The Badge Company of New Jersey

Sarasotan Seeks Sheriff’s Sedan

2012-01-13T08:31:00.000-08:00

You wouldn’t happen to have a car like this one, would you?

It’s a 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air sedan, decked out as a police car, and the vice president of the Sarasota (Florida) County Lodge No. 45 of the Fraternal Order of Police is looking for one.

The lodge is spearheading a project to find and restore a car that will match the ones first used by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office nearly 60 years ago. Once the restoration is complete, the vehicle will be donated to the agency for various public uses.

Kevin Lynch, the VP of the lodge and a retired Sarasota County Sheriff’s lieutenant, is a dyed-in-the-wool "car guy" (we know the type!) and he is in charge of the project. The Sheriff’s first fleet of four vehicles consisted of 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air 150s, although they were two-door sedans, not four-doors like the car in the photo.

Not only was 1953 the first year that the Sheriff’s Office had cars, it was also the first year that its four officers had uniforms! The county was far more rural then than it is today. "Basically," said Lynch in a recent interview, "there were no humans south of Route 72, just cattle and fruit." That situation is very different today.

The lodge is seeking more than just a lead on a vehicle. It is seeking funding. Tax-deductible contributions to this project can be sent to The Community Foundation of Sarasota County, P. O. Box 49587, Sarasota, FL 34230-6587, marked for the antique patrol car project.

The FOP is also looking for in-kind services and donations such as labor and supplies needed for the project, and possibly the vehicle itself. Storage space will also be needed for the vehicle as well as initial transportation to Sarasota. If you can help, contact Lynch here. You can learn more about this project by visiting the web site of the lodge here.

The Price of Addiction

2012-01-06T16:12:00.000-08:00

The news comes today of a veteran police officer in our area pleading guilty to charges that he stole cocaine from his department’s evidence room for his personal use while he was serving as the evidence officer.

For this the officer faces up to three years in prison and must serve two before he is eligible for parole. He will be banned from holding any public job in New Jersey and he will forfeit his pension.

The price of addiction.

There are those who argue that police officers should be "held to a higher standard." Well, if jail time plus being barred from employment in your field plus forfeiture of a pension earned over the course of a 22-year career isn’t a higher standard, we don’t know what is.

The Ol' Heave-Ho-Ho-Ho

2011-12-22T13:17:00.000-08:00

In this photo, taken in 2008, Police Chief Dan Pancoast of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, throws a Christmas tree. Why? Because that’s part of how he celebrates Christmas – by participating in the annual "Tree Toss" which raises money for charity.

Last year, Chief Pancoast won the contest over former Bethlehem Police Commissioner Stuart Bedics. This year, current Police Commissioner Jason Schiffer pitched a tree some 17 feet, defeating Pancoast’s throw of 15 feet 3 inches.

Lots of good-natured ribbing was taking place, as is predictable when any group of men enter into any sort of contest. Chief Pancoast noted that the mayor keeps changing police commissioners "faster than some hotels changes linens." The problem with that, said the Chief, is that "They keep getting younger and stronger."

A Christmas Tree Toss is a rather unusual event, but a worthwhile one since it benefits charitable organizations. This year the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Turning Point of Lehigh Valley were among the beneficiaries.

Photo by Bill Adams, courtesy of the Express-Times

How to Trade in Stolen Property

2011-12-16T08:17:00.000-08:00

In the photo is a rather uncommon car, a 1962 Dodge Lancer station wagon. This particular Lancer has an interesting story, a story about its theft and recovery.

　
A fellow named Stan Aiton bought this car only last year, but he’d been saving parts for the restoration and modification of just such a car for the last 41 years -- ever since a neighbor gave him some rare Lancer parts when he was 15 years old. So Stan was crushed when the Lancer, fitted with those parts, was stolen earlier this year. Thanks to the actions of some Good Samaritans and understanding police, however, the car is back in Stan’s possession.
　
Stan bought the Lancer last March when living in Virginia and almost immediately began stripping it down for restoration. He said the car was about 60 percent complete – including new paint, a new windshield and newly reupholstered seats – when he took a job in Texas in January of this year. Without a garage in which to keep the Lancer after his move, Stan stored it in a 24-foot enclosed trailer, and kept the trailer parked at a storage lot in Duncanville, Texas.
　
In late July, the trailer and everything in it disappeared. Stan filed a police report, but investigators had little to go on until the trailer was spotted in August wearing another set of stolen license plates. The police arrested the man hauling the trailer on multiple counts of grand theft auto, accusing him of using the trailer to steal other cars, but the trailer no longer contained the Lancer or any of the parts Stan had been collecting for years. It looked as if Stan wouldn’t see the contents of the trailer ever again, but as it turned out, the Lancer hadn’t gone very far.
　
Earlier this month, Stephen Ramsey and Adrian Britton at Ramsey’s Rods and Restoration in Fort Worth, Texas – less than two hours from Duncanville – were offered the Lancer for $1,500 by a couple looking to bail their nephew out of jail. "We get calls all the time from people who want to sell their cars, so I went out to take a look," Britton said. When the sellers began bringing out boxes upon boxes of parts, Britton began to suspect something was up, but brought it back to the shop anyway. "Steve just looked into my eyes and said, ‘That’s not right.’" The Lancer didn’t have its VIN (vehicle identification number), but after some digging online, Ramsey found message board posts from Stan asking people to keep an eye out for his car.
　
Within an hour, calls were placed to at least three different police agencies and an email was sent to Stan. The next morning Stan and the police all converged at Ramsey’s, and Stan positively identified the Lancer and all the parts as his. "We already work with the Fort Worth Auto Theft Task Force Unit, so we were able to convince them not to impound the car and let Stan take it directly home," Britton said. "We were also able to get the paperwork done on the spot to straighten out the missing VIN." Ramsey was also able to recover a portion of the money spent on the car, Britton said.
　
Stan, who was able to bring the Lancer home this past Saturday, said he found that the thief or somebody who had access to the car while it was missing had started installing some trim on the car, but scratched the paint in doing so and damaged some other parts. "It was like they were going to get it running," he said. "I guess the missing crankshaft made them decide they were over their head."
　
This story and the accompanying photo came to us from our friends at Hemmings Motor News. The selfless actions of the folks at Ramsey’s Rods and Restoration, who paid money for the car and then sought out its rightful owner, are noteworthy, as is the decision by the Fort Worth Auto Theft Task Force Unit to permit the car to go back to the rightful owner without impound.

A Loss Deeply Felt

2011-12-01T17:54:00.001-08:00

The law enforcement community -- and the community as a whole -- suffered a sad and startling loss today with the news that Edmund Spinelli, Jr., Police Chief in Carneys Point, New Jersey, died at his home at the age of 45.

Far, far too young. As of this writing the cause of death has not yet been determined, but it has been reported to appear to be a heart attack.

Chief Spinelli served with both the NJ State Police and the Penns Grove Police Department prior to joining the Carneys Point Police Department. Those with whom he worked and those whom he served speak highly of the man, his professionalism, and his integrity.

A Common Misconception

2011-12-01T08:16:00.001-08:00

On Tuesday of this week three corrections officers from the Mountainview Youth Correctional Facility were hospitalized after being attacked by inmates. Fortunately, no injuries were life-threatening.

The facility is located only a few miles from the home offices of the Badge Company of New Jersey, and a common misconception in the neighborhood is that it houses kids. After all, it is called the Mountainview Youth Correctional Facility.

However, inmates at this facility range in age up to 32. Not exactly children, and hardly a benign environment for corrections officers. No matter which facility in which they work, New Jersey corrections officers face persons and situations that few citizens would wish to face.

Dial 866 and Say "I Do"

2011-11-29T13:47:00.001-08:00

Back in July we wrote of getting telephone calls where the caller asks whether this is FedEx. It is not, but as it turns out our toll-free number is only a few digits off from the FedEx number, so a few careless callers a a month get us when what they want is FedEx.

We wondered whether FedEx gets calls from people seeking badges.

Today a new wrong number has cropped up. So far today we have received two calls from persons seeking MyWedding.com, the toll-free number for which is identical to ours except for the first three digits.

Ours is 800. Theirs is 866.

Still, it is a sales opportunity for us. We have in the past sold beach badges to persons planning beach-themed wedding receptions. So maybe we need to change our telephone greeting to "Thank you for calling the Badge Company. May we help plan your wedding?"

Front Page News

2011-11-17T20:24:00.001-08:00

It’s right there, on the front page of the November 17 edition of the Star-Ledger, above the fold, where it deserves to be: A story about a Newark cop whose heroic action is not a one-time thing, it is ongoing. Check out the story here.

Come See Us in A.C.

2011-11-13T09:53:00.001-08:00

This week, on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, representatives of the Badge Company of New Jersey will once again be at the annual New Jersey State League of Municipalities Conference in the Atlantic City Convention Center, in booth #236.

We will have new products and new catalogs available, along with more badge choices than any other source. Stop by!

It is the 96th NJLM convention, which has been held in the new Atlantic City Convention Center since that facility opened in 1997. Prior to that time the conference was held in the old Convention Hall, shown in the vintage postcard photo above. The new facility is a great one, but the old Convention Hall has been fully refurbished and renamed Boardwalk Hall, and plays host to concerts, sporting events, and much more.

We look forward to seeing many old friends and meeting new ones this week.

Knee Jerks

2011-11-11T07:07:00.001-08:00

When the news first broke this past Monday that Newark officer Michael Morgan had been fatally shot outside a strip club in Paterson at 3 AM, there was much speculative nonsense on the online news sites from nameless pinheads. The speculation centered on why he was at a Paterson strip club at 3 AM.

Being outside a Paterson strip club at 3 AM may not be the wisest thing to do, but nobody – and certainly not a police officer – deserves to be fatally shot for doing so.

As it turns out, the reason that Morgan was at the strip club was because he was with a group of fellow officers, celebrating a birthday. Again, perhaps not the wisest time and place for a birthday party but certainly nothing like the inappropriate behavior suggested by anonymous internet trolls.

The shooting arose from an attempted robbery of the officer and a companion. Newark Mayor Cory Booker got it right when he said, "Some two-bit criminals stole his life from his family, from the community and from his country. And for what? Some credit cards. Some chump change."

Good police work has at least one of those two-bit criminals in custody as we write. But we remain annoyed at the clueless knee-jerk comments from the online knee jerks.

