Cottman,Crawford and the Jersey guy.
Two Brooklyn born gen X guys and a Jersey millennial shooting the shit. Talking about everything and anything. Ready to hear topic suggestions for future podcasts and feedback on those we have recorded. Follow and Like us on FaceBook & Instagram. Email: CCandNJGuy@Gmail.com
Cottman,Crawford and the Jersey guy.
From Curiosity to Commitment: A Police Officer's Journey, Traffic Tales, and Community Connections
Officer Hightower joins us to share his journey from a curious civilian to a committed police officer with seven years of experience. Discover the heartfelt stories that shaped his decision to don the badge, particularly his passion for making a difference in the lives of children and his community. His tales offer a glimpse into the lighter side of law enforcement, with a humorous anecdote that reminds us of the unpredictability officers face when responding to calls. We also touch on the challenging politics within police work, providing a balanced look at the career of a dedicated officer.
Ever wondered what it feels like to pull over a reckless driver, or why those creeping below the speed limit get a free pass? Together with Officer Hightower, we laugh through the quirks of traffic enforcement and driving apps like Waze that keep drivers on their toes. Listen as we explore how the presence of a marked police car can magically transform driving behaviors, and why the art of a traffic stop is more than just about rules—it's about the connection between the officer and the civilian.
In a candid discussion, we highlight the importance of mutual respect and understanding between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Officer Hightower sheds light on the reality of police training, emphasizing that real-life situations often require more than just textbook knowledge. Through personal stories and reflections, we navigate the complexities of traffic stops and police interactions, underscoring the significance of communication and professionalism. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the daily challenges and triumphs of those who work to keep our communities safe.
Please Subscribe/Follow the Cottman, Crawford & The Jersey Guy Podcast.
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
https://linktr.ee/ccandnjguy
Email us all your feedback, comments & suggestions at: CCandNJGuy@Gmail.com
Cotman, crawford and the Jersey Guy podcast.
Speaker 2:Hey everybody, kenny Cotman, lewis Crawford.
Speaker 1:And I'm Tom Ramage, the Jersey Guy.
Speaker 2:What is going on, fellas? What's going on? Yeah, it's been a few weeks, bro. We haven't talked, haven't seen each other. Yeah, I know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, everybody good, good, everybody's been a few weeks, bro.
Speaker 2:We haven't talked, haven't seen each other. Yeah, I know, yeah, everybody good, good, everybody's chilling Good stuff actually, so we're just going to jump right in. Yeah, so today's episode I got a guest. I got a guest, ah, so we brought in Officer Hightower Welcome, thank you, thank you for having me.
Speaker 2:Yes, Thank you for coming through hanging out with us and whatnot, and I said, you know we're going to try to keep it super basic and whatnot. You know, fill us in. Whatever it is you want to speak on, we have a few questions, but we'll start off with how did you become a cop?
Speaker 4:to obviously, I guess, help out in some type of way. Obviously I'm here on this planet. I'm here to obviously work a job like everyone else. So obviously my my thought process, I like to help people. So in my my journey, here I am, I took the test and now I'm a police officer.
Speaker 3:Cool, thank you. How long have you been a police officer now?
Speaker 4:At this time, approximately seven years oh cool, nice, okay, and that's right.
Speaker 2:So you just woke up one day and was like you know what? This is what I'm going to do to give back.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I mean I figured it would be something that would be beneficial for both myself and the public.
Speaker 2:Okay, good stuff, all right, question you guys. Go ahead.
Speaker 3:We'll see where you go with this.
Speaker 2:So no, no, I'm going to say we're going to try to keep it super easy. We're not going to get super crazy or nothing like that.
Speaker 3:So question.
Speaker 2:Sorry, no, no, no Sorry.
Speaker 3:So usually when you go for police officer you have to you know first you're like a beat cop first, right Before you can do anything else and move on to certain like levels like. Dt yes.
Speaker 4:Everyone pretty much starts off as a trainee, so they get assigned, more than likely a FTO officer, which is basically a field training officer. They're basically someone who went through the schooling, to now apply a teaching style to police work to obviously the new recruits.
Speaker 3:Gotcha.
Speaker 2:Okay, All right. And what's your favorite thing about being a police officer? So we know why you became a cop. So now you doing it now for seven years. What's the? I guess the, the, the one thing that's like you know what. It's worthwhile, this, this makes sense.
Speaker 4:I would say more so the help, because obviously you don't really get accredited for a lot of things that you do as a police officer, you go through probably all types of scenarios to the point where there are moments where you have a victim. Let's say that thanks you for helping them, thanks you for obviously getting them out of that scenario or that situation that they couldn't handle. They needed someone else. But me personally, I would say I do appreciate the innocence of the children more.
Speaker 4:They thank you, they wave to you, they do all that stuff. Obviously they know you're there to kind of help, right. So that would probably be personally more my, I guess, thing yeah for the kids.
