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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW 'My Secret Garden' claims top prize in GingerBread Jubilee ... Thursday growers market in Medford may move to Hawthorne Park ... Pacific region will bustle with motorists this Thanksgiving ... 'My Secret Garden' claims top prize in GingerBread Jubilee ... Thursday growers market in Medford may move to Hawthorne Park ... Pacific region will bustle with motorists this Thanksgiving ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Patrol deputies don't have to go hands-free on the move Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Nov. 12, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Nov. 12, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News I saw a sheriff's deputy using a phone to his ear while driving and turning a corner recently. Can you tell me if law officers are exempt from laws they're supposed to enforce. It's dangerous for everyone — especially law enforcement personnel — to use a phone while driving. My family and I use hands-free phoning in our cars. — Linda, Ashland Your commitment to hands-free phoning while driving is to be commended, Linda. I'm sure we speak for others when we say we wish there were more of you sharing our Southern Oregon roads. We should note that your question has been waiting to be answered for a little while, so that "recent" sighting you mention happened over the summer. We reached out to the Capt. Nate Sickler with the Jackson County Sheriff's Department to see if you spotted a law-breaking deputy in the ranks. "Public safety officers are exempted from the cell phone law," Sickler said. Sickler added that as a policy, patrol deputies are encouraged to use the hands-free equipment in the vehicle and to pull over to make phone calls whenever possible, but deputies can face situations where holding a phone while driving is necessary. “We try to pull over and use the hands-free, but not every situation makes that applicable,” Sickler said. One situation where using a hands-free isn't applicable is if a deputy has an arrested suspect in the back of the patrol vehicle and the deputy doesn't want the suspect to hear the other end of the conversation. Sheriff's deputies aren't the only ones exempt from the cell phone law. Sickler pointed us to Oregon State Statute 811.807, the law forbidding us civilians from holding cell phones while driving. The law offers exemptions for public safety officers and emergency services workers, those who carry valid amateur radio operator licenses and utility workers. Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected] . To see a collection of columns, go to mailtribune.com/youasked . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Nov. 12, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501