Pulled Over

2011-11-10T10:59:00.001-08:00

Earlier this year we blogged about championship-winning motorcycle racer James "Bubba" Stewart being arrested for impersonating a police officer. Now his case has been adjudicated.

The arrest arose from an incident in which Stewart, driving a Toyota pickup, used red and blue flashing lights he bought at a flea market to pull over a car not far from his Florida home. Unfortunately for Stewart, the car he tried to pull over was occupied by several real police officers.

The initial charge of impersonating an officer was reduced to a misdemeanor charge of using inappropriate flashing lights on a motor vehicle. This week Stewart pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor and the court in Osceola County fined him $500 and ordered him to complete 75 hours of community service.

Perhaps his community service can include him telling his many young fans how colossally dumb it is to put flashing lights in your car and pretend that you’re a cop.

Racing with the State Police

2011-10-26T11:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday’s announcement by the Governor and others that a Formula One race would be coming to New Jersey in 2013 included a brief mention of an important distinction between New Jersey and virtually all of the other states: In New Jersey, all motor racing falls under the oversight of the State Police.

Where the other states largely ignore the matter, in New Jersey there exists rules and regulations governing the design and operation of races tracks, the safety standards to which competing vehicles must adhere, and more. These rules and regulations are found in Title 13, Law and Public Safety, Chapter 62. Motor Vehicle Race Track Rules, and interested parties can find them online at

http://www.state.nj.us/njsp/info/pdf/racing_regulations.pdf .

While these rules and regulations have been around for over 50 years they are updated regularly. Racing, after all, is quite different today than it was 50 years ago. Happily, one of those differences is that today it is much safer than it was 50 years ago, and it is no exaggeration to say that the New Jersey Division of State Police has played a significant role in those safety improvements.

Today, Troopers visit New Jersey’s racing facilities regularly, just as they have for over 50 years. They work with speedway operators and individual competitors to ensure that the requirements are being understood and met.

Between now and the waving of the green flag over Formula One in New Jersey there will be much interaction between the State Police and the event organizers. On race day in 2013, you can be sure that you will see a State Police presence at the track, concerning themselves not only with the usual large-event subjects such as traffic and crowd control, but also with the safe conduct of the event.

A Most Distinctive Police Car

2011-10-13T09:09:00.000-07:00

This black V8-powered roadster was once Scotland Yard’s first line of defense against speeding bikers and criminals with high-powered sedans, and it is scheduled to be auctioned off later this month in England.

This police-issue 1962 Daimler SP250 Dart will cross the block at on October 22. It’s one of 26 Daimler Darts purchased new to serve as high-speed pursuit vehicles for the Metropolitan Police Service of London.

At the time, it was reported in the Daily Mirror that the car "will be a great help in curbing the menace of the ‘ton uppers’ – hooligan motorcyclists who boast of doing a ‘ton’ (100 MPH) in built-up areas. If necessary the Darts could also be used to chase car bandits – who have often escaped in the past because their getaway cars were much more powerful than ordinary police saloons."

Lest you think that the police in the UK have taprooms, a "saloon" in the King’s English is what we in the States term a sedan.

This and the other cars ran Daimler’s 140hp hemi-head 2.5-liter V-8s and were equipped with Borg-Warner three-speed automatic transmissions.

The example being auctioned was decommissioned from police service in 1967, then used as an official course car for 13 years at the Goodwood Revival. Much of the original police equipment remains with the Dart, including the chrome Winkworth police bell that warned of the car’s rapid approach.

If you are interested in buying a distinctive British police pursuit vehicle, visit http://www.Historics.co.uk .

The photos appearing here are courtesy of the auctioneers and the story came to us from our friends at Hemmings Motor News.

Going Up?

2011-09-27T13:01:00.000-07:00

Another amusing recent local news item:

About a dozen people stuck in an elevator at the Township Public Safety Building were rescued through the elevator car hatch on Monday night around midnight.

The elevator was stuck between the second and third floors. The elevator occupants were leaving a meeting of the township Zoning Board of Adjustment, which adjourned about 11:30 p.m. There was no illness or injury reported.

Okay, there’s nothing funny about getting stuck in an elevator. But, if you are going to get stuck in an elevator, getting stuck in the "Public Safety Building" has a certain irony to it.

Members of the local emergency services squads assisted with this rescue.

New Life for an Old Rig

2011-09-21T07:11:00.000-07:00

All across the country, smaller communities often acquire fire apparatus and ambulances second-hand, from larger communities. This is an economic reality, and typically the small communities do an excellent job of making do with something less than the absolute latest and greatest.

This is true here in New Jersey as well, where the fire company in a very small town not far from the offices of the Badge Company of New Jersey just put its second used ambulance into service.

"This is like a retirement home for ambulances," the Fire Chief quipped, but with wise budgeting and wise spending the community was able to refurbish the ambulance to the extent that it can scarcely be distinguished from a new one.

Pull Over

2011-09-16T07:06:00.000-07:00

The last Ford Crown Victoria rolled off a Canadian assembly line yesterday, marking the end of the big Ford cars that have been popular with police departments for decades.

Including civilian models, since 1979 almost 10 million Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Cars – so-called Panther Platform vehicles – have been sold. But sales numbers have been falling steadily in recent years due to changing consumer preferences and demand for better fuel economy and performance.

In recent years the cars have only been offered to fleet buyers, not individual retail customers. Now all production has stopped. Ford says that it sold about 80,000 Crown Victorias and Town Cars combined last year. That figure just wasn't enough to support a factory capable of producing 250,000 cars a year.

The Crown Victoria has been popular with police and fleet users because of its roominess, ruggedness and relative simplicity. The Panther Platform was an old-fashioned body-on-frame design which, while heavier than other cars, has an excellent reputation for being able to withstand heavy, punishing use. The Crown Victoria has also been an easy-to-service vehicle.

Ford has already begun marketing vehicles to take up the Crown Victoria's role in police fleet use. The automaker has started producing a specially designed Taurus Police Interceptor as well as a version of the Explorer tailored for police use. Chrysler and General Motors are marketing their own police car options with the Charger and the Caprice PPV. And Carbon Motors, about whom we wrote back in 2008, is still planning to produce their own specialty police car.

Police agencies aren’t the only fleet operators mourning the loss of the Crown Vic. Taxi companies and livery service companies face some hard choices. Vehicles such as the Ford Transit Connect van are being marketed as a taxi cab, along with a Nissan van. For livery service companies Ford is making a special version of the Lincoln MKT, a large crossover SUV.

In one sense, we have been though this before. When Chevrolet stopped making the large, body-on-frame rear-drive Caprice in 1996, police officers nationwide were unhappy to see it go. But the Crown Victoria was a readily-available alternative, and Ford through the years kept tweaking the car to improve its suitability for police service.

But today the alternative choices are not as obvious. The Charger has ample performance but is smaller; the Caprice PPV is a new and as-yet unproven model in the American market; and the Ford replacements are based on front-wheel-drive designs, heretofore weaker for police use. The Carbon Motors entry simply isn’t here yet. Fleet buyers have a headache on their hands.

The Ford Taurus Police Interceptor

The Ford Explorer Police Interceptor

The Chevrolet Caprice PPV

The Dodge Charger Pursuit

The Carbon Motors e7

Clutch Play II

2011-09-07T07:54:00.000-07:00

It has happened again.

Last year we wrote about thieves in Philadelphia who had to abandon a FedEx truck they were hijacking, because it had a manual transmission and none of them knew how to drive it.
　
In today’s news:
　
A Jersey City man was robbed late Monday, but was spared losing his 2007 Infiniti when the thieves couldn't drive a stick shift vehicle.
　
As the victim was removing items from the trunk of his car about 10:50 p.m., a man in his mid-20s walked up to him and pointed a silver revolver at his face, reports said. An accomplice, also in his mid-20s, took credit cards from the victim, as well as two cellphones and an Apple iTouch and his house and car keys.
　
The robbers jumped in the Infiniti, but they couldn’t get the car in gear and fled on foot.

Storm Update

2011-08-30T13:02:00.000-07:00

On Friday, we posted that we were holding shipments until Monday, for the reason that Hurricane Irene was projected to come through our area. Friday shipments + weather events = at least one lost shipment, in our experience.

What we forgot to anticipate was that we would have no power on Monday! Without power, we were not able to process anything, including shipments.

The power was restored Tuesday afternoon, and we have begun the process of getting caught up. Thank you for your patience!

Irene Has Us Holding

2011-08-26T11:45:00.000-07:00

It remains to be seen how bad hurricane Irene will be in our area. Weather forecasters are predicting potential doom and gloom for this weekend as the storm approaches.

What we’re predicting is slightly longer delivery times.

Today, Friday, we have placed all outgoing shipments on hold. We have learned, through too many years of experience, that the combination of a Friday shipping date and a big weather event over the weekend is a recipe for at least one lost shipment. So today’s shipments will depart here on Monday, instead.

Whole Lotta Shakin'

2011-08-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

The earthquake centered in Virginia on August 23 rattled folks from Altanta to Boston. Here at the Badge Company of New Jersey, it rattled us just about as much as we care to be rattled by such things.

Having never previously experienced an earthquake, it took us a few seconds to realize what was going on. We had a few "what the ?" moments before grasping the situation.

Having never previously experience an earthquake, we were unprepared for how it turned the walls and floors into Jell-O. We would have guessed that the whole room might shake in a manner similar to when a heavy truck goes by, but no, the whole room wobbled in a disconnected and disorienting way.

The fact that our offices are on the second floor may have slightly intensified the effect; we can only imagine what it may have been like in taller buildings.

Reportedly, it was a relatively shallow earthquake, contributing to its effect being felt over so large an area.

It was also reported to be the largest east coast earthquake in 67 years, making it truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most people in this part of the country. Once the shaking stopped, a friend quickly posted the message, "Time to cross ‘earthquake’ off the bucket list."

There is No End...

2011-08-15T13:06:00.000-07:00

... to the supply of stories about dumb criminals. From today’s news:

A 35-year-old man was arrested Sunday night after he fell asleep during a burglary at a shuttered restaurant and his snoring led police to his hiding spot, police said.

What's a Devin?

2011-08-02T20:13:00.000-07:00

In this case, a Devin is something found at the 2011 "National Night Out" event conducted by the Hunterdon County Sheriff’s Office not far from the Badge Company of New Jersey’s offices.

It is an exceptionally uncommon American-built sports car from 1958, and this example, owned by a gentleman from a nearby town, is immaculate. A Corvette engine provides plenty of power for this fiberglass-bodied gem.

