Missed Silhouette Tonight

The main road headed to the club is shut down, and traffic in the area is gridlocked.  This is why.  Officer Jones lives down my street and around the corner.  I drove past his patrol car parked out front on the way to work many mornings.  I did not know him, but he has a wife, and three young kids that often play along that corner.  My heart goes out to his wife and his family.  Law enforcement families know it’s a dangerous job, but I don’t think that can possibly prepare you for the call that tells you that your husband and father of your children won’t be coming home safe and sound.  Keep the Jones family, and the Middletown Township Police Department, in your thoughts and prayers.

5 thoughts on “Missed Silhouette Tonight”

  1. My condolences to the family. But this reminds me of an incident when I was traveling on 2 lane rd (Layhill Rd in Montgomery Co MD) I was traveling about 50 and not paying attention to the speed and it was changing to more rural and the speed limit was slower and this state trooper jumped out in the middle of my lane to flag me down. I slammed on the brakes and the first thing I said is that a ticket is not worth his life and do not jump in the middle of the lane.

    He gave me a ticket and my registration was expired.(company car and the had not reregistered so I had to do it)

    I went to court and pled guilty and the cop said he could not find his radar records so the judge reversed my plea and I was let loose with a fine for the late registration.

    I always wondered if the cop did that because I was concerned about his safety, rather than the ticket.

    As an insurance adjuster I know that a lot of fatalities come from people on the side of the road outside their cars.

    Car drivers see a person and they drive straight into the person. They drive where their eyes go. It is not intentional but it happens a lot. So a cop giving a ticket attracts a driver eye and they drive right into the cop.

    I really believe that cops should get on the passenger side and keep the stopped car between them and the road to protect themselves.

    Cops assume that people will avoid them and tragically that is not always the case.

  2. Ditto RAH.

    My sympathy goes out to the family. Hopefully those who live close can give them some additional love and support during this time of grief.

    For all the talk about officer safety, most law enforcement agencies don’t seem very cognizant of how dangerous routine traffic stops are to the officer and to the people he has pulled over. The excitement factor for lookers and the flashing lights causing confusion and mild epilepsy in some lead to a lot of preventable accidents.

    My opinion is that unless an officer is left handed he has no business on the drivers side of a car. I’m glad than many state patrols are now observing this practice. More agencies need to promulgate this training and get themselves and the people they are detaining to a safer place for the stop.

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