Personal Narrative: Long Beach Patrol
I am (was) a lifeguard for Long Beach Township Beach Patrol for 6 years in the town of Spray Beach and rent have rented an apartment in Ship Bottom for the past 3 summers.
Last summer, I was on my way to work, in my lifeguard uniform travelling on a back street with a 25 mph speed limit when I came up behind a vehicle going about 15 mph. After a block or so I adjusted my car to see if there was traffic or pedestrians holding him up. There were none. The vehicle then pulled over and I slowed down even more and then assumed he was letting me pass so I passed and it was an undercover officer who then pulled me over. I was rudely greeted by the officer saying, “I don’t care how late I make you for your job; and I don’t care if you are a guard.” …show more content…
I stop. He goes through; I pull up and come to a complete stop again. I put on my blinker, allow pedestrians to cross, and also notice the officer ahead slowing down. I make my right hand turn and pull into the police station parking lot, thinking back to the advice of the Mayor to stay off the side streets and the advice of anyone I’ve talked to, to stay away from police cars. At this point I am unaware that the PO turned around and followed me into the parking lot until he put on his lights. I was told the stop was for my tints. He then accused me of driving suspiciously because I made a turn and asked if I was trying to avoid him. I said no. He asked if I had ever been arrested before, to which I said yes. He returned to his car, another officer arrived. I’m then approached again by the initial officer, asked to step out of my car, and then asked to search. I did not consent. The other officer begins walking around my car and poking his head into my windows. Again, the PO said he would call the dogs if I didn’t let him search my car. I was detained for over an hour this time; issued 3 tickets: safety glasses, visibility/lights, and failure to give proper signal. That same day I called (twice) to submit my complaint (again) for over aggressive ticketing and searches by LBT officers, and that I felt I was being harassed by the police department. I spoke with a sergeant, who told me they would look into the matter and get back to me. No one ever called
Last summer, I was on my way to work, in my lifeguard uniform travelling on a back street with a 25 mph speed limit when I came up behind a vehicle going about 15 mph. After a block or so I adjusted my car to see if there was traffic or pedestrians holding him up. There were none. The vehicle then pulled over and I slowed down even more and then assumed he was letting me pass so I passed and it was an undercover officer who then pulled me over. I was rudely greeted by the officer saying, “I don’t care how late I make you for your job; and I don’t care if you are a guard.” …show more content…
I stop. He goes through; I pull up and come to a complete stop again. I put on my blinker, allow pedestrians to cross, and also notice the officer ahead slowing down. I make my right hand turn and pull into the police station parking lot, thinking back to the advice of the Mayor to stay off the side streets and the advice of anyone I’ve talked to, to stay away from police cars. At this point I am unaware that the PO turned around and followed me into the parking lot until he put on his lights. I was told the stop was for my tints. He then accused me of driving suspiciously because I made a turn and asked if I was trying to avoid him. I said no. He asked if I had ever been arrested before, to which I said yes. He returned to his car, another officer arrived. I’m then approached again by the initial officer, asked to step out of my car, and then asked to search. I did not consent. The other officer begins walking around my car and poking his head into my windows. Again, the PO said he would call the dogs if I didn’t let him search my car. I was detained for over an hour this time; issued 3 tickets: safety glasses, visibility/lights, and failure to give proper signal. That same day I called (twice) to submit my complaint (again) for over aggressive ticketing and searches by LBT officers, and that I felt I was being harassed by the police department. I spoke with a sergeant, who told me they would look into the matter and get back to me. No one ever called