Speaker 2:Yes, for the kids, that's awesome, that's good, that's that's. I don't. I don't not that I've interviewed you know 100 cops before, but you know that's I never thought that you know what I mean. I always thought, like you know, I said, just for the kids. I've always thought the basic would just be, you know, helping out the people. You know, making sure the victims are okay, kind of thing. But to hear that you're specific is for the kids, that's pretty groovy. You know they get a couple, like I said, you know I know a couple of officers that have, um, that work in the community, help out with kids, take them like the camping and stuff like that. And, uh, you know, I've only now it's like maybe two of you guys that I know that I've actually like, oh, you know what. That's what it's about the kids, making them smile and whatnot. Okay, now do you have a funny story about being a?
Speaker 3:Oh, hang on, okay, go ahead. So that was a positive thing. What's frustrating about being a police officer?
Speaker 4:I know, obviously I personally don't like politics, but when it comes down to obviously the police work yes, politics come into play, play, and that'll probably be the most frustrating thing. Copy that makes sense, yeah and it shouldn't.
Speaker 3:That's the frustrating thing, I'm sure, right? Yes, I was just curious about that.
Speaker 2:So yeah, yeah, yeah continue, sir, no, no, no, that was a good and I want to know what's the what's the negative or the, you know, the frustrating? Part. Yeah, no, that makes that makes sense. Nothing Tom, no, nothing yet.
Speaker 3:I'm not like that. The Jersey guy is yeah, yeah, he's like Might come up with something.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, no doubt he's coming to jump in.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's how I so like what other? He said the one thing. That's just a little bit funky about it. But give me a funny story. I want to hear a good police story, like you know something that you know just made you laugh. Sit back and just chuckle like I can't believe that just happened.
Speaker 4:I mean it's hard to say a funny story because you have to understand that obviously, when we respond to calls per se stuff that we don't initiate, we just respond to calls all right, like people are calling us because they're having a bad day.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 4:So, at the end of the day, it's not a lot of funny behind a lot of it, oh, but you do encounter funny people. Okay, you encounter characters that are good people. Right you encounter them on a daily basis. Let's say unfortunately there's a rung on their ladder. That's not beneficial, so obviously. But then it doesn't take away from that character. You meet these funny people and I enjoy that as well. There are a lot of just funny stories behind them, I guess. Yeah, see, yeah.
Speaker 1:So, so a lot of times you guys are like first responders, so like do you, do you like? I guess you usually have to like go to situations where, like there's like been an accident or something like that, usually you're there before the ambulance is there. So I'm sure like it's a lot of bad stuff, right I mean like exactly.
Speaker 4:I mean for the most part, yeah, we're first responders, that we, we get the call before fire, we get the call before you know the medic. So yeah, yeah so we have to obviously now either preserve something or or protect something, or whatever the case. Yeah, like we're the first ones there and it I guess, it gets to a, a point where we, we, we try to, obviously you know handle the situation.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, you got to kind of be like the Jack of all trades a little bit, because you got a little bit of fire.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you got a little bit of fire a little bit of EMS, because you're there before they get there. Right. So you pretty much have to assess what's going on. You're like, okay, this is what we need here now. Yeah, Like you know, we need EMT and we need to get fired.
Speaker 4:We're pretty much the first voice on the radio Right, it makes sense.
Speaker 1:It makes sense.
Speaker 3:Unless, of course, they're the ones who are called first, from wherever they're having something going on. But most of the time, you're right, I've always noticed it's the police that show up first and then something else is coming right behind them. Usually is the case. So what about a situation where you get a call and you're like, oh, like, is there a certain call? A type of situation that you like, you you don't like, or you know it makes you uncomfortable to the point where, I'm sure there's certain things that happen you're like, oh, I don't want to go. Yeah, I hate that call this, it's a certain call I'm not comfortable with, or something like that I mean, I guess at this point like you kind of get ingrained to it.
Speaker 4:So it's, it's not really like I. I don't want to go to that call. I hate that call because at the end of the day, again it's right, right, calling you for, for some type of help. Right, so it's it's just that, yeah, some calls are a little more frustrating, a little more kind of maybe hits home, maybe sometimes, you know, right to hurt a little more, but for the most part I mean, yeah, like you said, just running out there to assess what.
Speaker 4:What do we need now? Right, what's the next step? How do we help the situation? Right?
Speaker 2:okay, okay. So now, when you do we were talking quick, fast, earlier when you pull somebody over right now, how is it that you protect yourself? Are you by yourself? Do you have a partner? Do you wait for somebody else to come? You know another patrol car to come, do you both?
Speaker 3:approach the car together.
Speaker 4:So for the most part with the departments that I've worked for, it's been a situation where if I initiate, obviously, a traffic stop, I'm there first. Obviously, if I'm uncomfortable, obviously we're not forced to have to hop out on the car once we pull them over If, let's say, the car is occupied by multiple people, right, I don't want to obviously approach, just in case.
Speaker 1:Right, right, you don't know.