It is called a Devin for the same reason that a Honda is called a Honda. It’s the name of man who founded the company. Bill Devin built a series of Devin sports cars in California in the 1950s and 1960s.

The Hunterdon County Sheriff’s Office included a "cruise night" car show as part of it’s "National Night Out" event, which is why the Devin was there. But there were also such things as a dunk tank ("Dunk a Detective!" was the draw), a high striker, food stands, commercial vendors, fund-raisers, prize drawings, and more.

Happily, we saw plenty of families attending – just as was intended.

"National Night Out" is a distinctive crime and drug prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW), and involves citizens, law enforcement agencies, civic groups, businesses, neighborhood organizations and local officials from over 15,000 communities throughout North American and on military bases worldwide.

National Night Out is designed to increase crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for, and participation in, local anti-crime programs, and strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships. There is no set agenda; cities, towns and neighborhoods observe National Night Out with a variety of events and activities. While some places had block parties, others had parades, contests, or flashlight walks.

In our neighborhood, it included a chance to see this rare car.

Sorry, Wrong Number

2011-07-27T10:16:00.000-07:00

Here at the Badge Company of New Jersey we have received a few phone calls recently, where the caller asks, "Is this Fed Ex?"

Um, no.

So we decided to see why this was happening. As it turns out, the toll-free number for Fed Ex is 1-800-GoFedEx, which translates into 1-800-463-3339.

Our toll-free number is 1-800-469-9333.

There has to be a fair amount of transposing of digits to get from the Fed Ex number to our number, but it happens.

We wonder how many calls Fed Ex gets where the caller asks, "Is this the Badge Company?"

You can always call our regular line, 1-908-735-7700. But sometimes those callers ask, "Is this Clinton Honda?" The Honda dealer’s number differs by one digit.

Maybe if you want to ship your Honda by Fed Ex we can help you, but otherwise we’ll stick to badges.

Great Headline

2011-07-06T08:35:00.000-07:00

From recent local news:

Man Arrested after Allegedly Snorting Cocaine While Leaning on an Unmarked Police Car

Not What You Are Expecting

2011-06-29T11:23:00.000-07:00

A great, funny, and sobering 30-seconds sponsored by automaker BMW.

Carnage

2011-06-27T15:44:00.000-07:00

First responders are witness to a wide variety of events, often tragic, sometimes comical, and at times just disappointing.

This Spring, a fellow in Massachusetts decided to take his restored 1938 Plymouth our for a drive. On Interstate I-195 east of New Bedford and, somewhat ironically, less than 40 miles from the historic Massachusetts town of Plymouth, a mechanical failure caused the gas tank to be punctured.

The three photos below tell the story.

Jail Statistics

2011-06-15T09:58:00.000-07:00

According to the American Jail Association (http://www.aja.org/), the inmate population in U.S. jails has declined for the second consecutive year. The stat announced by the U.S. Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics revealed that the overall jail population declined by 2.4 percent in the 12 months ending June 30, 2010, dropping from 767,434 to 748,728.

Not Exactly a Clean Getaway

2011-06-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

In a southern New Jersey town, police officers responded to a store on a report of a shoplifter. A description of the suspect and his apparel was given, and not long afterward an officer detained a person wearing the described clothes, walking not far from the store.

The officer found that the suspect was carrying two 100-ounce bottles of laundry detergent in a bag from a different store, although the suspect had no receipt for their purchase.

Upon being arrested the suspect said that in retrospect he should have hidden in the woods for twenty minutes because he saw all of the police cars in the area.

A store employee confirmed that the suspect was the shoplifter. The employee said she had seen him come into the store, empty handed, and walk up an aisle. He came back down the aisle, sweatshirt bulging with something, and walked out of the store.

She also said that she had been wondering who had been stealing all of the Tide.

The Hoboken 500

2011-05-26T15:29:00.000-07:00

As the Memorial Day holiday approaches, a news item indicates that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway encompasses more more area than Hoboken, and that it has 60 percent more full-time employees than does Hoboken.

What caused Hoboken to be selected as the city to which the Speedway was to be compared is not known to us, but this same news items tells us that come race day this Sunday the Speedway will have about seven times the number of “residents” than Hoboken.

Let's hope that traffic moves more sedately in Hoboken this weekend than it does on the iconic Speedway.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!

Can You Hear Me Now?

2011-05-17T08:49:00.000-07:00

In the news today is a report that police in Jersey City are investigating terroristic threats made to Dickinson High School from a public pay phone.

This is an astounding story. There is still a public pay phone someplace?

Ya Think?

2011-04-13T08:55:00.000-07:00

Here’s one for Jay Leno’s "Headlines" feature. In our local newspaper this week appeared the following headline:

Bearded Man Steals Razors

The accompanying article reported that "a tall, burly, bearded man" stole $658 worth of razors and blades from a nearby Walgreen’s store.

The article explained that the man cased the place for several minutes before filling a shopping basket with the shaving supplies and placing the basket near the front door. He then went through the security detector gate, reached around the gate and grabbed his loot, so as to evade the anti-theft alarm system.

It was further stated that police are looking for a 6-foot 3- or 4-inch man with a large frame, who drives a silver Honda. The article then concluded with this howler:

"He may or may not have a beard at this time."

Shop with the Stars

2011-04-08T08:37:00.000-07:00

From the Police Blotter:

A discount-store employee asked for the sheriff office’s help in getting a woman out of his store. She had been there for several hours and said she was waiting for George Clooney and Pete Townshend.

Who?

Pull Over! Oh, never mind...

2011-03-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

Florida police this past Monday arrested championship-winning motorcycle racer James “Bubba” Stewart for impersonating a police officer after the 25-year-old flashed red and blue lights at a car full of real cops.

Stewart and a friend illuminated illegal flashing police lights on Stewart's customized Toyota Tundra and pulled over a car near the Orlando International Airport, not far from Stewart's Florida home.

Unfortunately for Stewart and his friend, the car was occupied by two off-duty Florida Highway Patrol officers and a county deputy sheriff. According to police reports, Stewart pulled his Tundra alongside the car, at which point the officers then lowered their car's window and flashed their badges. Stewart reportedly extinguished the flashing lights immediately and sped off toward the airport.

The officers notified additional real police, and they located and arrested Bubba and his buddy at the airport. Stewart was charged with impersonating an officer, and his friend was charged with tampering with evidence, as police reported that the red and blue lights – which Stewart said he bought at a flea market – had been removed and stowed in the friend's luggage.

According to a published report, Stewart earns an estimated $10 million annually. He has been generously involved in charity work, but perhaps he could use a little of that money to hire someone who will give him a dope slap the next time he tries something dumb.

That Answers That Question

2011-03-24T15:03:00.000-07:00

Last Fall, the police in an upscale Bergen County town disrupted a noisy underage drinking party.

Responding to neighbor complaints, police arrived at the location and immediately occupants began to run from the house and shout to others that the cops had arrived. Police estimated that upwards of 50 young persons had attended the party and that a very large number of empty beer cans were found inside the house.

The back yard was also littered with beer cans and a "beer pong" table was set up on the patio. In the basement, the police found a cluster of juveniles who said that they did not know where the homeowner was.

Police found a locked bathroom door and demanded that it be opened. The door was opened and an 18-year-old female stepped out and admitted that she lived in the house. Her 22-year-old sister was found inside the bathroom.

It is at this point that disapproving persons begin to ask, "Where are the parents?" Well, police pulled back the shower curtain and found the girls’ 51-year-old mother crouched in the corner.

The mother and her daughters were given a court date.

Joseph Kilmurray

2011-03-10T15:10:00.001-08:00

Here’s a great photo of a great cop. It’s Teaneck Officer Joseph Kilmurray 50 years ago, in 1961, at the door of a Plymouth patrol car.

Joseph Kilmurray died this past Saturday at the age of 88.

Kilmurray joined the Teaneck Police Department in 1949 and retired as chief in 1981. That’s a career of more than 30 years, in a single town.

He joined his hometown department before we were born, and retired after we graduated Teaneck’s Fairleigh Dickinson University.

His service to Teaneck was perhaps in his genes. His uncle, T.J. Kilmurray, was an original member of the Teaneck Police Department nearly 100 years ago.

Joseph Kilmurray was also a member of what newsman Tom Brokaw dubbed "the Greatest Generation." He was on board the cruiser USS San Francisco in Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. His ship not damaged in the bombing, and he stayed aboard the ship for three years, taking part in the Battle of Guadalcanal and other major naval engagements in the Pacific. He was later promoted to chief of the destroyer USS Stevens.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years. His marriage and his service are testaments to his character.

Commemorating September 11

2011-03-10T10:22:00.000-08:00

This year will mark the tenth anniversary.

Smith & Warren, the badge manufacturer that can trace its roots back to 1925, is offering a special 9/11 commemorative. It is a ten-year anniversary Commendation Bar, available in an underlying gold or silver finish, incorporating the design of the Pentagon and the World Trade Center towers to spell out simply, 2011 and Never Forget. These pins are 1-3/8" x 3/8" in size.

Similarly, V.H. Blackinton, the badge manufacturer founded in 1852, yes, 1852, has created two new 9/11 Challenge Coin designs that commemorate the tragic events of September 11, and pay tribute to the courage and sacrifice of everyone involved on this singular day.

As a factory-direct distributor for both Smith & Warren and V.H. Blackinton we are pleased to offer these special commemorative keepsakes.

Smith & Warren will be donating a portion of the sale proceeds to the Terry Farrell Firefighters Fund, and Blackinton will be donating a portion of the proceeds to the September 11th Widows and Victims Families' Association, Inc.

Blackinton is also offering a custom 9/11 commemorative badge that can be engraved as you choose, shown below. For this or any of these commemorative products, contact the Badge Company of New Jersey for ordering information.
Incidentally, one of the two coin designs includes a representation of the famous firefighter photo taken by New Jersey’s Tom Franklin and documented previously on this blog. Click the "9/11" in the blog labels column to the right and then scroll down to read the fascinating story of this photo.

Religious Wars?

2011-03-07T08:38:00.000-08:00

Recent news item:

A northern New Jersey pastor accused of stabbing another preacher has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and unlawful possession of a weapon.

A minister stabbing another minister?

As it turns out, this appears to be a crime of passion – plain old secular passion.

It was reported that the stabber, a man, and the stabbee, a woman, had been, as the saying goes, in a relationship. Further, it was reported that he is married.

