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AM-BUSHED!
A police officer in the US state of New Jersey went undercover as a shrub in an attempt to catch distracted drivers.
The Dunellen Police Department said an officer disguised himself as a shrub during a recent driving-enforcement trap on North Washington Avenue in the town.
The operation targeted drivers who were violating New Jersey’s cell phone law while driving on the busy thoroughfare. In New Jersey, it is illegal to be holding a cell phone while you are driving.
Police said they intentionally chose the heavily traveled area to improve safety for pedestrians and motorists alike.
Once a distracted driver was spotted with binoculars by the cop in the bush suit, nearby members of the force stopped the vehicle and issued a citation for violating New Jersey's cell phone law.
Over a six-hour period, police issued 74 citations to drivers who were caught using their devices while behind the wheel, the department said, and the fines were not cheap.
Penalties for driving while using a cell phone in New Jersey range from USD$200 to $400 (NTD$6,000-12,000) for a first offense and increase to USD$600 to $800 (NTD$18,000-24,000) for subsequent offenses. Additionally, a third violation may result in a 90-day license suspension.
The police department shared photos of the leafy undercover officer online with the message: “Did you spot our 'shrub' today? If you had your head buried in your phone, probably not. Your text or call can wait. Keep your eyes on the road, not your screen!”
Police admit that they used the stunt to send their message.
“Our officer did not wear the suit during the entire enforcement detail. The photo was a creative, light-hearted way to draw attention to our safety efforts on social media," said Detective Sergeant Nicholas Goldman.
He continued, “While it was a fun thing, the underlying mission is incredibly serious. For a one-square-mile town, we have a relatively high number of accidents.”
Traffic Safety Patrolman Kevin Condis added, “We are seeing a lot of people holding their phones, following either a GPS or FaceTiming a lot of the time, you know. We did also see, unfortunately, some people holding their phones with two hands and, like, driving with their knees, which sounds crazy, but, you know, there are a lot of people doing it."
So, if you are driving through the little town of Dunellen, NJ, remember to put away your phone or risk being ambushed by the long branch of a police shrub.
SOURCE: newsnationnow.com
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