Speaker 4:There's some situation you know afoot, so I may wait for, obviously, someone to back me up or someone else to get dispatched to my location. That makes sense.
Speaker 2:Mm-hmm. Okay, someone else to get dispatched to my location. That makes sense. Okay, now how often have we'll say 10 times that that happens, not just you but other officers like? I guess I don't say how many times like that, but does it happen often?
Speaker 4:it does yeah, okay, I mean as a, as the police. Obviously we are in the trenches when it comes to all this stuff and whatever obviously gets displayed or reported or brought to the attention of people, it it doesn't mean it doesn't happen. It doesn't mean you know, there's, there's still these things that happen. So, out of the 10 times it, it could be that some departments, six out of 10 times, they encounter something that that's more than just a traffic stop. It might be three out of 10 times with other departments, but at the end of the day, these things happen like they occur. And yeah, we, we pull people over for minor traffic infractions because you ran through a stop sign or you blew through a red light or you overtook someone because you couldn't wait. You're in a rush to get to work.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 4:Like I get it, but at the end of the day, like when we initiate these traffic stops, we have to err on this side of caution because, who knows, You're pulling over.
Speaker 2:Right, who knows? Yeah, that's wild.
Speaker 3:And sometimes when you pull someone over, let's say it's just their taillight's not working right. You pull them over, you get their license, you run it, whatever, and then you come to find out this guy's got a warrant out for his arrest or something's going on. I would assume that's another time where you would ask for backup before you would approach, go back to the car again, exactly.
Speaker 4:I mean, if we get to the point where I approach you and you're complying and acting casual and give me your ID and stuff, you may know you have a warrant, I might not know. Yet Obviously I'm going to find out.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 4:If I find out now, again, it's now. I would definitely wait for backup and at the end of the day, I mean I'm not sure how you're going to react.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 4:Like I said, you may know you have a warrant, but Right. He's being cool, yeah Right.
Speaker 3:I'm sure you get those moments where you're getting people where they're nervous when you pull them over and they're acting a little weird or they're not. You know it's almost seem right. I'm sure that happens quite a bit too, does that like? How do you usually handle something like that when you see someone who's a little off? You know something's not right.
Speaker 4:At the end of the day, I feel like you kind of have to know humans. You have to know how we kind of would react to certain things, how we are under certain stressors.
Speaker 3:So getting pulled over by a police officer.
Speaker 4:Yeah, you don't want to get a ticket. Yeah, you don't have the money to pay for this ticket or you don't, you don't have the, the, the energy to waste on this, so it's almost like yeah, you don't want to, so to waste on this Right. So it's almost like, yeah, you don't want to, so you're nervous now.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 4:Hopefully this officer is reasonable enough sometimes Right right. Because you know, obviously we understand we understand. Yeah, it happens. You are booking it to work. I get it. I had to book it to work plenty of times in my lifetime.
Speaker 2:Mm-hmm. So, that's funny. Here's a question I always want to ask Okay, there you go, there you go.
Speaker 3:Mr Hightower, why is it when a police officer is driving a car, they don't signal and they turn? They have to abide by the same rules as everybody else, so are they above the law when it comes?
Speaker 4:to that, or is it just like you?
Speaker 3:know what? I'm a police officer.
Speaker 4:I don't want to do that right now.
Speaker 1:I would agree but I can't, I can't attest to it because I'm, I signal so that's good to know.
Speaker 2:That's good to know. That's a good one.
Speaker 1:Lou, that's so funny bro I was waiting for him to come up with something yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's a crazy random, but something like you know. I had these going through my head. I'm trying to think.
Speaker 3:You know what's a good question to ask yeah, yeah yeah, that was what I always wanted to do.
Speaker 3:You know, I always had this fantasy. To be honest with you, like I said, I would love to be able to be a cop for a day, when someone like you know, when you get people that drive it on the road and they just pull in front of you and they take off and they're just doing that bullshit, going in and out of cars, right, pull them over and, just you know, be like you know, I'm giving you a ticket, I'm not even going to ask them for anything.
Speaker 3:I don't even want your license. I already ran your plate. You're getting a ticket.
Speaker 2:I get it.
Speaker 4:And it's funny too, because once I became an officer and now I'm obviously working my job working right my shift. You see the, the infractions, but you see, obviously you're in a police car, so people recognize you. So you don't see a lot, right once you're back in your personal vehicle all of a sudden everybody's driving right.
Speaker 1:It's amazing.
Speaker 4:It's almost like wish you had that power at that time.
Speaker 3:Yeah, Right, yeah, right. Well, that's true and I have to be honest, if I'm driving and I'm on the highway and I'm going a certain speed and I see a car ahead of me, I'll let off the gas. I don't usually brake, but I kind of slow down when I'm passing by or whatever you know. But a lot of people they hit the brake real quick too, and I'm like he's going to see you hit the brake man.
Speaker 3:Yeah, exactly, yeah, don't hit the brake, so I know there's probably things you look for too right when someone's speeding by you. I mean yes the brake thing.