No word on the specific teachings of their respective churches, but it would seem likely that they include some form of Thou Shall Not Fool Around on the Side, not to mention Thou Shall Not Stab.

New QuickShip Badge

2011-03-04T15:25:00.000-08:00

In additional to offering nearly 200 of our own public safety badge styles, the Badge Company of New Jersey is a factory-direct distributor for four other badge manufacturers, allowing us to offer more badges that any other source. That’s why we say, "We’ve Got Your Badge."

As noted in an earlier post, one of those manufacturers V.H. Blackinton, founded in 1852. The badge shown in the photo is Blackinton’s model #B736, and it is one of the more popular styles offered.

It is, however, what is known in the industry as an "applied panel" badge, meaning that the individual engraved panels of text are added to the underlying badge shape during the manufacturing process. As a result, it is a labor-intensive badge to make, and it takes time.

Blackinton has now developed an all-new version of this badge and added it to their "QuickShip" program. The QuickShip program includes 15 distinct badge styles that can be shipped from the factory in as little as five business days after receipt of the order.

The new badge has the engravable panels as part of the overall badge die, enabling it to be part of the QuickShip program. It is otherwise identical to the popular #B736.

The new badge is designated as model #B3320, and it is available right now. The Badge Company of New Jersey is ready to assist you with your orders for this or any other Blackinton badge.

Wrong About That

2011-02-16T08:05:00.000-08:00

Back in 2009 we blogged about road rage, and how that being encased in an automobile appears to embolden people toward venting anger in ways that walking does not.

We referenced humorist George Carlin’s description of how drivers tend to refer to someone who drives slower than themselves as an idiot, and someone who drives faster than themselves as a maniac. We concluded that there is no such thing as "sidewalk rage," noting that if you encounter someone on the sidewalk who is walking either slower or faster than you, you don’t give it a second thought.

Wrong, apparently.

In today’s Wall Street Journal appears an item headlined Get Out of My Way, You Jerk!, in which researchers say the concept of "sidewalk rage" is real. The article includes the information that on Facebook there is a group called "I Secretly Want to Punch Slow Walking People in the Back of the Head," a group which boasts nearly 15,000 members.

The article goes on to report many of the researchers’ findings, including how fast tourists walk as compared to local residents, how talking on one’s cell phone affects one’s pace, and even the psychology that causes people to believe that they are the ones "walking correctly."

Still, one key difference appears to be that those who experience "sidewalk rage" often internalize it, getting angry and upset but not venting as motorists so often do. However, it appears possible that some candidates for the Facebook group may eventually replace their secret desire to punch fellow pedestrians with an overt action.

We hope that we’re wrong about that, too. But if we are not, our message from the earlier posting remains true: It can’t be hard to think "excuse me" instead of "moron!"

Photo by Ed O'Keeffe

Self-Fulfilling

2011-02-02T08:16:00.000-08:00

Recently, a Jersey City police officer suffered a severe concussion after being struck by a drunk driver.

The officer and his partner were responding to a burglar alarm when a passing car struck the officer as he walked around his patrol car.

The driver then sped away, running a red light in the process, until police later spotted the car and apprehended the driver.

A driver whose given first name proved to be "Tequila."

Parents, when you name your child "Tequila," you are pretty much defining that child’s destiny.

This is not to suggest that naming your child "Einstein" will necessarily lead to a Nobel Prize, but what goals are you setting with a name like "Tequila?"

A Breathalyzer test revealed that Tequila’s blood alcohol level was .13, significantly greater than the legal limit of .08.

Tequila's 7-year-old daughter was in the back seat of the car. The name of the child has not been reported, but "Margarita" would be an improvement.

Braxmar Badges

2011-01-21T14:40:00.000-08:00

The Charles G. Braxmar Company was founded in 1879 and until being acquired by V.H. Blackinton at the beginning of the 21st century was located in New York City.

The image above is from a Braxton catalog, circa 1927.

V.H. Blackinton, itself with roots extending back to 1852, acquired the Braxmar company and continues to offer the Braxmar line. Certain Braxmar products continue to be available, while others have been superceded by corresponding Blackinton items.

Braxmar sold direct to public safety agencies, and so for several years following the acquisition Blackinton continued to accept direct orders for Braxmar products. But this practice has now been phased out, and all orders must be processed through an authorized Blackinton dealer.

The Badge Company of New Jersey is, of course, a direct distributor for all Blackinton products, so whether you are trying to match an old Braxmar badge or you simply want to order from Blackinton’s extensive line of badges and insignia, we can make the process easy.

Officer Christopher Matlosz

2011-01-17T09:09:00.000-08:00

It has been an eventful few days for police in New Jersey. On Friday, Lakewood officer Christopher Matlosz was killed – executed is a better word – while seated in his patrol car, having stopped to speak with a pedestrian.

On Sunday, police arrested the individual that they identified as the shooter.

On the one hand, it is satisfying to know that this individual has been apprehended and will be brought to justice.

On the other hand, we have to agree with words attributed to State Police Superintendent Col. Rick Fuentes: "There is no joy in catching an accused cop killer.”

Officer Matlosz was not married, but he was engaged. The photo shows him and his fiancee, Kelly Walsifer, smiling widely.

Here at the Badge Company, we are sensitive to the death of a police officer, not only because it is a tragedy for the families and communities, but also because so often the officer works for an agency that we serve. We hear the anguish in the voices of their colleagues. Frequently, we are asked to prepare commemorative badges used in memorial ceremonies. We are honored to provide this service, but it only makes the sense of loss even more compelling.

To Serve You Better

2011-01-05T13:57:00.000-08:00

Over the next few days, we are moving our web site and related online files to a new and much larger server system which became operational this week.

The new servers will allow us to offer a variety of new web-based features, although don’t expect everything to happen all at once. We are still relatively new to the world of online services, and so we will be adding new features as time goes by.

Most of the changeover will happen seamlessly, without any visible evidence. However, some aspects of this move may take us offline, briefly, over the weekend of January 8-9. Don’t worry, we’ll be back shortly.

By the way, we don’t do this in-house. Our IT needs are provided with knowledgeable service and prompt attention by the Round Mountain Group ( http://www.roundmountaingroup.com ) which has helped us move from being a company with no web presence only a few years ago to a firm that embraces the internet and what it has to offer. If you do not know where to turn for web services, we can recommend the Round Mountain Group without hesitation.

Starting a Life of Crime

2010-12-16T15:12:00.000-08:00

Police in Jersey City responded last week to a call from the victim of an attempted carjacking.

However, the carjacking was thwarted by the fact that the car in question had a dead battery and the owner was standing next to it with jumper cables in his hands, trying to obtain a jump-start.

Two bright criminals commandeered the victim’s keys and got into his vehicle. They then tried to start the car "with negative results," according to the police report.

Ya gotta love the efficient wording of police reports.

The unsuccessful duo then took off... perhaps looking for a victim whose car was not so obviously broken down.

"Rest" Room

2010-12-09T12:15:00.000-08:00

Police in North Bergen used bolt cutters to free a 61-year-old man who was, police say, drunk and who somehow found himself locked in portable toilet recently.

According to published reports, the man was in the "Johnny on the Spot" toilet for an indeterminate period of time, perhaps overnight.

The porta-potty was locked for transport around 7:40 a.m by Department of Public Works employees who were cleaning up the morning after the annual Winter Fest Parade.

Minutes later, a pedestrian walking nearby heard a call for help from the porta-potty. Police, Rescue and Fire officials responded to the scene.

It was reported that the township is now instructing employees that they are supposed to open the door and look inside, before padlocking a porta-potty.

Good idea.

Urine Trouble, Fella!

2010-12-01T14:46:00.001-08:00

As most people know, urinating in public is against the law. Urinating on a police car in public is not only against the law, it is also colossally dumb.

In the wee hours of November 26, police in Hackettstown had responded to an incident along Main Street when they observed a 20-year-old man relieving himself on the police car.

The act earned the guy an arrest and a pending court appearance.

Tunnel Vision

2010-11-29T14:37:00.000-08:00

Recently, a dance troupe from Florida was late for a television appearance in Manhattan, stuck in traffic at the New Jersey entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel.

So, rather that sit there, they decided to run through the tunnel on foot.

There were only two problems with this: Foot traffic is prohibited in the tunnel, and the dancers were in their costumes... camouflage costumes.

As a result, Port Authority police wearing their own costumes -- uniforms and guns – interrupted the spontaneous sprint.

But the quote of the month comes from the choreographer for the group. He was quoted as saying that he had no idea there was a problem with running through the Lincoln Tunnel.

"I am from Florida. We don't have tunnels," he said. "Apparently we couldn't do that."

IDs at NJSLM in AC

2010-11-11T16:46:00.000-08:00

On November 16-17-18, representatives from The Badge Company of New Jersey will again have a display at the New Jersey State League of Municipalities’ annual conference in the Atlantic City Convention Center. Stop by booth #240 and say hello.

This is the 95th – 95th! – annual conference. We haven’t been participating since the beginning, but we have been there for more than 30 years.

This year, in addition to seeing our regular display of public safety badges, you’ll see our available non-police badges. Photo ID badges, proximity cards, access cards, visitor badges, and more.

We can make these badges for you or we can provide you with a complete system to make your own ID badges in-house, great for new hires, for student populations, and similar ongoing needs.

It’s part of what we’re doing to ensure that, whatever your needs, "We’ve Got Your Badge."

So come check us out in booth #240. Complete conference and exhibit information is available on the NJLM web site, http://www.njslom.org.

The Hapless Burglar

2010-11-05T07:47:00.000-07:00

So, let’s say that you are a burglar. You break into homes and steal things. What’s your biggest concern? Getting caught.

Which explains why a burglar took off running when two patrolmen stopped him for questioning on the street in a North Jersey town recently following a reported break-in.

He ran a block or two, vaulted a fence, and hid under a blue tarp covering a boat in a backyard.

However, it is unlikely that he could have chosen a less suitable hiding place. First, the dog that lived at the house began barking at him. Second, the dog’s owner was at home. Third, the dog’s owner was a police captain in that town.

The burglar was taken into custody.

The dog, somewhat ironically named Bandit, was given a hero’s treatment in the local news. But, really, he was just being a dog. And the burglar was just being another dumb crook.

Little Trees, Big Charges

2010-11-03T08:53:00.000-07:00

No matter how many of those little tree-shaped air fresheners you put in your car, there are certain odors that they cannot mask.

