Can a police officer follow you home and book you?

Question

I dialed a number on my mobile phone whilst driving and held the phone to my ear for a split second before putting it down because I have blue tooth in my car but the police officer saw me then he spun the car around and followed me without a siren so I was unaware so I drove home and parked in my driveway he then approached me and told me of my offence and booked me. Was it legal for him to book me once I was in my property?

Answer 1

Reaching your property before the officer made contact is not a defense. If he observed a violation on public property, it is legal.

As far as the phone use itself, dialing the number is the most dangerous part of cell phone use, as you are looking at the keypad and not the road.

Answer 2

Bad boys bad boys, what you gonna do, what you gonna do when they come for you.

Answer 3

Yes, he can.  

Answer 4

illegal. He needs to be booked. What is going in this country. Are we going towards Martial Law>?

Answer 5

Yes - he observed you using your cell phone without the bluetooth. there's nothing that requires him to immediately pull you over, as liong as it's within a "reasonable" period of time. Several hours would probably result in the cite being dismissed. At least, that's how it is in California.

Also, him following you on to private property is not an issue (as long as he doesn't lose sight of you).

It will depend on your state/country - I notice the variations of your spelling, so the above might not be a good reference if you're in Canada or England....

Calif Deputy

Answer 6

Boy, you're a tough one: you talk like you're in the UK but I'm not quite certain.  If you are, you really should say so.  Yahoo tells us there are different sites for the UK answers and the US answers, but that's just not the way it is.

That said, if you're in the US this sounds legal enough to me.  If your position is the time-honored claim of "King's X, I made it home so you can't arrest/cite/book me," you've got another thing coming.  If the officer saw what he believed was you committing a crime while driving, it does not negate what he saw just because you turn into your own driveway and you do not enjoy some special exemption from the law just because you made it home.

Answer 7

if you used your mobile while driving you have committed an offence. don't know about him booking you at home

Answer 8

Nope Every step he took what legal. What you should do is call the Police Department and ask to speak to the Sgt. Or at your court date explain what happen, Tell them you have blue tooth in your car they might find the charges stupid and you might be good to go.

Answer 9

No way! He was so wrong! Obviously he wasn't aware that  the rules of baseball were in use in the land down under. I suggest you go to court and tell it to the judge. I'm sure they will reprimand the officer. LOL

Seriously Yes he can. Apparently you were so busy on the phone you missed the lights and needed him to turn on the siren to attract your attention. If that is the case he should have cited you for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle or inattentive driving.