Speaker 4:Obviously you see the nose of the vehicle dip if they hit the brakes hard or something like that. But for hit the brakes hard or something like that. But for the most time, for most of the time, a lot of vehicle infractions just come from there. People just roll them through stop signs, it's right, wow stop and obviously in the book of law uh vehicle and traffic.
Speaker 1:You have to stop by that right law yeah, right that's really stopped I was sort of something funny, like if I was a cop, I would. I would, if I was doing like you know, radar or whatever I would purposely put on waves to see how fast someone reports it.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Do you have ways?
Speaker 4:I mean, I don't personally have ways, but but I heard a joke. It's funny that that they were saying a lot of officers were signing up to repute it or to report it and say, no, it's wrong.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, oh get out.
Speaker 1:That's great. Yeah, because you can do that. Yeah, right. Especially because, even if it's not just for that like you're reporting roadkill or something Right or a car stopped on the side of the road to let people know like right, yeah like if it's gone you're supposed to hit, like not yeah, not there, right, so it it doesn't stay.
Speaker 2:So it clears it it clears it out right, yeah, that's funny.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's funny. I wonder if that cop did it when I was working. I was, I was working, I wasn't, you know, speeding to do whatever, and um, uh, saw that you know, it said there was a cop that was coming, and then it just disappeared. But then when I got to that spot, the cop was there. So I wonder if that's what he did. Man, that's great. I'm almost afraid to hit it sometimes because I don't want them to know it's me that hit that. They were there, right, right.
Speaker 3:Well, can you tell who did it?
Speaker 2:well, I guess, if you're going by at that time, right well, don't forget yeah because I'm well, no, no, because I'm on the job, I'm working and I'm.
Speaker 2:I do two o'clock in the morning, right so at three o'clock in the morning, there's, like you know, three cars, right, you know one's a mile ahead of me. And then, you know, another one is like you know, way, way back, like you just came over the crest of that little hill. I went over and it's just me and I'm there. You know, like I got me, I was like that's funny, okay. So now, a while back, we did an episode called uh, driving lessons from kenny, because as far as I'm concerned, I'm like one of the greatest drivers ever. You know, that's me. I'm a genius in my own mind.
Speaker 2:Whatever I always say, ask why is it that an officer will pull somebody over for speeding, right, but doesn't pull that person over? That's going under the speed limit. You're like, the speed limit sign is right there. So if you're in my way, if I'm in the passing lane or even if, like, we're on the street or whatever, why is it that you're not getting that person male, female, whatever, you're not getting that person, but you're gonna get me because I might be either tailgating or I came over. Well, no, no. But I'm saying because if they're going super slow, so if I'm doing the speed limit and they're going five miles under the speed limit.
Speaker 2:Why am I getting it? I'm trying to do the speed limit. They literally just slow down so much or stop. Well, the rule of the road, right, it's the right lane, right? Well, that's not. That's only in the, on the highway, right, that's not on the street. Oh, on the street. Yeah, I'm talking like on the street. Like I said, I'm not trying to pass anybody, it's just, if I'm on the, if I'm doing 45 miles an hour because it reads 45 and they're doing 35, how come they're not getting pulled over?
Speaker 4:I wouldn't have a real answer for it, but I would more so assume that it's you're still under the speed limit. If you're under the speed limit, I feel like you can argue or articulate that maybe you had an issue with your car and you're just trying to find somewhere to pull over Right.
Speaker 3:Whatever the case may be, or it could be an elderly person.
Speaker 4:Exactly and obviously if you're speeding then, how do you really? You know, yeah, it caught you doing 15 miles over the speed limit, so how do you really fight that? Oh, where were you?
Speaker 3:going. What were you doing Right?
Speaker 4:I have nothing wrong with my car. It's obviously doing 15 over the speed limit.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't know man, I just get annoyed.
Speaker 3:I could say on the highway, I can understand what you're saying, but as far as on the street, the street rules are different. The way I look at it, because we came from the city and we lived in Brooklyn, so you had to drive a certain way Right, right, yeah and all that. So out here it's a little different, because the streets, you know, they're black roads really.
Speaker 2:Yeah, kind of thinking about it.
Speaker 3:So there are times where you can pass, but there are people that you know.
Speaker 2:I think you should get the same smack in the head.
Speaker 4:Yeah, well, I mean, that's it with your ticket In my personal opinion, I also feel like some of these vehicle traffic laws are a little archaic.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 4:So, we're not really hitting you in the head for driving five, ten miles under the speed limit.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:Obviously, if you're safe and you're not hitting traffic like we're not going to mess with you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't know, I just don't. I just feel like you know, like you said, on some of these back roads or just even on the regular roads, you know, if you're doing 35 and now there's this long line of cars, now you're holding up traffic, now you're in the way Like the cop to me should just like yo, you okay, do you need help? You know like what's going on. Why are you going that slow?