In our hometown recently, police stopped a car for a registration violation. The officer observed a unusually high number of air fresheners in the car. The officer’s nose then told him that the odor of raw marijuana was in the car as well. At this point, the officer called upon a trained nose – that of a drug detection dog.

The dog found just over three-quarters of a pound of marijuana, sequestered under the rear seat. The driver now faces several drug charges in addition to the original vehicle registration charge.

Lost in Translation

2010-11-01T16:10:00.000-07:00

A friend of The Badge Company of New Jersey is an attorney, working often on cases where his client reads, speaks, and understands only Spanish. In these instances a Spanish-language interpreter is assigned to the case.

After a recent court appearance he was sharing an elevator with the interpreter. Making small talk, he asked her if she was a native speaker. She said yes. He then inquired, "Where are you from originally, if I may ask?"

"The Bronx," she replied.

The Neck Bone's Connected to the..

2010-10-22T11:23:00.000-07:00

A Tampa couple bought a fake skeleton to enhance their Halloween decorations, only to discover it wasn't so fake after all.

They bought the skeleton for $8.00 at an estate sale, thinking it was made of plastic. But as they set up their decorations, they got the creepy feeling the bones were real. They called the Sheriff's Office.

The county medical examiner determined the bones were from a professionally prepared human anatomical skeleton, likely used for a medical school.

The couple won't be getting their $8 skeleton back. Trafficking in human bones is illegal.

Sounding the Alarm

2010-10-14T12:16:00.000-07:00

Recently, during a high school reunion in Bergen County, a returning classmate took the accompanying photograph, a nostalgic reminder of her youth. If you are of a certain age you remember these fire alarm call boxes.

Originally installed before the widespread use of telephones, these boxes used a telegraph system to relay the alarm to the firehouse. Pull down the white door to activate the box, in which a spring-loaded wheel would then tap out a telegraph code that indicated the location of the box. When the firemen arrived, the assumption was that someone would still be at the box to direct them to the fire... or that visible smoke would be sufficient to direct them to the blaze.

The systems began to be considered as outdated once every residence had a telephone, and moreso today with the near-universal adoption of cell phones. But these boxes remain in use in certain cities and towns. The systems continue to work under circumstances where telephone and cell phone service might not, and they prevent any misunderstandings that might arise from the great variety of languages spoken in immigrant communities.

This October 2010 photograph shows that this 150-year-old technology still has its place in modern firefighting.

Cuff Him

2010-09-27T11:51:00.000-07:00

The headline read, Mall Security Officer Handcuffs Self by Accident. And immediately we knew that we had a blog entry.

It happened at the popular Quaker Bridge Mall on Route 1 in Lawrenceville. For reasons not reported, a 19-year-old security guard working at Macy’s cuffed himself with his own handcuffs... and then could not remove them.

Police were called. Ultimately, fire department bolt cutters were used to free the hapless security guard.

Incidentally, the mall does not refer to such personnel as "security guards." They are titled "loss prevention officers." Perhaps this is a good idea, since people who trap themselves in their own handcuffs are not likely to provide shoppers with any real sense of security.

The New Penalty For Littering

2010-08-31T08:57:00.000-07:00

In today’s news:

South Brunswick, N.J.– A woman driving through South Brunswick tried to throw her cigarette out the car window, but instead the still-burning tobacco fell inside the vehicle, setting it on fire, police said.

At 9 a.m. Monday, police responded to a 911 call of a car burning and found the 1998 Honda Civic fully engulfed in flames, authorities said.

The 19-year-old driver from nearby Rocky Hill told police she had been smoking a cigarette before the fire and tried throwing it out the window. Moments later she realized she missed when she felt heat on her back and saw the car fill with smoke, police said.

She pulled over and escaped without injured, but the car was destroyed in the fire. It was extinguished by the Monmouth Junction Fire Department in South Brunswick, police said.

Don't Mess With The Old Guy

2010-08-24T17:17:00.000-07:00

When a group of four thieves tried to steal a safe from the home of an 88-year-old resident of Kenilworth this past year, the World War II veteran took them on – and won.

The man has difficulty walking and typically uses a cane. But when he saw thieves trying to make off with his safe, "I ran right out there. I dropped my cane and I just went in action," he was quoted as saying.

Fueled by an adrenaline rush the man landed a few punches on one of the thieves. "They went through hell trying to get me away from them," he reported. When he yelled to his wife to call the police, the battered burglars took off.

Police subsequently recovered fingerprints and DNA evidence from the man’s home.

One-Wheeled Renegades

2010-08-17T11:50:00.000-07:00

We have all seen them – fearless motorcyclists popping wheelies on the Interstate, followed typically by a burst to great speed.

Modern sport bikes are compact, sleek, and powerful. And, as police know, no match for a Crown Victoria. A number of stories have hit the media recently about bikers "taunting" officers and then zipping off into anonymity, because the motorcycles are so much quicker than the cars.

The situation appears to be more acute in states where dashboard cameras are not commonly fitted to officers’ cruisers. In one particularly egregious instance in the state of Washington, an officer crashed heavily while chasing several bikes at high speed. The riders then stopped, and, far short of rendering any assistance to the badly injured officer, continued to taunt him before riding away.

There was no dash camera in the cruiser and the officer was able to provide only a partial license plate.

The current budget crisis facing departments nationwide is often cited as the reason all patrol cars do not have dashboard cameras, but even in good times dash cameras represent a costly investment. Still, more and more agencies are findings ways to fund the cameras because of their clear benefit to officer safety and public safety.

Many police officers are motorcycle enthusiasts themselves, and so they have a certain level of empathy for all riders. And most motorcycle enthusiasts ride responsibly. But the high visibility showboaters are giving all riders a lawless, brainless image.

Bicycling in Boise

2010-08-09T10:41:00.000-07:00

The photo depicts part of an event known as Boise Bike Week, taking place in Boise Idaho.

Previously we have blogged about the need for motorists and bicyclists to share the road. In doing so we noted that, under New Jersey law, bicycles are considered to be vehicles just like cars and trucks. As such they are to be operated in a manner consistent with traffic laws, and motorists are to treat them as they might treat any other vehicle.

Now comes news that Boise has passed new ordinances that begins to tilt the balance of power toward the bicycle.

The City Council approved three pieces of bicycle-related legislation on January 12 of this year. Among the new requirements is that "the operator of the motor vehicle overtaking [a] bicycle traveling on the right side of the roadway shall not turn to the right in front of the bicycle at an intersection, alley, or driveway until such vehicle has overtaken the bicycle and has sufficient clearance to safely turn without requiring the bicyclist to brake or take evasive action to avoid a collision with the vehicle."

More significantly, it is now a misdemeanor to "intimidate or harass or cause another person to crash, stumble, or fall because that other person is walking along the roadway or operating a bicycle along the roadway."

We don’t know whether these new ordinances were inspired by increased bicycle traffic or intended to stimulate increased bicycle traffic. But at the very least the ordinances appear to recognize that motorists are in big heavy machines, while bicyclists are astride small light machines.

You can read the law at http://www.cityofboise.org/city_clerk/011210/o-69-09.pdf

Never Mind

2010-08-02T11:10:00.000-07:00

On July 7, a resident of a nearby town called 9-1-1, reporting that her two-year-old daughter was missing. The caller reported that her daughter was last seen in or near the driveway about 15 minutes earlier.

Nothing will strike fear into the heart of a parent more than a missing child, and police and other first responders dread such calls because of the potential for an unbearably sad outcome.

Police were on the scene within minutes and launched a search. An officer with a K-9 search dog was dispatched as well.

After a few minutes of searching, the child was located in a upstairs bedroom of the residence, asleep.

Tragically Dumb

2010-07-22T16:21:00.000-07:00

In Washington State, north of Seattle, the Sedro-Woolley Fire Department this week responded to a report of a fire and explosion in which two people had been severely burned.

Upon arrival at the scene, the responders found no fire nor building damage. But two badly burned men were found and flown to the Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Fire officials learned that the explosion was the result of a practice known as “barrel riding,” in which a 55-gallon drum with fuel in it is lit with a rider on top, causing the barrel to be propelled forward.

Authorities said the men poured about four gallons of methanol racing fuel into a 55 gallon barrel, replaced the 2-inch closure and attempted to light the fuel through the 3/4-inch closure while the two men sat on the barrel.

The barrel did not behave like a rocket. Instead, it exploded, sending one end of the barrel some 120 feet and critically burning the two barrel riders.

Three days later, one of the two men succumbed to his injuries, while the other remains in intensive care.

This is a head-shaker. So dumb. So sad.

A Real Undercover Operation

2010-07-21T11:21:00.000-07:00

In Flemington recently, police were called to a neighborhood one night on a report of two men smashing the windows of parked cars. When an officer arrived, he saw men matching the description, but they fled when they saw him. The officer gave chase.

One of the men went into an apartment building and, according to police, "ran into his bedroom, hopped into bed and pulled the blankets over him."

Sure, that’ll work. They’ll never find him there. He should be safe from monsters, too.

The man was taken into custody and charged with criminal mischief, eluding police and hindering his apprehension.

New Jersey Traffic

2010-07-13T07:42:00.000-07:00

Morning commuters on Route 80? No, it’s the "Demolition Derby" that is part of the Cumberland County Fair each July. This year’s fair included two Demo Derbies, the second of which was this past Saturday.

Demolition derbies are a dubious but durable activity, having been around generally as long as there have been automobiles. Smoking, steaming cars crashing into one another may seem to be the antithesis of today’s "green" movement, but it has a certain effectiveness in ridding the roads of "clunkers."

It also brings out the latent redneck in all of us. Sometimes a little stupid fun is a good thing.

But in order to have the fun, safety personnel need to be at the ready. To share the workload, in recent years the Cumberland County Fair has had on hand the Seabrook Fire Company, Lower Township EMS, Laurel Lake Fire and Rescue Squad 13, Hopewell-Stow Creek Fire Company, Millville Fire Department, Millville Rescue Squad and Upper Deerfield EMS Squad 34.

Chill Out

2010-07-12T12:03:00.000-07:00

For a hot July day, a glimpse of winter.

This letter carrier is shown upholding the unofficial credo of the Postal Service, "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."

This letter carrier is also carrying pepper spray, the white canister toward the bottom left in this photo, with which postal employees fend off unfriendly dogs.

