Police Don't Send the Radar for Calibration

It’s a simple point, but one that folks misunderstand. When talking about radar calibrations, we’re not talking about the police sending the radar unit somewhere. The radar devices stay in the police cars.

But what IS calibrated then?

Law enforcement officers have tuning forks that they use before and after their shift to verify the accuracy of their radar units. These tuning forks are the same type of metal instrument used by musicians and piano tuners. These tuning forks are simply used to make sure the radar devices are working properly each day.

The police have to get their tuning forks calibrated every six months to make sure they are resonating at the proper frequency (46.2-882). If they don’t have a calibration certificate for those tuning forks, we have a strong argument to win the case!

As you can see, it’s not technically correct to refer to the radar as being calibrated; although, I use that shorthand sometimes. The radar is checked for accuracy each day. The tuning forks are calibrated every six months.

Photo by Graela

Andrew Flusche

My name is Andrew Flusche. I am a traffic and misdemeanor defense lawyer in Virginia. I limit my practice to traffic tickets and misdemeanor defense, so I know the ins and outs of these offenses. I literally wrote the book on reckless driving in Virginia which you can get on Amazon here or download for free here. I opened my practice in 2008 after earning my Juris Doctor degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. Since then, I have earned over 600 5-star reviews from happy clients on Google, Yelp, and Facebook. If you’ve been charged with a misdemeanor offense in Virginia, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Your initial consultation is always free, and you'll talk directly with me about the details of your case.