Speaker 4:Then obviously slower than that. We would obviously right, you're doing five, ten, but you're still cruising we're not gonna message you, but if you're really now dragging up traffic behind you, yeah, that would cause for what you're saying.
Speaker 2:Yeah see, I'm just like bro, that makes sense.
Speaker 3:Yeah because meaning, if it's actually more than one vehicle, yeah, yeah, right, right, not just me, yeah, not just me behind you, no, no, like you said, like.
Speaker 2:because so you know, in middletown, on 211, the speed limit is 45, right on a certain part of 211. And everybody in all three lanes going, just going, they're all doing 35. And the police officers are sitting there, you know, and it's 45. So now they're doing, the people in front are doing 10 miles under and it's literally a half mile of cars because everybody's, you know, trying to move Police officers just twiddling their thumbs. I'm like, bro, like why aren't you getting them? You know what?
Speaker 3:I mean, that's probably why they're doing it too, because they see him, so they're automatically slowing down.
Speaker 2:But again, if you're doing the speed limit of 40-45, that's better than doing 30-35, because I'm like well, why are you?
Speaker 4:driving so slow me as a cop. That's a question to the masses now. I find it funny sometimes when I'm if I fall below the speed limit and yeah, cars don't want to pass me they'll sit on my tail
Speaker 2:and just sit there for miles yeah, see, that's why, man, I don't want to choke y'all out. I'm like get out the way well, I can't because the guy next to you is doing.
Speaker 4:We have to add here for us and I speak, I guess, more of out of our jurisdiction if we have to travel to something like a hospital or something right, right, right, we still have to add here to you know, these vehicles type of laws ourselves yeah, no, no, right.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm not talking about being in a police car. I'm just talking about you know a person in their private vehicle, that they're doing that and you guys don't put them over. Yeah, no, and listen, I'm not trying to be rude about it, but you know they're a police officer in their cars, that if they're like I'm not, I do it. But finally, after a long, long time, all my stuff is legit. So I'm good, I'm like it's all right, whatever, it's all great.
Speaker 3:What about when, on the highways, they sit in the? Mediums and they tell you you can't make a U-turn. Do they sleep at night? Are they crashing? They gotta be crashing, man.
Speaker 2:There's no way they're not crashing. I can't answer that question.
Speaker 4:They take a nap once in a while I would say that we always are there when we're called.
Speaker 2:Yeah, at the end of the day.
Speaker 3:Yeah, okay, fair enough, fair enough, I had to ask anyway, all right.
Speaker 2:Now I want to switch up a little bit, to like at the Academy, and they said trying to stay, you know easy and of course you know you tell us or answer whatever questions you'd like. But now do they teach you Because you said earlier about knowing human people Do they teach you, show you have, at least you know, maybe five classes, five sessions where they're talking to you about how to do a police, because I also want you and something that we have said before you know defend the police because, like you know, for some of us that don't know, we're like damn police, they never talk, they just turn around and throw you around or whatever. Is there something that's taught at the academy or is it just, depending on where you are, like we were saying earlier too, the you know the different, um, wherever you are, that it's just a different kind of uh, police academy so I'm going to speak from, obviously, a little bit from my more so, my perspective and what I've obviously was was surrounded by.
Speaker 4:As far as the academy, yes, they try to get you to a level to be able to do the job. They give you pretty much the rundown of the penal law. They give you pretty much the rundown of vehicle and traffic law. They give you a rundown of, basically, you know all the the capacity of what we need to do our job.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 4:And they give us when it comes to more of a, a people level. They give us, yes, that that deescalation tactics, the, the, the how to maybe talk your way out of a situation. And it's, it's short and and I believe. Yes, I I say we, we get as much as we can in a short amount of time and that the rest is experience.
Speaker 3:Right, you go out there and try to apply it okay I would imagine trying to. It's like saying, uh, how to approach a certain situation you're really not going to know. They could give you the idea how to do it. Right, I'm saying they train you. Hey, this is what you want to look for, well, abc. And then when you're there, you kind of have because each situation is different. Right, it's never going to be the same, even though it could be the same kind of crime it could, or whatever's going on.
Speaker 1:They could all go a different way, I would assume I feel like that's like all jobs, though, right like you, you have your training like, like or like if you go to school for something and then when you actually go to the job, you like learn the real job you know what I mean, and I'm sure it's the same thing with police like like you.
Speaker 4:Like you learn theory and all that stuff, but when you go to do it it's you know, that's where you look it pretty much what we need for the job and and how to execute it, on top of the fact that everything's informational and if we need to look something up, it's there right so that, that penal law book is as extensive as it is. Yes, we can look up you know a law because, at the end of the day, we know a crime happened at this time.
Speaker 2:So okay, that makes sense because it's like you know, sometimes, and like I said, I know I'm the person that I am and I always try to be some kind of respectful first, and then the minute I get that little bit of that little giving me that attitude, I'm like, bro, you know, like there's no need to be like that. I'm giving you and talking to you or that other good stuff. You know and I understand too. Officers are people too. You know what I mean. I'm not taking away from any of that, you know, and but I just do. It's almost like I treat them as regular people.