Pepper Sprays are one of our signature products here at the Badge Company of New Jersey, sold under our Pepper Defense Products brand name. The products are used not only by letter carriers, but by police, corrections officers, and more. Our home page for Pepper Defense Products is here:

http://www.http//pepperdefenseproducts.com

Photo by Mark Hertzberg

4th of July (on the 5th)

2010-06-25T11:22:00.000-07:00

When the Independence Day holiday falls on a weekend, as it does this year, typically the holiday is observed on the Friday or the Monday closest to the 4th. This year, Monday, July 5th will be the day on which many communities and most businesses observe the holiday.

At the Badge Company of New Jersey, we are no exception. Our offices will be closed on July 5th, although this is not a luxury afforded to the bulk of our customers – police, fire, and public safety agencies. Theirs is a 24/7 occupation.

This Independence Day weekend you will likely find us at the Lebanon Borough 4th of July parade, the oldest 4th of July parade in New Jersey. At that parade, as at virtually every 4th of July parade across the country, we are afforded an opportunity to salute the men and women who work in the public safety field.

But outside of regular business hours, you can always get in touch with us via e-mail or telephone. The e-mail is always "on" and our telephone system will take messages at any hour of the day or night.

May you have a safe and enjoyable Independence Day weekend.

Definition of a Cop

2010-06-16T11:03:00.000-07:00

When Steven Cucciniello, a 20-year veteran of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, was sworn in as the new Chief of Detectives for the office in October of last year, Prosecutor John L. Molinelli read a line from Cucciniello’s original resume from the New York City Police Department, where Cucciniello was a Midtown patrol officer before joining the Prosecutor’s Office in 1989.

"Maintain the peace, uphold the law, issue summonses, make arrests," Molinelli said, reading from Cucciniello’s old resume.

If that does not distill law enforcement down to its fundamentals, nothing does.

Maintain the peace. Uphold the law. Issue summonses. Make arrests. These are the core elements of the job.

This is not to imply that Cucciniello was qualified for his new job solely on his understanding of these basics. He holds a masters degree in criminal justice from Rutgers University, and has a history of success with investigations of narcotics and gangs. These contribute to his being well-suited to his new position.

But still. Have you ever seen such a succinct – and accurate – summation of a cop’s job? Maintain the peace. Uphold the law. Issue summonses. Make arrests.

Police Security Expo

2010-06-11T10:25:00.000-07:00

Each June, we set up our display at the Police Security Expo in Atlantic City. We were there for the first one, and this will our 24th consecutive Expo.

This year, the Expo takes place June 22 and 23, and this year, the event organizers included on the official event promotional materials a photo of Badge Company General Manager Bob Marlow showing a badge to a prospect. It’s the photo in the lower right-hand corner of the cover page, shown here.

Anything and everything related to law enforcement supplies and equipment can be seen at this show – but not by just anyone. The show is open to law enforcement professionals, only, not the general public. Show information is available at http://www.police-security.com/.

We will be in booth 322 as always. Stop by and say hello. Check out our badge samples and leather products, and pick up a catalog or two. We'll have some special sale items as well. We look forward to meeting you!

Cops and Confectionaries

2010-06-04T11:52:00.000-07:00

A stereotype firmly entrenched in our culture is cops and donuts.

Officers generally do not take insult at this – except when it is intended as an insult, which occurs too often when someone feels aggrieved.

But we were reminded of the stereotype today not because we know of anyone who is aggrieved, and we did not observe a police car at a donut shop. Rather, we were reminded of the stereotype because unbeknownst to us previously, apparently today is National Donut Day. And National Donut Day apparently dates back to 1938, when it was created by the Chicago Salvation Army as a fund-raiser.

Well, speaking of fund-raisers, a number of local police departments across the country have in recent years been promoting "Cops and Donuts" fundraising events, turning the stereotype into a positive force.

Then there is the Cops & Doughnuts shop in Clare, Michigan, pictured above. According to an Associated Press story, this store is owned by nine full-time employees of the Clare police department. The Cops and Doughnuts shop came about when the owners of the 113-year-old City Bakery in Clare were on the verge of closing and the officers stepped up.

Demonstrating some marketing savvy and a sense of humor, the police-owners of the Cops & Doughnuts shop have mugs and T-shirts available bearing the tagline Cops & Doughnuts, 100 Percent Cop-Owned as well as phrases such as You Have the Right to Remain Glazed.

Happy National Donut Day.

Somerville Remembers

2010-05-21T14:56:00.000-07:00

In Somerville, New Jersey, this week, a memorial commemorating two fallen police officers was unveiled, and in our view it is more significant than most.

The monument honors Officer Julius Sauter, who was shot and killed on February 3, 1917, and Officer Manning T. Crow, who was shot on January 19, 1899. That’s right, Somerville has not forgotten men who made the ultimate sacrifice 93 and 111 years ago!

Also significant is the fact that these two officers remain the only Somerville officers to have been slain since the department was founded. It has been 93 years since the last Somerville officer was killed on the job. May this remarkable record continue.

At the time of the unveiling of this memorial, it was noted that Officer Sauter was killed while attempting to save a man from committing suicide. The suicidal man turned his weapon on Sauter and fatally shot him before taking his own life. Officer Crow was shot after confronting burglars in a butcher shop. But get this: After sustaining the wound, Officer Crow walked back to the police station to inform other officers about the incident! Sadly, he died shortly afterwards.

A cynic might say that it took Somerville nearly 100 years to commemorate the sacrifice of these two officers, but we disagree: Somerville should be praised for not forgetting these officers from the last century and the century before that.

It’s Good News, But it’s Sad

2010-05-12T14:55:00.000-07:00

The City of Newark marked its first murder-free month in more than 40 years this past March. This is certainly good news, and it reflects well on the city’s efforts to improve its policing and to improve its community relations.

But it nonetheless strikes us as sad that this simple statistic – that a month passed without a homicide – is news. How sad that homicide in Newark is so, shall we say, normal, that its absence is news.

We can only hope that the March milestone is just that, a milestone along the way to an ongoing and lasting decrease in the city’s homicide rate. A lasting decrease – that’s the news story we look forward to seeing.

Christ in a Crosswalk

2010-05-07T14:19:00.000-07:00

From the Associated Press:

The victim might have forgiven the woman who ran him down in a Massachusetts crosswalk, but police haven't.

Police say a Pittsfield woman has been cited for running down a man named Lord Jesus Christ as he crossed a street in Northampton on Tuesday.

The 50-year-old man is from Belchertown. Officers checked his ID and discovered that, indeed, his legal name is Lord Jesus Christ. He was taken to the hospital for treatment of minor facial injuries.

Police say 20-year-old Brittany Cantarella was cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.

As the saying goes, you just can't make this stuff up.

He Bombed On Broadway

2010-05-06T14:55:00.000-07:00

Okay, maybe that is too flip a headline, considering the potential carnage that could have resulted had the Times Square car bomber been successful this past weekend.

Thankfully, the would-be bomber was not able to build a bomb that worked. And, thankfully again, solid police work had the guy in custody in not much more than 48 hours after his smoldering handwork was discovered.

Still, it is a reminder that the bombings we hear about half a world away could indeed happen here. New York City residents have carried a reputation for indifference that is traced often to the infamous Kitty Genovese murder of 1964. But the events of September 2001 changed that. Last weekend, a street vendor first alerted a mounted officer about the suspicious SUV. No longer indifferent, New Yorkers – and Americans everywhere – now strive to find the appropriate measure of vigilance without paranoia.

Digital Disappearance

2010-04-27T16:03:00.001-07:00

Ahh, the electronic age in which we live.

If you submit a badge request via the link on our products page that allows you to design your own badge, and you do not hear back from us within one business day, call us. The computer ate your inquiry.

For reasons we have yet to divine, a certain number of electronic inquiries are no longer reaching us. Some are, some are not. Frustrating, to us, because it represents lost business, and to you, because you need badges!

So, please, kindly follow up with a phone call if you do not get a timely response, while we continue to search for the electronic thief.

Emergency Cigarettes

2010-04-21T10:08:00.000-07:00

From the Police Blotter:

A 20-year-old man called 911 because a convenience-store clerk would not sell him cigarettes without an ID.

The customer told the officer who responded that he thought police might be able to verify his age to the clerk.

The officer informed the customer that was not a proper use of the 911 system.

Cells in Cells

2010-04-12T06:56:00.000-07:00

Here is a product from a New Jersey company that has caught our attention.

It is called the "Bloodhound," and it is designed to enable officers to scan real-time for unauthorized cell phone activity in correctional facilities. Given that cell phones smuggled into prisons is a significant and growing problem – prisoners continue to conduct their lawless activities by phone – this is a terrific product.

Aside from being able to detect cell phone activity, the device can detect the exact location of the caller using a direction finding antenna.

How serious is cell phone activity in correctional facilities? According to the manufacturer of this product, Berkeley Varitronics Systems in Metuchen, in 2008 corrections officers confiscated 847 contraband cell phones in Maryland prisons, 2,809 cell phones in California prisons and 1,861 cell phones in Mississippi prisons. That’s more than 5,500 phones in one year in only three states!

You can learn more about this product at http://www.bvsystems.com/ .

Smile

2010-04-09T15:00:00.000-07:00

From the Police Blotter in a southern New Jersey town:

A Carmel Road resident reported two screens cut on her gazebo. The cuts were in the shape of smiley faces. She believed that the vandalism took place on Thursday night.

Well, at least it is a better grade of vandalism than the symbols of hate that have been seen elsewhere...

The Service Was A Crime

2010-04-08T13:54:00.001-07:00

Charges have been dropped against a group of college students who, maintaining that the service they received was "lousy," refused to leave a tip in an eastern Pennsylvania restaurant last year.

Because they were a group of eight, the restaurant added an 18% gratuity to the check. The collegiate diners paid the bill but refused to leave the tip, with the result that the restaurant called the cops. The police took two of the group into custody and charged them with theft of services.

Upon review of the case, the District Attorney recommended that the charges be dropped, based largely on the simple notion that we all understand: Tips are optional. True, one should generally tip less, not zero, for poor service, but while the restaurant’s service may have been inadequate its response appears to have been excessive.

Creep Show

2010-03-30T13:46:00.000-07:00

The strange-looking character in the photo is Rodney Alcala, who this week was given a death sentence in a California courtroom, for five murders committed in the 1970s.

While the thought of this guy being a serial killer is disturbing enough, just as disturbing is the news that in 1978 he appeared as one of the bachelors on television’s then-popular "Dating Game." This was in the midst of his killing spree, as some of the murders occurred before and some following his game show appearance.

