I took the question to a friend whose partner works as a police officer. According to him, the police had to disregard traffic rules in certain situations, even without a blue light, depending on the urgency of the matter.
But to get an accurate answer, I asked an experienced police officer, who gave a clear picture of how it actually works. It is about different levels of education and powers.
The police also write about it on its website.
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In the ordinary course of duty
During normal patrolling, the police have the right to drive where ordinary vehicles are not allowed to be. This could, for example, be pedestrian and bicycle paths, where they are allowed to drive up to 30 km/h, or pedestrian streets, where walking speed applies.
They are also allowed to drive in a one-way direction, into areas where motor traffic is prohibited and in environmental zones where ordinary cars must meet special environmental requirements.
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Urgent matters – faster driving allowed
When a task requires urgent action, the police may exceed speed limits, provided it is safe to do so. This requires special training that goes beyond the basic patrol training.
Here, police officers learn to handle the vehicle under greater stress, for example at high speeds or during critical manoeuvres. Flashing high beams are sometimes used to signal, even without blue lights.
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Blue light – only in urgent cases
Blue lights and sirens are only used in emergency situations, but are only mandatory if the police need to clear the way. In some cases, it may be tactical to move more discreetly, even if the matter is urgent.
Therefore, a police officer in the car must always have emergency driving authorization, as urgent cases can occur unexpectedly.
In these emergency cases, the police are allowed to run red lights, ignore stop signs, overtake despite prohibition and use lanes in a way that would result in a fine or suspension of a driver’s license for a normal driver. But everything must be done with judgment and safety in mind.
In conclusion, the police have the right to make significant deviations from the traffic rules depending on the seriousness of the situation, but they must act with great responsibility for both their own safety and that of others.
Source: nyheter24.se
