Ask a Cop: Routine Stop, Two Squad Cars. Why?

Montgomery County Police Capt. Paul Starks responded to questions submitted on last week's  feature. Post new questions in the comments section below or email Editor Sonia Dasgupta at sonia@patch.com. We'll get an answer to your question by the following Tuesday.

Seat Belts and Cell Phones

Question: I know this month officers are doing a "click it or ticket" campaign, citing drivers who are not wearing seat belts. Are they also simultaneously giving tickets to people using handheld cell phones while behind the wheel?
Answer: Yes, police can enforce more than one violation at a time.

Traffic Stop Protocol

Question: When a driver in Montgomery County is pulled over for speeding or another possible infraction why — more often than not — do I see two police cars on the scene instead of just one? Of all the counties I've ever lived in, this is the only place I've ever seen that on a consistent basis. Is having two officers pull one driver over standard procedure? If so, why?
Answer: We staff each police cruiser with one officer. It could be for a variety reasons why more than one officer is on the scene, from training to officer safety. Also, if an male officer is pulling over a woman he may want a witness there and because we live in a diverse area, we work in another officer to provide language assistance mostly Spanish, but it could be French or a language from Southeast Asia.