In 1972 he had been convicted in the rape and beating of an eight-year-old girl, which tells us a great deal about how lax the screening process was at the "Dating Game."

The "Dating Game" was, in many ways, a precursor to today’s popular "reality" shows. Unlike game shows prior to that time, the "Dating Game" did not simply award prizes of cash and merchandise, it awarded actual dates to the winning "bachelorette" and bachelor.

Which causes us to wonder: How much better is the pre-show vetting process for today’s "reality" shows?

Photo courtesy Michael Goulding

Clutch Play

2010-03-29T17:48:00.000-07:00

From the Philadelphia Inquirer, earlier this year:

Stick Shift Thwarts FedEx Hijackers

In an apparently ill-conceived caper, several men briefly hijacked a FedEx van yesterday afternoon and tried to navigate it through rush-hour traffic in Center City before abandoning the easily recognizable vehicle and fleeing.

The plan – if there was a plan – did not include an accomplice who could drive a manual transmission, police said.

At least two assailants, one with a firearm, seized the van around 4 p.m. at 16th and Pine Streets and attempted to drive it before forcing one of two FedEx employees to operate the stick shift for them, police said. The other employee was able to get away and call for help.

The hijackers bailed out at 11th and Market Streets and possibly fled in a burgundy sedan, police said. The men may have initially emerged from the sedan to take the van and the sedan then followed the van, but investigators were still trying to sort out witness accounts.

"Our guys are both safe," said FedEx spokesman David Westrick, who thanked police for responding quickly.

Westrick chuckled when he noted that the suspects "had some trouble driving a standard clutch vehicle."

Police spokesman Lt. Frank Vanore said he personally speculated about an inside job, but was more inclined to believe that the perpetrators "weren't the brightest thieves."

What Was She Thinking?

2010-03-26T10:12:00.000-07:00

Here in bucolic western New Jersey, police recently arrested a man for failing to register as a sex offender when they found him walking along Route 22 with an 11-year-old boy at one in the morning.

The officers determined that the man was a known sexual offender but that he had failed to register his whereabouts as required by law.

Both the man and the boy told the officers that they were headed back to the man’s room in a nearby motel, to spend the night.

Creepy, right? Well, it gets worse. Police telephoned the boy’s mother, who said that she was aware that her son was going to spend the night with the man, but that she did not know that he had a record as a sex criminal. Well, pardon us for asking, but what was she thinking?

Surprise!

2010-03-22T14:41:00.000-07:00

A man in Arizona was convicted recently of impersonating a police officer. Driving a black Ford Crown Victoria with some police equipment installed, including emergency lights and a siren, he pulled over a motorist and advised him to "slow down."

What he did not know that the motorist was an actual police officer, who took note of the man’s license plate. As it turned out, the police officer was not the first motorist stopped by this genius; a member of the state liquor board had been stopped, too.

The best part of this story, we think, is that fact that this guy lived in the town of Surprise, a suburb of Phoenix. We’ll bet he got a surprise when he found out that it was a police officer he stopped.

The Nose Knows

2010-03-12T08:33:00.000-08:00

In the picture is Monroe Township police officer Thomas Lucasiewicz, who recently uncovered an extensive marijuana-growing operation by sniffing it out.

According to news reports, Officer Lucasiewicz detected the unique odor of burning marijuana while on routine motor patrol. The weed growers, having cleverly established clandestine growing rooms in several suburban houses, stupidly burned unusable plants in the fireplace of one of the homes. This filled the neighborhood not with the pleasant wintertime scent of a wood fire, but with the distinctive scent of burning marijuana. Which Officer Lucasiewicz noticed as it permeated the dashboard vents of his patrol car.

Officer Lucasiewicz tracked the source of the odor to the chimney of a house on Spotswood-Englishtown Road. Ultimately this led to the uncovering of a marijuana-growing enterprise encompassing 3,370 plants in five houses in four adjoining towns.

Oh – that badge that Officer Lucasiewicz is wearing? It is from the Badge Company of New Jersey. Monroe Township is a customer going back more than a decade.

(Photo by Patti Sapone, courtesy of The Star-Ledger)

Oops

2010-03-04T07:47:00.001-08:00

In southern New Jersey recently, a woman lost control of her car and ended up in two feet of water. She was rescued from the car by police and fire personnel.

A happy ending, right? Well, the story does not really end there. You see, then there was the matter of retrieving the car. Which is why these two men are wearing odd-looking bright orange suits:

The suits are "Cold Water Immersion Suits," which enabled these two members of the local fire company to enter the frigid waters and attach winch cables to the tow hooks on the car. Just another item of unique equipment that enables public safety workers to do their jobs.

But think about it: Would you like to wade into a pond on a 30-degree March day? Even with one of these specialized suits, you likely would prefer to stay on shore. But it is just another part of the job for police officers and firefighters, and in the case of firefighters, often they are unpaid volunteers.

A reminder that there is waay more to these jobs than typically comes to mind.

(Photos by Lukas K. Murray, courtesy of the Gloucester County Times.)

The Other Actor

2010-03-01T09:30:00.000-08:00

We asked readers to identify the actor portraying a cop in the photo accompanying the “Another Nice Mess” entry below this one. We received about as many incorrect answers as correct ones.

It is Edgar Kennedy, one of the most frequently seen actors in the films of Laurel and Hardy. He often played a police officer, but no matter what type of character he was playing, his character was slow to fully anger, instead just getting more and more frustrated and annoyed until he can no longer contain himself. This became known as the "Slow Burn."

He appeared in nearly a dozen Laurel and Hardy films, and twice he was the duo's director. During his career he also appeared with Charlie Chaplin and the Marx Brothers.

Here is another photo of Kennedy as the put-upon police officer:

Another Nice Mess

2010-02-19T15:26:00.000-08:00

The following story from western Pennsylvania made the news recently:

Carlos Laurel, 31, and Andre "Sug" Hardy, 39, of Lincoln Street, face eight charges related to cocaine trafficking. Police arrested Laurel and Hardy after they showed up at a Kingston residence and allegedly delivered 50 bags of cocaine to the unidentified occupant Tuesday at about 5:53 p.m. Police estimate street value of the cocaine was $2,500.

Laurel and Hardy were taken to Luzerne County Correctional Facility for overnight arraignment.

Here's a trivia quiz: Who is the actor dressed as a cop in the photo?

Dumbth

2010-02-17T15:38:00.000-08:00

"Dumbth" is a word coined by the late humorist Steve Allen.

In a northern New Jersey town recently, police responded around 1:00 AM to a residence on a request for medical assistance for a man who had been injured in a fall. A subsequent investigation revealed that the involved party had in fact been injured in a motor vehicle crash that had occurred shortly before the call. This resulted in the arrest of the 22 year-old subject on charges of driving while intoxicated, careless driving, leaving the scene and failing to report a motor vehicle accident.

When you do a stupid thing – driving while drunk – there is no way you are going to "get away with it" when you crash your car. To attempt to do so is to exhibit dumbth.

Prison

2010-02-15T16:03:00.000-08:00

The photos below are just some of those taken by California photographer Sarah Regnier at the San Benito County Jail in Hollister, California.

They are among the many compelling photos on her site, http://cameratakesphotos.blogspot.com. They’re not all about prison, they cover an eclectic range of subjects.

You may recall our earlier blog entry about the wedding photos taken in a closed prison, but a prison setting is the only common thread between that post and this.

What's That White Stuff?

2010-02-10T15:35:00.000-08:00

As we write, it is snowing heavily in New Jersey. Schools, highways, and offices have been closed throughout the day. We have more than a foot of newly-fallen snow outside our window, and it is still snowing.

It snows more often in New Jersey than it does in South Carolina, which may explain this "dumb criminal" item from last Monday:

A man accused of breaking into or attempting to break into more than a dozen vehicles Saturday remained in the Spartanburg County jail Sunday in lieu of $45,000 bond.

The man was charged with eight counts of carbreaking and five counts of tampering with a vehicle after 18 vehicles in and around the Rogers Mill Subdivision were reported entered or tampered with between 7 and 9 p.m. Saturday.

According to an incident report, authorities were able to track the man's steps in the freshly fallen snow to his home, where he was arrested.

From the Spartanburg Herald Journal.

Best Bridge by a Dam Site

2010-02-08T14:32:00.000-08:00

In the immediate post-World War II period, massive construction projects were almost the norm in the United States, the most widely evident of which was the Interstate Highway system. But the Interstates have now been around for so long that they have become a part of what is referred to as "our crumbling infrastructure," and projects of that scale and scope seem much fewer and much less frequent.

Which is why we are fascinated by the Hoover Dam Bypass Project, a huge undertaking to re-route and modernize Highway 93 where it crosses the Colorado River at the border between Nevada and Arizona.

The main route between Las Vegas and Phoenix, Highway 93 has long been a winding two-lane road through the region, limited by the fact that it passes literally atop the Hoover Dam, built in the 1930s. Highway 93 is exceptionally scenic, and as a result it is also a popular tourist road in addition to being the main thoroughfare that it is.

We have driven across the top of the Hoover Dam several times through the years, but the next time we are in the area we will likely drive over the new bypass, a spectacular 1900-foot long concrete arch bridge nearing completion some 900 feet above the river, and 1500 feet south of the dam. A modern, multilane highway 93 will follow much straighter approaches to this new bridge, unclogging the Hoover Dam bottleneck.

In the photo above you can see the bridge taking shape while the old Highway 93 winds below. You can also see the cable-strung gondola cranes used in the construction and get a sense of the sheer size of this project.

There is a web site devoted solely to this project, http://www.hooverdambypass.org/ , and it includes web cam shots of the project as it progresses.

Don’t worry, you will still be able to drive across the Hoover Dam if you wish, the old road will remain open for this popular tourist attraction. But through traffic and truck traffic will soon travel via the new bypass.

The total construction budget is $240 million dollars, and remarkably, that budget was developed in 2001 and the project is on track to be completed later this year without exceeding that original budget.

Potty Mouth

2010-02-03T07:59:00.000-08:00

Generally, people outside of law enforcement have no idea what sort of hazards an officer may face while on the job... Such as:

New Brunswick -- A city man arrested for fighting was taken to police headquarters, where he took a mouthful of water from a toilet and spit at an officer, police said.

In this case, we think the criminal got the more unpleasant portion of this, but still...

