Rockland legislator not allowed to have red lights in his car

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Rockland legislator not allowed to have red lights in his car

By Sarah Netter

The Journal News • May 27, 2008

A county legislator who is driving around with red lights in his car said it's perfectly fine for him to have them.

But state vehicle and traffic law prohibits anything but fixed white lights, such as headlights, except for authorized emergency vehicles.

Legislator Jacques Michel, D-Spring Valley, has two red lights in his Lincoln, which has county Legislature plates. One of the rotating red lights sits in the rear window and one is affixed to his dashboard in the front.

"I've had those for years," Michel said.

The legislator had been a deputy sheriff for several years and was permitted to have the lights in that capacity, Rockland County Sheriff James Kralik said.

But Michel resigned from that post after he was elected to the Legislature in November.

Kralik said that police could technically pull Michel over because of the lights, but "I don't believe police spend a lot of time looking for them."

Michel said he only turns the lights on when he's working as a minister.

"Nobody can tell you they ever see me with emergency lights on ... except when I'm leading a funeral or something like that," he said.

Michel said he officiates at funerals "most every weekend."

"I don't see what's the big deal," he said.

But the state law says nothing about allowing ministers to use emergency-type lights, including lights that oscillate, rotate or flash.

Included in the law's definition of emergency vehicle are ambulances, police vehicles, firetrucks, hazardous material vehicles and blood-delivery vehicles.

Nick Cantiello, a spokesman for the state Department of Motor Vehicles, said there were no provisions for use of such lights by a clergy member.

"I would say he is not allowed to have these, to use these lights," he said.

Detective Lt. William Barbera confirmed that the vehicle and traffic law doesn't allow red or other emergency-type lights to be used by a civilian in such instances.

Some residents yesterday said Michel, as a civilian, should have to follow the same rules as everyone else.

"I think it's shameful. It's ridiculous," Bill McGuire of Stony Point said of Michel's lights. "There's no need for him to go to a funeral with his lights on."

Denise Zinna of Congers agreed.

"I think he should follow the laws like everybody else," she said. "If he shouldn't be using them, he shouldn't be using them, no matter what his excuse is."

Keith Taylor, owner of Hannemann Funeral Home in Nyack, said no one in his business uses flashing lights to lead a funeral procession.

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Edited May 27, 2008 by Chris192
Duplicate post.