(Firefighter/medic, not cop) - we have an exemption from cell phone laws, but with the stipulation that it is to be used sparingly, and only in an emergency, i.e. it's recognized that it's not a good practice but sometimes needed (for example in my area, ambulances contact the hospital via cell phone, not radio, and depending on the severity of the patient in back, there may be a need for a driver to make contact - whilst ideally we either have additional manpower, or similar, it's not always possible). Personally, I think there abuses of this.