Firefighters should be given authority to perform traffic stops when a driver is posing a threat to public safety.
The N.C. Supreme Court will soon act on this issue in the fourth court case since Fire Lt. Gordon Shatley pulled over UNC professor Dorothy Verkerk in May 2011. Shatley instructed the firetruck’s driver to turn on the truck’s lights and sirens after noticing Verkerk’s car weaving in and out of its lane.
Verkerk was clearly driving in a way that endangered her own life and the lives of other drivers. In this scenario, there is no question that firefighters should be able to use their position as government officials to stop the driver and their risky behavior.
In the early 1990s, policemen and firefighters saw their powers become more distinct and their jobs more specialized. Since then, firefighters have not been authorized to perform maneuvers such as traffic stops.
But this can be changed in the upcoming hearing if the court decides that Shatley was acting as a government official — not as a private citizen — and that his actions were legal under the constitution.
Firefighters should receive training to pull cars over when they are moving in dangerous and unlawful ways. A firetruck has the resources to attract the attention of the driver, and there is no reason why these should not be used to increase safety.
Once the driver is safely stopped, policemen should remain the only ones authorized to perform sobriety tests and other routine measures.
Shatley’s decision to perform a traffic stop stemmed from his concern for Verkerk and other drivers, not from an intent to have her criminally charged. He should not be punished for his moral actions.
Shatley has given the court an opportunity to rewrite the powers given to firefighters, which has the potential to save lives.
