What does the Supreme Court ruling in Thomas v. City of Norfolk establish regarding radar tests?

• A. Radar tests must be conducted every hour on the hour.
• B. Testing at the beginning and end of the shift is sufficient.
• C. All radar tests must be done under the same conditions.
• D. Radar equipment must be replaced regularly.

Answer: (B)

The Supreme Court ruling in Thomas v. City of Norfolk establishes that testing radar equipment at the beginning and end of the shift is sufficient to ensure its accuracy and reliability. This means that as long as the radar device is tested at these two critical points in time, it is generally deemed acceptable for use in speed enforcement by law enforcement officers. This ruling emphasizes the importance of operational procedures in the context of radar device testing and suggests that maintaining a consistent standard during an officer's shift can provide a reasonable assurance of the device's performance without necessitating more frequent testing intervals.

The emphasis on testing only at the start and end of the shift reflects judicial recognition that excessive testing could be impractical and unnecessary, provided that the device operates correctly during those key checks.