In article , Your Name
wrote:

even better, cops have a laptop sitting right next to them, where they
type and drive all the time, checking license plates or pulling up
information relevant to a call.

I hadn't thought of that! I wonder if that should be illegal while
driving, too.

It is for most people, but as I've said the police have exclusions when
it's part of their job. That said, they rarely use the laptop / iPad
while driving.

they use it constantly while they drive.

Such devices are usually used to, for example, quickly
check the details of a car they have just stopped before the police get
out to talk to the driver.

nope.

they use the mdt to check the details *before* making contact to see if
they have pc to actually pull them over in the first place, such as
suspended license, car reported stolen, etc. or if the driver has a rap
sheet and to where a high risk stop.

they do all of that while following behind the suspect vehicle. they
also use the mdt for a variety of other things, all while driving.