Can i find out what shift a cop has?

[ern]

i got a speeding ticket and i want to fight it. i want to schedule a morning court date if he works night or a late night court date if he works morning so he's less likely to show up. Does anyone know if i can find that out?

[gilleabart]

call the station he works at
and he dose not have to be in court

[tripp]

Most police stations have no problem with giving out that information. However, there was an article in the news a few weeks ago, that most officers are now showing up for court dates - that's overtime for them if they are scheduled to be off and apparently a lot of cities are desperate for money. If the officer "clocked" you he has proof, however, it is always good to try to fight tickets, esp. for any moving violation.

Good luck

[adelphos]

Regardless of the shift he works, he will show up if it is his scheduled off day or shift and he will receive overtime (so he wants you to schedule it on his off day or off shift) so he is kind a hoping you will get him some OT so he can set in court, wait for your trial time and win the case at 1 1/2 times his salary.

And you do not set the court time anyway, the court does. Court dates and times are not set up for your convienence.

And in response to the person that said the department has no problem giving out an officers schedule. I donlt know where you got that information from, but our dispatchers or desk employees better never give out our schedules to anybody because if they do it is termination

[warton26]

It's now an urban myth that officers don't show up for court. That used to be the case, partially because that was in the days before cell phones. There was a big crackdown on that years ago. Now it's very rare for an officer not to show up in court. If he doesn't the clerk just calls his cell phone. If he has a good reason such as "I was working all night" the prosecutor will usually just ask for, and be granted, a continuance and they'll give you a new court date. Court is not only a duty assignment, it's also overtime. I'm not aware of many courts that give the violators any say in what time the trial is though. If they do you are very lucky. But if you want to know just call the station. Some agencies will give that out....for some reason. Others will not. Mine will not.

LOL, and no it's not "always a good idea" to fight a ticket, moving violation or not. I know at least in my county judges have very little sympathy for people who come in there knowing full well that they're guilty and are just trying to get away with something. Paying a fine in advance is sort of a plea bargain. If you have a trial and lose the fine is higher. Again, in my county at least, judges typically will make the fine the maximum allowable by law after a trial and then assign court costs as well. Well, when they can tell the person is just trying to skirt the system with a show trial.