Speaker 2:So then you know well, when I it's been a long time, thank God, knock on wood, that I've gotten pulled over, but that, you know, is like I almost want to snap them back into reality, like, oh bro, like I didn't say or do anything. Here's my paperwork, I've been respectful, you know. And then they just they take that as a threat. If you will, you know, I will say I've had. I guess my next question would be if somebody in your experience about you, not about any other police officer do you, if somebody's being respectful, even though they, you know, overtook someone or you know they didn't fully stop at that stop sign. If they're respectful to you, do you give them, them a break? Do you still give them a ticket like how do you work?
Speaker 4:I feel like, as you say, not anyone else but me. Um, I feel like you also have to break it down to that that we're all individuals.
Speaker 4:I'm saying wherever we're working or whatever we're doing on this this planet, as, as police officers you're, you're getting employees from all types of backgrounds, all types of walks of life, all types of upbringings, whatever you know they were were accustomed to. So now you have someone like me now where I would, in the face of you now, feeling like I disrespected you in some way or made you feel, you know, subservient, I guess. Right, I would still approach you with all right well well, I'm not trying to escalate this right.
Speaker 4:So I'm going to still now approach this as yes, sir, you're right, sir. Well, this is what's happening, and I would try to at least explain this to you. If I'm going to give you a ticket, I'm going to give you a ticket regardless. Okay, I'm you already pretty much made your mind up yes, I'm still going to try to to talk to you to make you feel like, well, I'm not here to bust your chops, I'm not here right this.
Speaker 4:This is what you did, because you do get a lot of traffic stops. Well, I didn't do that, I didn't run that stop sign and that's in the day I'm. I'm being fair off what I see right and and if it's your time to to get, I guess, per se caught you ran that stop sign yeah right, so I'm gonna pull you over and, depending on our interaction, I may feel like all right, you know what? Go about your day, sir.
Speaker 2:Right, right Okay.
Speaker 4:No problems. But if you're going to now give me an issue, yeah, you know I may feel more inclined to yes, let me take your license to make sure your stuff is right.
Speaker 3:I may still let you go, yeah, but at the end of the day, your attitude is going to, I would imagine. Yeah, it would definitely drive the whole situation of what's going to happen right.
Speaker 4:At least to where, like I said, I'm pulling you over because I saw you do what you do. You ran through that light. You came up that one way you did, whatever you did. And at the end of the day, if you're going to give me a hard time about it, then yes, let's see why you're giving me a hard time about this.
Speaker 3:Right time about it, then yes, let's. Let's see why you're giving me a hard time about this right. And again, that goes back to what I was asking you earlier. When you do that sometimes it'll. Now you're looking it up, there could be something to happen or he has a previous exactly something going on I have. I have something that I'd like to share with you. I um, a few years back, uh, I was living in monticello at the time and they were doing a you know, they Checking cars for.
Speaker 4:Inspection stickers and all that other stuff.
Speaker 3:It was the sheriff, so I pulled up. They pulled me over and Seatbelt on Everything. Police officer says I need your license and registration.
Speaker 4:Okay.
Speaker 3:So I had to take my seatbelt off. Mind you, my car is off, it's sitting there, I'm parked. He cited me for not having a seatbelt on as soon as I took it off to get the stuff out of my glove compartment which was a douchebag move and we got into it, him and I. So at that point for me I was more aggravated, because it was to me it was like oh, he was being a dick, and then I had to go to court and I wound up having to pay a fine anyway, but not for the fine, not for what he pulled me over for. They gave me it for something else. So usually it's like for parking on pavement or something like that, and you have to pay a certain thing. So for me I thought that was pretty. Now, was I still in the wrong by taking my seatbelt off and reaching for it, getting that, or was it wrong for him to do?
Speaker 2:what he did? Or were we supposed to ask to take off Like it's over there, officer? I got to take my seatbelt off to go.
Speaker 4:So I'm going to be totally honest. Okay, so now not to talk bad about, I guess, other employees in my field, but I also feel like you have to take it back to now. Let's go back to high school, right? We're growing up with these people who we live around now as adults and, at the end of the day, everyone has their personality. So you're going to have that, you're going to know that, that and for namesake I'm not calling anybody out you're going to have that brad that that grew up a certain way right so we're now him in his mid-20s as a police officer.
Speaker 4:He's going to. It's going to bring out his personality because, yes, it is his job to now enforce a law and if I catch you breaking that law, I, I I have the authority to enforce right that law.
Speaker 4:So, at the end of the day, whatever personality you have now is going to come out within that job, and that didn't uh, not, not at the end of the day, but I do compare it to where it could be in any other job, any other job. It could be a mechanic, it could be somebody you're going to take your car to and you know what. He knows some basic, you know skills and necessities for the job, but he could be a total douchebag right, yeah, I know every job so yeah, yeah, yeah, right, yeah.
