Support your local police

What is a police department for? Protect, serve, all that jazz? Nope.

In what was described as an initially hostile stop, Roane politely asked the New Jersey officers to turn off their lights and slow down. The Passaic officers claimed that returning from helping with Hurricane Katrina rescue duties gave them the right to speed.

"We just had guys down there for the last 14 days... helping our brothers in blue," Passaic County Sheriff Jerry Speziale said in a recorded telephone call to Roane after the incident. "You know what? You need to get off of that highway, pal, and wake up and learn what law enforcement is all about -- supporting each other."

"It's a disgrace," Speziale said of Roane's conduct. "If you think that that's not a disgrace, you should take the badge off your shirt and throw it in the garbage."

Which reflects poorly on law enforcement in general, I know. Still - this is the attitude publicly aired by the top cop in Passaic County, New Jersey. Wonder what his troops say to each other on patrol?

Hat tip to The View from North Central Idaho.

Update: I was wrong. Sherrif Speziale was quoted in a recorded call to Deputy Roane. Transcript here.

Update the Second: more at The View From ... 9/11 calls from motorists.

“I had my cruiser going 70 [mph], and they just blew right past us,” Graham said. “It was just a whole snake of them. It looked like a NASCAR race where they draft each other” bumper to bumper.

and

Said one caller: “There are four New York police cars running side-by-side with flashers on. … They are not letting traffic go by, going approximately 50 to 55 mph.”

and

“The four New York police vehicles … just cut me off,” the driver said. “They have the right lane blocked and won’t let anyone around them.”

The dispatcher taking this called listed the caller as “very upset.”

Which sounds bad. Unless you're a New Jersey lawman. Then it's all problems with 'airing dirty laundry in public' and the villain in this sorry affair is

the Trooper with the Virginia State Police who pulled the tape of the conversation between Sheriff Speziale and the VSP, contacted the media, and turned it over to them so it could be printed everywhere.

Great job you spineless piece of garbage. Great job in handing the media more reason to keep this story going and attack your profession.

Whatever. I used to think Marines were a clanish insular bunch. Ah - Marines. I turned this around - what would I think if (say) a convoy of Marines from my unit was caught jacking around and playing the fool in a convoy.

Get upset that another Marine (allegedly) slipped a transcript to the press? Nope - I'd be ashamed of my brother Marines for being dipsh*ts and disprespecting their uniform. I'd put the blame where it belongs in other words.

Great job, guys.