Getting Political

2010-01-27T07:45:00.000-08:00

One of our regular blog readers has asked, why don’t we weigh in on political issues?

Okay, here goes:

Buy your political campaign materials from The Badge Company of New Jersey.

That’s right, in addition to supplying products for public safety personnel, we also supply campaign products for elected public officials. Or, more accurately, we supply materials to meet the needs of those who wish to be elected or re-elected to public office.

It started with campaign buttons, a natural outgrowth of our badge business. But it has expanded to include virtually all kinds of campaign promotional materials – bumper stickers, lawn signs, posters, banners, rally placards and more.

Whether you are running for the local school board or for statewide or nationwide office, we can help. Your political convictions will remain your own, but we can help get your message out there.

Incoming!

2010-01-25T14:58:00.000-08:00

A history buff in Pennsylvania who re-creates 19th century cannons accidentally fired a two-pound cannonball through a wall in his neighbor’s house in September of last year.

When he fired the cannonball outside his home it ricocheted and hit a house some 400 yards away. The cannonball, about two inches in diameter, crashed through a window and a wall before landing in a closet. No one was injured.

The man apologized and said that he would stop firing the cannons on his property, but police charged him with reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct.

They’re Cousins, Identical Cousins

2010-01-19T15:04:00.000-08:00

From the Police Blotter column:

A bouncer reported an underage girl tried to use a fake ID to get into a bar. She attempted to use a friend’s ID — a friend who had just entered the same bar and who had handed the same bouncer the same ID.

What Rhymes With #@!&*?

2010-01-14T08:06:00.000-08:00

In the news this week is a report of a woman in northern New Jersey being charged with disorderly conduct for cursing at a school principal during a school forum. The woman has since said that she regrets her outburst, but school officials reportedly have said that they are prosecuting her to show that people can't get away with calling principals vulgar names.

Immediately this reminded us of a case from decades ago, in which a man frustrated with judicial delays cursed at a court clerk over the telephone. He, too, was then charged. He was convicted, but on appeal his conviction was overturned. The basis of the reversal was that cursing often springs forth spontaneously, from emotion. Memorably, the ruling judge issued his opinion entirely in rhyme. We can’t claim to remember it verbatim, but we recall:

Can you curse when hitting your thumb with a hammer
Without risk of spending a month in the slammer?
When the bank computer errs and bounces your checks
Should your language be confined to Aw Gees and Oh Hecks?

Perhaps the North Jersey woman can cite this legal precedent.

POTUS

2010-01-08T14:36:00.000-08:00

Yes, that’s President Obama shaking hands with Bob King this past December.

Who is Bob King? Well, you probably haven’t heard of him, but he’s a friend and colleague of ours. When President Obama paid a visit in December to the Allentown, Pennsylvania, company at which Bob works, Bob was offered the opportunity to meet and speak briefly with the President. Politics aside, who wouldn’t jump at that chance?

Bob told us, President Obama decided to visit a working class city, and I guess Allentown is as good as any being fourth largest in Pennsylvania. At our company initially they didn't confirm he would be here, but we noticed five or six big black Suburbans driving around throughout the week and people walking through the plant and roof areas. The sniffer dogs canvassed the site also. On the day he arrived we noticed six snipers with awesome looking rifles in position.

We were the last stop that day, Friday the fourth as I recall. Everyone that was on site had an option to shake hands with him and actually say a couple things. I made a comment that I saw him giving a speech the night before and although Fox didn't have anything nice to say I thought he did a hell of a job.

It was an opportunity that was too convenient to miss, getting paid to wait less than an hour to meet the President! It was kind of surreal standing there next to someone that important.

We live in a celebrity-obsessed culture, and President Obama is frequently portrayed more as a celebrity than as someone who can truly affect our lives. But any President – Democrat or Republican – can truly affect our lives, and having the opportunity to share just a minute with a sitting President is a rare opportunity indeed.

Dumb Begets Dumb

2010-01-07T10:42:00.001-08:00

According to a published report from last year, a New Jersey resident became a guest in the Northampton County jail in Pennsylvania, for having done a dumb thing followed by another dumb thing.

He was arrested for drunken driving. His car was impounded. He then later went to the impound lot after hours and tried to remove his vehicle.

Police spotted him inside a tow truck at the impound lot. He told the officer that he was trying to move the tow truck in order to get his vehicle.

Police rewarded his bright thinking by holding him in lieu of $20,000 bail.

The Eagle Has Landed (briefly)

2010-01-06T10:07:00.000-08:00

Here is something that you do not see in New Jersey every day. A bald eagle.

The bird was spotted not in the rural regions of the northwest portion of the state, but in suburban Clark, a few blocks from the Garden State Parkway. The photo was taken by an eagle-eyed resident of the neighborhood on December 9, 2009.

2010 Moron of the Year

2010-01-02T10:03:00.000-08:00

The new year has scarcely begun and already we have our first nominee for Moron of the Year.

Across the country, new laws took effect on January first. Among these were bans on texting while driving in three states, bringing to 19 the total number of states that outlaw this practice. One of the states in which the law has now taken effect is New Hampshire.

In reporting this story, the Associated Press included the opinion of a New Hampshire resident:

Tina Derby, 42, of Warner, N.H., said she has no intention to stop texting while driving, despite the possible $100 fine she could receive.

"I’d better start saving my money," she said.

The Associated Press article does not go any further toward explaining why Ms Derby thinks this way, but based on the above information she is our first nominee for Moron of the Year.

The Badge is Really a Shield

2009-12-31T07:04:00.000-08:00

"Badge" may be the word we commonly use, but many police officers use the term "shield," and technically, they are correct in doing so. Modern police badges are the direct descendants of the warrior shields of ancient times.

And police badges today perform the function of a warrior’s shield all too often. Going back through the decades, there are countless stories of police officers’ badges deflecting weapons and even bullets. The badges are frequently credited with saving an officer’s life.

Such a story was reported just this week.

In Oakland, Tennessee, Officer Joshua Smith pulled over a vehicle in the early morning hours on Christmas Eve. During the stop the driver pulled out a gun and fired at the officer at point-blank range.

Officer Smith was wearing body armor – commonly but erroneously referred to by the public as a "bullet-proof vest." At point-blank range a bullet could penetrate the vest. Even if the vest stopped the bullet, point-blank impact could cause life-threatening injury. However, in this case the bullet struck the officer’s badge.

The impact bent the badge and knocked Officer Smith to the ground, but even so he was able to fire two shots of his own at the fleeing gunman. The officer was examined at a local hospital and released. Officer Smith has no doubt that in this case, his shield saved his life.

In 2007 an officer in New York City was attacked by a man with a kitchen knife. The knife struck the officer’s badge and shattered into five pieces. The New York officer, Stuart Ingram, later remarked that his shield probably saved his life. He too was wearing body armor, but body armor can be pierced by a knife.

Such episodes are not common but occur often enough to remind us of the origin of the term "shield" to describe a police badge.

Thou Shalt Not Steal, Except...

2009-12-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday of this week the Associated Press ran this story:

LONDON — For a priest in northern England, the commandment that dictates "thou shalt not steal" isn't exactly written in stone.

The Rev. Tim Jones caused an uproar by telling his congregation that it is sometimes acceptable for desperate people to shoplift — as long as they do it at large national chain stores, rather than small, family businesses.

As you might guess, this has caused a slight commotion. Media attention was brought to Father Jones, and the Church of England was moved to issue a statement rejecting the view that shoplifting can be socially acceptable.

And as you also might guess, there is more to the story than the notion that shoplifting might be viewed by the church as acceptable if the shopliftee is a bog-box store rather than a neighborhood mom-n-pop store.

Father Jones, the report continued, stands by his remarks and explained the context, which was that shoplifting by the needy may be absolutely necessary when all other avenues are closed. His point, consistent with church teaching but made in an exceptionally clumsy manner, was that society must not turns its back on those most in need.

That fundamental lesson about charity always resonates at this time of year. But shoplifting is not a part of that lesson.

A Crime Recession

2009-12-21T09:51:00.000-08:00

In its Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report released today, the FBI indicated a significant decrease in crime during the first six months of 2009 as compared to the same period in 2008.

The volume of violent crime in the nation decreased 4.4 percent and the volume of property crime declined 6.1 percent. More than 11,700 law enforcement agencies contributed to the report.

All four of the offenses that make up violent crime (murder, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault) decreased nationwide. Murder declined 10.0 percent, robbery fell 6.5 percent, forcible rape decreased 3.3 percent, and aggravated assault declined 3.2 percent.

A review of the data by population group showed that violent crime decreased 7.0 percent in cities with populations of 1 million or more – the largest decrease from January to June 2009 when compared with crime data from the same months in 2008 – but cities with populations of 10,000 to 24,999 reported an increase (1.7 percent). Violent crime declined 3.8 percent in the nation’s non-metropolitan counties and 2.1 percent in metropolitan counties.

By region, violent crime in the South declined 6.1 percent, violent crime in the Midwest decreased 3.4 percent, violent crime in the West declined 3.3 percent, and violent crime in the Northeast decreased 3.2 percent. In addition, law enforcement agencies in all four regions showed declines in the number of murders, forcible rapes, robberies, and aggravated assaults.

Overall in the nation, there were decreases in each type of property crime, which includes the offenses of burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft. Motor vehicle theft dropped 18.7 percent, larceny-theft decreased 5.3 percent, and burglary declined 2.5 percent for the two six-month periods.

By population group, the nation’s largest cities (those with 1 million or more inhabitants) had the largest decrease (7.7 percent) in the number of property crimes. Property crime decreased 9.8 percent in non-metropolitan counties and 7.4 percent in metropolitan counties.

Regionally, property crime dropped 8.4 percent in the Midwest, 7.0 percent in the Northeast, 6.7 percent in the West, and 4.3 percent in the South. Among the four regions, the South was the only region to show an increase for a property crime offense – burglaries were up 0.7 percent.

The number of reported arsons, which are tracked separately from other property crimes, declined 8.2 percent nationwide during the first half of 2009 when compared with data from the first half of 2008. All of the city population groups reported decreases in the number of arsons. Cities with 250,000 to 499,999 inhabitants had the largest decrease at 12.7 percent. Arson fell 11.7 percent in metropolitan counties but rose 1.2 percent in non-metropolitan counties. Law enforcement agencies in all four regions reported declines in the number of arsons, ranging from 9.2 percent in the Northeast to 7.5 percent in the South.

The complete Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report is available at www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm