Thankfully the class is close enough to allow us to come home every night so I can see the family every night.

Today was more or less a review of a few of the classes I have already had, but tomorrow appears to have a lot of new information.

Now that I am able to keep up with our training on my computer I thought it would be a good idea to post them each month so that everyone can see what we are doing. So far my records are only for me and Camie as I am going to have to come up with another $100.00 so I can keep track of Leeda, but as Leeda goes and trains at the same time both of them have the same number of hours.

Month of December:

• Obedience : 6 Hours
• Narcotics : 12.76 Hours
• Socialization: 1 Hour
• Tracking: 1 Hour
• Total:  20.76 Hours

Most K9 associations recommend at least 4 hours per week for a non-patrol K-9 Team. So, even before we are “approved” we are exceeding the typical minimum standards, and don’t worry all of this has still been on my time.

I have had tons of questions about the restrictions on Class D (GA) licenses. Below is the legal where with all of the class D license, but I will put it into everyday meaning.

• Have to have had your instruction permit for 1 year
• 17 yours of age or older
• If school age must be in school

No class D driver is allowed on any public road between 12:00 am and 6:00 am, NO EXCEPTIONS.

During the first 6 months after being issued a class D license the driver may not have any passengers in the vehicle that are not immediate family members.

Class D driver may only have a maximum of 3 non-immediate family are less than 21 years of age at any time.

(b) (1) Any resident of this state who is at least 17 years of age and who, for a period of at least 12 months, had a valid instruction permit issued under subsection (a) of this Code section may apply to the department for a Class D driver’s license to operate a noncommercial Class C vehicle if such resident has otherwise complied with all prerequisites for the issuance of such Class D driver’s license as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section, provided that a resident at least 17 years of age who has at any age surrendered to the department a valid instruction permit or driver’s license issued by another state or the District of Columbia or who has submitted to the department proof, to the satisfaction of the department, of a valid instruction permit or driver’s license issued by another state or the District of Columbia may apply his or her driving record under such previously issued permit or driver’s license toward meeting the eligibility requirements for a Class D driver’s license the same as if such previously issued permit or driver’s license were an instruction permit issued under subsection (a) of this Code section; provided, however, that a person who is at least 16 years of age and meets all of the other qualifications of this paragraph except for age who has completed an approved driver education training course as provided in subsection (a.2) of Code Section 40-5-22 may apply for a Class D driver’s license.

(2) The department shall, after all applicable requirements have been met, issue to the applicant a Class D driver’s license which shall entitle the applicant, while having such license in his or her immediate possession, to drive a Class C vehicle upon the public highways of this state under the following conditions:

(A) Any Class D license holder shall not drive a Class C motor vehicle on the public roads, streets, or highways of this state between the hours of 12:00 Midnight and 6:00 A.M. eastern standard time or eastern daylight time, whichever is applicable; and
(B)(i) Any Class D license holder shall not drive a Class C motor vehicle upon the public roads, streets, or highways of this state when more than three other passengers in the vehicle who are not members of the driver’s immediate family are less than 21 years of age.

(ii) During the six-month period immediately following issuance of such license, any Class D license holder shall not drive a Class C motor vehicle upon the public roads, streets, or highways of this state when any other passenger in the vehicle is not a member of the driver’s immediate family.

Continuing on with the raised (jacked up) vehicle laws this is the one that specifically looks at trucks. The major differences between trucks and cars are that trucks are built, typically wider and have a better or greater tolerance for modifications. Trucks are also based on their gross weight 4,500 pounds or less goes into one category and above to 7,500 goes into another. The measurements are a little different also, for trucks it goes from the ground to the lowest portion of the frame (not the bumper as some people think). Cars are measured from the ground to the body at the wheel well.

Again, as with the altered suspension this is completely a safety issue with me. I have had to work accidents where trucks, going about 45 miles an hour have lost their differential ratio in their back in, fishtailed and rolled over here in town. One of main issues for the accident was the lift kit and larger after market tires.

