Question: Can police use their authority to get ahead in a line, or put their light on for a personal matter?
Answer: As a general rule, it is not OK for an officer to 'badge' his way to the front of the line. While it does not violate the law , it may be against departmental policies. Such action tends to create a bad image and poor community relations. However, this is double-edged. There are many businesses that like Police officers to patronize their establishments. Those businesses encourage officers to 'badge' their way to the front of the line.
The answer to the second part of that question is NO! A Police officer is not allowed to use his emergency equipment for personal reasons. There are specific laws and departmental policies that govern that behavior.
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