Our View: Speed kills, and now so does secrecy

One of the most dangerous trends in a society is when the rulers are exempt from the laws that are enforced on the "subjects." It not only creates division and resentment, but reduces the natural check on the expansion of police-state rules and regulations. Our nation was designed as a free society in which no one is above the law.

An Orange County Register investigation published last week provides a shining example: The public has long known about what police officers call "professional courtesy" — the tendency of law enforcement officials to let other law enforcement officials off the hook for speeding tickets, traffic tickets and even DUIs as a courtesy to others in "the brotherhood." This practice is widespread, but the Register story has shown that the process is far more widespread than most of us had thought.

According to the story by reporter Jennifer Muir, "One million cars owned by public employees and their relatives have license plates that shield their address on public records. That is intended to protect them from criminals. But why are they allowed to run red lights, toll booths and avoid moving violations?"

It's a good question. The secrecy program is no longer needed, given that new laws keep all Department of Motor Vehicle information confidential. Yet not only does the program continue, legislators are trying to expand the secrecy to other categories of government employees, such as firefighters, veterinarians and code enforcers.

The 1 million special plate holders is a significant number given the total car and light-truck registration in the state is 22 million. How do many people behave when they are exempt from the law? You can guess. The article details government workers and their family members who know they can speed, use the toll roads without paying, park illegally and drive as they please. This creates a dangerous situation given that California has a special class of people who are, essentially, allowed to drive as fast as they choose and ignore any inconvenient traffic rules.

When officers run these drivers' plates, they find that they are part of a special program, and typically let them go. Sometimes it's not worth it to get the information on these scofflaws, but mostly the cops are alerted that drivers with protected plates are "one of their own." Some of these government workers — and the program applies to parole officers, dispatchers, police, social workers, you name it — have racked up thousands of dollars in unpaid tolls apiece, in one case, $35,000.

Hey, the rules don't apply to them. They only apply to us. Yet police officials interviewed by the Register like the program. "It's a courtesy, law enforcement to law enforcement," said one.

Fortunately, Assemblyman Todd Spitzer, R-Orange, is introducing legislation that would fix the problem by, in part, requiring DMV to turn over the data on these special plate holders to other government agencies. Good for him.

Something should be done right away.