Speaker 2:I know Every job has that guy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're that guy. We worked together.
Speaker 4:We always have that guy.
Speaker 3:Yeah, he just slipped through the tracks in any job, yeah, and that was probably the only time I ever got in a shouting match with a police officer my whole entire life, honestly, you know and so I was pretty frustrated about that. I was like, wow, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, just took off. Funny man, that was crazy, but it was a while. That was a while back, but most of the times, I have to say, and all in the times I've been pulled over in my life, it was usually pretty cool. I I never really had a a bad experience in the sense where I felt like a police officer was being was being a dick.
Speaker 3:Yeah, but usually it was you know where are you going, you know, did you know you were traveling at this?
Speaker 2:blah blah blah yeah no.
Speaker 3:I didn't know, and they give you the sometimes I blah, blah, blah. Yeah, no, I didn't know. Yeah, and they give you the sometimes I got. I was let go, all right, just slow it down. And then there were other times I got a ticket but, you know, and I went for it, so I paid the fine, um, but yeah, that was probably the only time I ever had that issue with a police officer.
Speaker 1:I mean, I've had different interactions with. It depends on, like, your personalities, like because I, you know, I mean I used to be well, I don't really do it. I used to be animal rights activist. So, like we do a lot of protests and stuff like that and sometimes you'd have cause. I guess they have to show up if there's a protest just to see what's going on, and you know, sometimes people will be like, really, you know, like try to be hard ass, and then some guys will be like, hey, just let you know, make sure it's you always like sidewalk this and that, make sure you know don't step on the person's property, just kind of that stuff.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, usually go over with us. I thought you were going to tell them we went to go see Kiss oh that was very tough.
Speaker 3:You told us.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, I told it really quick. So we were on the highway going out to go see Kiss and there was super traffic going to Connecticut.
Speaker 2:Connecticut. So we're and we did the U-turn where the police officers sit in the median, but it was like it was a hidden one. You know, we know it's there. It had been back and forth to there forever. We go through and just man, we got to the other side Now a car had gone in front of us and did it, so we go to do it too.
Speaker 2:And the cop is there, jumped out. He had another two cars that had gone and pulled over, but we couldn't see through the trees that he had pulled them over. We didn't even see the office on the other side. So he turned around and he stood in the middle of the highway. Bro, it was shit. I got a movie. He's like, like you saw the anger, like you could just read his over there. We go over and it's me, lou, and another friend of ours, jerry, and um, he's like do you know? And he starts screaming like sorry, I said we're on our way to a concert. No, no, no, no. Well, you were in the back seat so you didn't hear him because he was right here by me.
Speaker 4:No, I'm making a joke, I know, yeah, he wasn't like that, he was just super stern, like he was like why, would you do that?
Speaker 3:yeah, that kind of thing, why would you do that?
Speaker 2:yeah and like oh, we're running late for the concert. You know we want him get there. He's like who you gonna go see? We're like kiss dude. His whole demeanor changed like he now he just wanted to mess with us because we're gonna go see kiss. Right, it was great. So then the end of it, and, um, you know, he turned around. I was like do you like kiss? And he's like I don't like anybody that has to paint their face to be famous. I was like, ah, you got us. Yeah. So yeah, it was. He was cool after that because they were like oh, lou, you know, because Lou, that's his band, bro Kisses, those are his peoples. And the guy was like I don't like that. I was like it was great. But that was one of those ones that you know, he kind of, you know, scolded us and whatnot, and he let us go on our way. You know what I mean.
Speaker 4:That's the point you got to understand, like, especially when it comes to just vehicle and traffic, like a lot of us are bad drivers, not me, are are just doing reckless, crazy stuff. Yeah, true enough, right, and you can attest to it by the amount of motor vehicle accidents.
Speaker 2:That right but you see, I don't know. That's why I say I had that question earlier about somebody driving slow. You know what I mean or and or that they're not paying attention. Because, see, isn't it true that automatically if you hit somebody from behind, that you're at fault because you hit them. So now I'm on the street and I'm doing the speed limit and somebody who's doing 30 or you know five miles, 10 miles under the speed limit, and now them not paying attention, they cross over. I don't, I can't stop. I'm doing the actual speed limit. They will off to the side, left. Stop, I'm doing the actual speed limit. They were off to the side, left side or right side, you know, and they get in my way. Then it's automatically me. That's why I'm saying like it's, how come that person won't get gigged for it, but me, because I was doing the speed limit.
Speaker 4:I'm getting kicked in the teeth and all that other good stuff I mean, obviously, speeding is more a safety hazard when it comes to someone going slow exactly I mean unfortunately. For your story's sake, guys, it sucks where's the camera?
Speaker 2:now? I want that street camera obviously kills.
Speaker 4:Yeah, well, yeah, speed obviously create more damage.
Speaker 2:Right, right, right, yeah, that just kills me, bro. I just like. I'm like, so you have another question. No, no, no, I was going to, because we're not limited on time. I was going to see how much time.