§ 40-8-6.1.  Raised chassis vehicles
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:

(1) ”Frame” means the main longitudinal structural members of the chassis of a truck.

(2) ”Frame height” means the vertical distance between a level surface and the lowest point on the frame of a truck, measured when the truck is upon such level surface without a load.

(3) ”Gross vehicle weight rating” means the manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating whether or not the vehicle is modified by use of parts not originally installed by the manufacturer.

(b) It shall be unlawful to alter the suspension system of any truck with a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,500 pounds or less, which may be operated on any public street or highway, so as to exceed 27 inches as measured from the surface of the street to the lowest point on the frame of the truck.

(c) It shall be unlawful to alter the suspension system of any truck with a gross vehicle weight rating of not less than 4,501 pounds and not more than 7,500 pounds, which may be operated on any public street or highway, so as to exceed 30 inches as measured from the surface of the street to the lowest point on the frame of the truck.

(d) It shall be unlawful to alter the suspension system of any truck with a gross vehicle weight rating of not less than 7,501 pounds and not more than 14,000 pounds, which may be operated on any public street or highway, so as to exceed 31 inches as measured from the surface of the street to the lowest point on the frame of the truck.

(e) It shall be unlawful to operate any truck upon any highway, roadway, or street if the suspension system has been altered in excess of the limitations provided for in this Code section.

(f) Any person violating this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

First let me say I am in no way a mechanic, I am supposed to be able to put the key in the car turn it and it cranks. However I have found that I do enjoy accident investigations, so far I have had about 160+ hours of focused classes on the subject so I can say I do a good deal on the forces that do cause accidents weight transfer, center of gravity, skid factors and so forth. This is the main reason that I seem to focus on some of the less focused on traffic laws. Alteration of suspension system is one of these.

This law is a very simple one. For CARS the owners MAY NOT modify the suspension OVER OR UNDER 2 inches past factory recommendation for any such vehicle and operate the vehicle on public roads. The end, very simple. If you dont know what the Manufacture specs are you can do as I have done several times, ask a mechanic.

Here is a little example, if you have a vehicle that is set for 16′ tires and decide you want 24″ tires you have increased the height of the vehicle 4″ therefor in violation of the law. Now before people get to fussing, there is a major safety issue behind this. When you lift a vehicle (car) you change a lot of aspects to that vehicle, my concern is the safety aspects. As you increase the height of a vehicle you change drastically the center of balance of the vehicle which effects the handling of the vehicle especially in accident conditions. I have, on several occasions, watched modified vehicle have to swing across an entire two-lane road just to make a right turn, what would happen if someone or a vehicle pulled out in front to that car? The modified vehicle cant turn fast enough.

40-8-6.  Alteration of suspension system; operation of vehicle with broken springs

(a) It shall be unlawful to alter the suspension system of any private passenger motor vehicle which may be operated on any public street or highway more than two inches above or below the factory recommendation for any such vehicle.

(b) It shall be unlawful to operate any private passenger motor vehicle upon any highway, roadway, or street if the suspension system of such vehicle has been altered more than two inches above or below the factory recommendation for such vehicle.

(c) It shall be unlawful to operate any motor vehicle upon any highway, roadway, or street if the springs relative to the suspension system are broken.

(d) Any person violating this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

With the advent of the new year I wanted to start a couple of new categories here on the EK9 blog. The first of these is for those that have had questions about Georgia Traffic Laws. I will be more than happy to entertain question if they are posted here in the comments as their seems to be a lot of questions that I end up fielding while out on traffic stops or around town on my own time. Please remember as I am talking about the traffic laws that I am not a lawyer, judge or anything like that. I base my opinion on what the law reads, point blank. As many people can tell you there is very little gray area when it come to the law for me most is pretty much black and white. So please don’t go quoting me as an expert as there is some cases where other case law supports other views, that’s what we have to pay the lawyers for. As I stated before beside the quoted law the rest is my opinion.