3 thumbs down to City of Centennial Sheriff's Dept.

[KAPA]

Stopped by today at the Fireworks stand on Arapahoe Road just West of Parker road... Driving west down Arapahoe, I almost made the direct left turn right into the parking area but after the car in front of me did it, I realized it was a double yellow line. No traffic or anything so I almost did it but instead I drove about a half mile down the road and did a proper U-turn even though the guy in front of me took the short cut. I have a thing about following traffic rules. Anyway, when I make it back and turn in, I see a car from the City of Centennial Sheriff's Dept writing a ticket for the guy that crossed the double lines by directly turning left from Arapahoe in to the fireworks shop. After the sheriff went back to his spot that apparently he has been at all day long, I talked to the guy that got the ticket. $70 and this particular LEO decided that it was his duty to give these folks a 2 minute lecture about how fireworks are dangerous and they shouldn't be buying them.

After making a comment to the employees running the fireworks stand that the Sheriff is making sure things are extra safe here at the Fireworks stand, I was told that he has been sitting there most of the day. I guess he wrote many tickets for this same infraction by the time noon came around.

Now I understand it is his job to enforce laws but to me this looked like he was specifically targeting people buying fireworks, especially when you combine it with the lecture that he supposedly hands out. I mean i could be wrong and next month he will sit there all day long on this hidden road that no one ever really drives down, but this just looked like crappy law enforcement to me.

On another note, since when does a city have a Sheriff's office and why isn't Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office in charge of this area?

[ChunkyMonkey]

2/10 and city of centennial doesn't have it's own police dept. it got to be Arapahoe Sheriff.

[micah360]

Glad I was coming from the west today when I stopped in, or I might have done the left turn thing there too!

[Squeeze]

Yes, Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office is in charge of enforcing laws for the city of Centennial. I agree, citing people for turning on the double-yellow is legit, however, handing out a "Fireworks are bad" lecture is bullshit. When I was a cop, they got the ticket, explained it to them and left...done. Doing anything more than that almost always guaranteed a complaint. Regardless, I hope you had a good day.

[DingleBerns]

Sounds to me like there were complaints about traffic so he was assigned there (traffic units usually work one place all day after a problem area has been identified whether it be accidents or violations). I never lecture people, I just say what they did wrong and give them the ticket. To each their own...

[sniper7]

Oh well you didn't get a ticket and it sounds like you got your fireworks. Seems like a good day to me!

[ray1970]

If it was me that got the ticket for the illegal turn I would have gladly taken it since I was in the wrong for doing it.

If the officer felt it was his duty at the time to remind me about the possible illegality of using fireworks I would thank him for the warning.

If he truly started preaching to me about the dangers of fireworks and I felt the lecture was demeaning or inappropriate I would probably help him out by remaining him doughnuts are bad for him or make sure he knows the dangers of tucking that radar gun between his legs.

[Tinelement]

Traffic laws are merely suggestions. Kinda like our new gun laws. But I guess if they save one innocent child.......

I would have been laughing my arse off during a ticket and lecture like that!

[Bailey Guns]

Really?

[JM Ver. 2.0]

Stopped by today at the Fireworks stand on Arapahoe Road just West of Parker road... Driving west down Arapahoe, I almost made the direct left turn right into the parking area but after the car in front of me did it, I realized it was a double yellow line. No traffic or anything so I almost did it but instead I drove about a half mile down the road and did a proper U-turn even though the guy in front of me took the short cut. I have a thing about following traffic rules. Anyway, when I make it back and turn in, I see a car from the City of Centennial Sheriff's Dept writing a ticket for the guy that crossed the double lines by directly turning left from Arapahoe in to the fireworks shop. After the sheriff went back to his spot that apparently he has been at all day long, I talked to the guy that got the ticket. $70 and this particular LEO decided that it was his duty to give these folks a 2 minute lecture about how fireworks are dangerous and they shouldn't be buying them.

After making a comment to the employees running the fireworks stand that the Sheriff is making sure things are extra safe here at the Fireworks stand, I was told that he has been sitting there most of the day. I guess he wrote many tickets for this same infraction by the time noon came around.

Now I understand it is his job to enforce laws but to me this looked like he was specifically targeting people buying fireworks, especially when you combine it with the lecture that he supposedly hands out. I mean i could be wrong and next month he will sit there all day long on this hidden road that no one ever really drives down, but this just looked like crappy law enforcement to me.

On another note, since when does a city have a Sheriff's office and why isn't Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office in charge of this area?

Since you seem to think the rules some how don't apply other than when it's in your best interest, I'll just leave you with this....