Police Department Domain Expires, Speeding Ticket Recipient Buys It

The Bluff City, Tennessee Police Department has a bit of egg on its face as a result of the expired domain name it used for its website. According to a news report, the employee who handles domain renewals for the department was on sick leave, and the BluffCityPD.com domain name expired in the interim as a result of not paying the renewal fee.

After the domain name expired, it became available for anyone to purchase. Recent speeding ticket recipient Brian McCrary did just that, when he saw that the domain name was soon to expire. He launched a website focusing on speeding camera news and links, and it also has links to many articles written about this story, including an Associated Press article.

Some people might question whether this is legit, but it does not appear that he is profiting from his use of the domain registration, and it could be considered his First Amendment right to Freedom of Speech by expressing his feelings on this domain name.

For its part, the Police Department hasn’t mentioned whether it intends to try and get the domain name back from McCrary. It appears that the Bluff City website does not link to the domain name. The city could attempt to file a UDRP but that would be a bit expensive, and I don’t think they would have great odds. It might just be in everyone’s interest to work something out in private that is favorable to both parties.

***

Thanks to James for sending me the article.

Elliot Silver
Elliot Silver
About The Author: Elliot Silver is an Internet entrepreneur and publisher of DomainInvesting.com. Elliot is also the founder and President of Top Notch Domains, LLC, a company that has closed eight figures in deals. Please read the DomainInvesting.com Terms of Use page for additional information about the publisher, website comment policy, disclosures, and conflicts of interest. Reach out to Elliot: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

14 COMMENTS

  1. Brian McRary is my hero. I’m going to go backordersome domains now as a result of this brilliant idea. A wise man once told me that if someone wrongs u just be patient as things will cone around. I’ll be patient with my backorders.

  2. “It might just be in everyone’s interest to work something out in private that is favorable to both parties.”

    Like no more speeding tickets for Brian McCrary.

    The Bluff City Mayor’s Official “I Am Allowed To Speed” Permit

  3. “Some people might question whether this is legit, but it does not appear that he is profiting from his use of the domain registration …”

    some people might also question whether police issuing a number of traffic violations in order to fill quotas to generate revenue that profits the state is legit …

    good for Brian McCrary

  4. I have an area sheriff dept .com I got it out of sympathy back in the days when I used to grab drops and try to get them to the right people.
    I tried to get it to them but apparently there are no domain savvy people in law enforcement. I still have the name and people hit it daily7 looking for the jail manifest and a few other tidbits. Go figure.

  5. @tricolorro – more likely he’ll get a ton of speeding tickets for a while, and they’ll all “go away” in exchange for turning over the domain.

  6. “Some people might question whether this is legit, but it does not appear that he is profiting from his use of the domain registration …”

    “some people might also question whether police issuing a number of traffic violations in order to fill quotas to generate revenue that profits the state is legit …”

    Some people might also question whether police issuing a number of traffic violations in order to fill INTERNATIONAL SYNDICATE KICKBACKS to generate revenue, that profits the offending officer is legit…

  7. Last November, I alerted the City of Miami that their domain name, MiamiPolice.com, had expired and suggested that they waste no time renewing it. Remarkably, the lieutenant in charge of IT didn’t much seem to care because the department actually uses Miami-Police.org, instead. (Seriously.) When it became clear that the lieutenant was impervious to logic, reason and detailed explanation, I turned my attention to the City’s newly appointed police chief, whom I quickly discovered was drinking from the same bottle of stupid juice as his IT lieutenant. Ditto for the mayor and city manager, both of whom yawned at my exhortations, including cautionary considerations about the public confusion and chaos this domain name could stir if tactically weaponized by an individual or terror group with bad intentions.

    When all logic and reason was exhausted, and a hopeless cause seemed apparent, I pleaded, “… if the City can’t shake loose $35 without wasting time, tell me and I will be pleased to pay the renewal fee for you. Just DON’T let this domain name get away.”

    Imagine that. Even when I offered to PAY for the renewal out of my own pocket, they yawned. With this kind of executive decision-making, is it any wonder that the Banana Republic of Miami routinely dangles aimlessly at the precipice of bankruptcy?

    MiamiPolice.com was sold at NameJet on December 8th and is currently resolving to a DomainSponsor PPC lander.

  8. @scott,

    I wouldn’t waste the time with trying to help the city. Apparently, many cities and companies have the same mentality – they’re all clueless.

    While you were doing a noble act, the Miami Police and the city of Miami could care less about the expiration.

    I wouldn’t waste time because people don’t listen, even if their future depends on the information. They wait until after the mistake to complain and point fingers at all those who tried to help.

    Good work on at least trying to do a good deed.
    Jason

  9. Interesting on how MiamiPolice.com only has one site linking in. While the website has been online since Nov. 10, 1998, it seems to have little appeal. Maybe that’s the reason the Miami Police and the city snoozed on the registration.

    They’re not interested in domain investing. People will eventually find the .org website. They probably didn’t notice the benefit in maintaining the .com version.

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