Pull Over! Oh, never mind...

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

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

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

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?

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

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.