Police Policy Re: Use Of Lights & Sirens

[Amaru]

Hoping someone on this board can satisfy my curiosity.

What is the general police policy on using lights and sirens?

In other words: can an officer use his patrol car's lights/sirens at his discretion when on duty, or is there a rule that they're only to be used conducting a traffic stop or enroute to an emergency call?

What prompted me to ask this question was an instance last week, where I was passed by a marked police car at reasonably high speed (ie. 80-90kph in a 50 zone) without any lights or sirens. It didn't really bother me at the time -- this was on a major road that can easily be driven safely at 80kph -- but 2 minutes later, I saw the same officer pulling someone over in what appeared to be a routine traffic stop.

Was he breaking the rules by blatantly speeding without lights/sirens? Or is that allowed if the officer deems it safe/necessary?

Thanks in advance!

[sho_bc]

http://www.bclaws.ca/Recon/document/...eside/96318_00

Exemption for emergency vehicles
122 (1) Despite anything in this Part, but subject to subsections (2) and (4), a driver of an emergency vehicle may do the following:

(a) exceed the speed limit;
(b) proceed past a red traffic control signal or stop sign without stopping;
(c) disregard rules and traffic control devices governing direction of movement or turning in specified directions;
(d) stop or stand.
(2) The driver of an emergency vehicle must not exercise the privileges granted by subsection (1) except in accordance with the regulations.
(3) [Repealed 1997-30-2.]
(4) The driver of an emergency vehicle exercising a privilege granted by subsection (1) must drive with due regard for safety, having regard to all the circumstances of the case, including the following:
(a) the nature, condition and use of the highway;
(b) the amount of traffic that is on, or might reasonably be expected to be on, the highway;
(c) the nature of the use being made of the emergency vehicle at the time.

There is discretion and circumstances which dictate lights and sirens, lights but no sirens, and no lights or sirens. There is also internal policy for each police force/department. Either way, if anything happens as a result of you breaking the MVA, you can be held accountable internally, criminally and civilly.