Can cops legally cross a state line while in pursuit?

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Can cops legally cross a state line while in pursuit?

Post by Shadow »

I live in NY, but very close to the NJ border. So I drive in both NY and NJ just about every day. So here's the question---if a NY cop caught me speeding near the border, would I get away with it if I made it over the state line? No, it didn't happen to me....I'm just curious what would happen once I crossed the state line. Would the cop stop at the line because he no longer has jurisdiction? Would he try to radio a NJ cop ahead?

What do you think?
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Re: Can cops legally cross a state line while in pursuit?

Post by ClutchDisc »

I would think that they would keep pursuing you because you were originally speeding in the state he's with....but I'm not sure. I'll be interested in seeing what others say. Good question. :)
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Re: Can cops legally cross a state line while in pursuit?

Post by Boston Fit »

"Hot pursuit" or "fresh pursuit" exceptions might apply in more serious (e.g., felony) situations, but for a mere speeding violation, I doubt a cop could stop you in a bordering state since it's a separate sovereign. But I am just speculating.
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Re: Can cops legally cross a state line while in pursuit?

Post by Shadow »

I did some quick research myself and couldn't find a definitive answer at all.
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Re: Can cops legally cross a state line while in pursuit?

Post by LHOswald »

my friend alan got pulled over by a CT cop while driving on I-91 into mass. enfield cop pulled him over, but wasn't allowed to get out of his car. he called a mass trooper and the trooper took over from there. not sure if its the same from NY to NJ though
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Re: Can cops legally cross a state line while in pursuit?

Post by Squint »

LHOswald wrote:my friend alan got pulled over by a CT cop while driving on I-91 into mass. enfield cop pulled him over, but wasn't allowed to get out of his car. he called a mass trooper and the trooper took over from there. not sure if its the same from NY to NJ though
That would be my guess. Someone could "stop" you and then call a (new state) cop to actually give you the ticket. Alternatively, just radio a cop across the way to watch out for a speeder heading that direction. I doubt your average speeder will slow down just because they crossed a state line (though the specified scenario might be different).
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Re: Can cops legally cross a state line while in pursuit?

Post by Shadow »

Squint wrote:
LHOswald wrote:my friend alan got pulled over by a CT cop while driving on I-91 into mass. enfield cop pulled him over, but wasn't allowed to get out of his car. he called a mass trooper and the trooper took over from there. not sure if its the same from NY to NJ though
That would be my guess. Someone could "stop" you and then call a (new state) cop to actually give you the ticket. Alternatively, just radio a cop across the way to watch out for a speeder heading that direction. I doubt your average speeder will slow down just because they crossed a state line (though the specified scenario might be different).
Well, the idea is to cross the border and then obey the speed limit after crossing the line. If the cop doesn't have jurisdiction in the neighboring state, would he be able to ticket you? And if the cop in the other state didn't see you speeding, I'm not so sure he could write you a ticket based upon what another cop may have told him. That's the rub right there....although the real question is whether or not a cop can cross the state line and give you a ticket while in another state.
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Re: Can cops legally cross a state line while in pursuit?

Post by ClutchFork »

Don't know but I'll confess that when I was 18 years old I ran a stop sign in front of a police cruiser that I spotted just as I ran the sign, then because of that, I stepped on it, flew the 3/4 mile home, whipped up my driveway and got out. I was in the house as the police cruiser slowly passed by and left. Whew!

Okay, no bearing on the question, but couldn't help tell the story! :lol:
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Re: Can cops legally cross a state line while in pursuit?

Post by six »

I think once you cross state lines, it becomes an FBI issue. The FBI would probably have to pull you over and give you the ticket. :wink:

I've seen numerous times a police officer from a neighboring city chase someone over to my city and was able to give them a ticket. Same with the CHP chasing someone onto city streets. I live in a border city with another county, and sometimes police from the city over in the other county comes over. Don't know if it applies to state lines though. It doesn't, however, apply to bordering countries. Like if you're being chased by San Diego PD or the CHP and you cross over into Mexico (however hard that may be), you're a free man. You do have to deal with the "federales" though.
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Re: Can cops legally cross a state line while in pursuit?

Post by Rope-Pusher »

six wrote:You do have to deal with the "federales" though.
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Re: Can cops legally cross a state line while in pursuit?

Post by Bill B »

You lucked out there. No real bearing either, but remember in Smokey and the Bandit when Sheriff Buford T. Justice chased Burt Reynolds for 500 miles. Jackie Gleason did a great job in that movie. I remember when the Bandit Edition of the Trans Am came out after the movie.

InlinePaul wrote:Don't know but I'll confess that when I was 18 years old I ran a stop sign in front of a police cruiser that I spotted just as I ran the sign, then because of that, I stepped on it, flew the 3/4 mile home, whipped up my driveway and got out. I was in the house as the police cruiser slowly passed by and left. Whew!

Okay, no bearing on the question, but couldn't help tell the story! :lol:
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Re: Can cops legally cross a state line while in pursuit?

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Rope-Pusher wrote:"Raawww arrrrRRRRRRr AAArrRR?"
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Re: Can cops legally cross a state line while in pursuit?

Post by ClutchDisc »

My sister knows a former police officer, and she asked her the question. Basically they will only pursue you over a state line if the situation is dangerous. And even then they will radio over to an other officer in that jurisdiction.
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Re: Can cops legally cross a state line while in pursuit?

Post by Rope-Pusher »

Seams tummy the offense was in the first jurisdiction. I think that pursuing beyond the bounds of that jurisdiction in order to apprehend and fine/jail/rough-up/etc. the offending driver would be bounded by some sort of intra-jurisdiction agreement, similar to extradition treaties. Notification of the now-local authorities might be a condition of the agreement, but if not it is just a professional courtesy. Without knowing details of such agreements, it would be difficult to know how or why the charges could be pursued by law enforcement from the new jurisdiction if the offense only occurred in the original jurisdiction.
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Re: Can cops legally cross a state line while in pursuit?

Post by six »

ClutchDisc wrote:My sister knows a former police officer, and she asked her the question. Basically they will only pursue you over a state line if the situation is dangerous. And even then they will radio over to an other officer in that jurisdiction.
Wow, people in border cities must have it easy. They can speed with reckless abandon, and if a cop notices, just make a run for the next state! So simple!
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