"I am not a police officer": Bizarre New Jersey police enforcement operation
A New Jersey police officer chose an unconventional method to combat distracted driving: he dressed as a bush to spot drivers using their phones. During a six-hour operation last Wednesday, he helped issue at least 74 tickets.
A police officer from New Jersey chose an unconventional way this week to fight the phenomenon of drivers using their phones while driving — he dressed up as a bush as camouflage to spot them. During the enforcement operation, which lasted six hours last Wednesday, the officer managed to identify dozens of drivers who were using their phones and issued no less than 74 tickets.
During the activity, the officer stood on the side of the road dressed in a costume resembling a green bush and used binoculars to identify drivers who appeared to be using their phones, while another officer assisting him in the operation stopped them and issued the tickets.
New Jersey police explained that the costume allowed the officer to observe drivers without raising suspicion. In footage from the field, which went viral on social media, the officer is seen covered in artificial leaves and branches, while the second officer who assisted him wore a shirt that read: "I am not a police officer."
The police even joked that drivers who "were absorbed in their phones" probably did not notice the suspicious bush standing on the side of the road at all. According to New Jersey law, a first offense for using a handheld mobile device while driving carries a fine of 200-400 dollars, a second offense 400-600 dollars, and for a third offense or more, the fine can reach 800 dollars, along with penalty points and even license suspension.
