April 29, 2005 |
2005-R-0398 | |
POLICE JURISDICTION AND SPEEDING | ||
By: Christopher Reinhart, Senior Attorney |
You asked whether a local police officer can give a speeding ticket to someone outside of their jurisdiction.
Local police in their town can arrest, without a warrant, any person for an offense when the person is taken or apprehended in the act or on the speedy information of others. Outside of their town, they can arrest someone (1) for a felony, without a warrant, at any time or (2) when in immediate pursuit from their town and they could legally arrest the person under their authority (CGS § 54-1f). A motor vehicle violation qualifies as an offense for purposes of this statute and an officer can pursue a person outside of his jurisdiction for a motor vehicle violation (State v. Harrison, 228 Conn. 758 (1994)).
CR:ts