Speaker 3:I was going to ask you On a serious note so what advice would you give citizens, or people in general, who feel apprehensive about talking to the police and things like that? You know, like, if you know, what would you, what would you say?
Speaker 4:All right. So my advice would be on, let's say, a crime in progress call, would be to interact with police a little more, because we're there to obviously prevent and or solve and or, you know, alleviate whatever happens in this incident. So, like we, get a lot of obviously people don't want to talk to us, they don't want to say what they saw or point us in the right direction.
Speaker 4:So we would say talk to us more. What else are we there for? Like we're not there to harass people. When we're not there. We got a call. Something happens. You know if you have information that could help us solve these crimes? Yeah, as far as vehicle and traffic, I mean personally it sucks, but you got caught. You got caught. You ran a red light. Everyone does it. A lot of people do, let me take that back. Not everyone, but a lot of people does it and you got caught at that time.
Speaker 4:So just take your ticket. There's no reason for you to give me a hard time because at the end of the day I want to write this ticket and give it to you and send you on your way the quickest as possible well, most of the times they're probably just mad because they got caught right.
Speaker 3:Yeah, because they know they didn't.
Speaker 4:They don't want to admit to it sometimes we have to do our job because you're doing it amongst other people. We're not looking at us like are you going to do your job?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know what I actually saw today. Not to change the subject too much, see, I have a tendency to do this.
Speaker 3:No, I was squirrel. Yeah, yeah, ADHD.
Speaker 1:No, because like most people that run red lights is usually they're just trying to catch the yellow today I saw someone fucking stop and then fucking roll through it. Yeah, they were like I don't know what they were like fuck this, I'm going. No, they like stopped and looked at both ways and they thought it was a stop sign. They were treating it like a fucking stop that's crazy advice on that as well. I also want to say that's, you're definitely getting pulled off.
Speaker 4:But I would also tell people who are now gunning it, as that light is turning yellow. Yes, what you think was the yellow wasn't the yellow, because, obviously from a different perspective, you see that light?
Speaker 3:turn red and the time it takes for that other light to turn green before you pass underneath that Right, because you're seeing it from the, you have a better angle exactly as you're approaching that yellow light.
Speaker 4:I mean, I'm not a scientist right, right, no, right, I get it takes play and you think it's still yellow, but by my house, like right, it's turning red by my house.
Speaker 1:we have a dangerous intersection. I I live in butler in new, but like it's on Route 23 there where there's like it's like a little bit of a hill that comes around a bend and like sometimes people try to blow the light oh dude.
Speaker 4:And people.
Speaker 1:You got people who gun it when it turns green. Yeah, all the time, yeah, all the time. That intersection.
Speaker 4:I try to tell, I try to advise people when I do pull them over for that. Yeah, all the time that could happen.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 4:Accidents like, again I said, I try to tell people these traffic infractions cause accidents, accidents. I've seen a lot of accidents.
Speaker 1:They were bad. Oh it happens and the same reason, though, is why, like when the light turns green? I don't. I used to. When I was younger, every time it turned green, I was like I was in fucking mario kart, you know, but now, now I, I see that, especially by me, because we got the especially because, like facebook, like we got the the, like, you know, the butler group, like another another bad accident on 23 people post about it.
Speaker 1:Holy shit. Now when I do go I like I look, I said make sure no one's being a dickhead, you know, and go through.
Speaker 2:That's funny. So now for me. So we have a few minutes left. What is it when I said appreciate you being on, is there? Was there anything that you'd like to say in defense of police officers or you know? Just a a quick little something that was on your mind that you know. You wanted to kind of just blah.
Speaker 4:If I had to address anyone, I would say that this job is just a job.
Speaker 4:It's a career it's a great career, don't get me wrong but it's still just a job where you have ordinary people who decide to, in my opinion, step up to give some type of order to what we have going on here and at the end of the day, I mean, I have back and forth banter with people in the street, sometimes, obviously, sometimes sometimes drug dealers, sometimes you know anyone else who frequent the streets and I say, if you guys don't want to surround police yourselves, then we're only here, because most of the time we're getting calls for certain things calls for certain things. Right, for the most part. We're not out here trying to to stop your fun, stop your you from having a good time in this life.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 4:But at the end of the day yes there, there is things. So we're almost, we're almost, we're not almost. Like we are pretty much mandated reporters. So to do our jobs, yes, if we see something, for the most part we have to do something about it, especially if we get called.
Speaker 3:so right end of the day, we're like and we're not there to bust up your fun.
Speaker 4:We're not there to right to at least the most, the majority of us again going back there. There are people with different personalities that slip through the cracks and and they are there and we're, and some of us are trying to do our best to kind of like weed them out right internally. But at the end of the day, as I said in the beginnings, one of the negatives is politics yeah and Right.
Speaker 4:These things happen and unfortunately, like I said, the good ones that do work this job, that do have fun and give citizens a break when we are working, we get painted as the evil ones with the ones that aren't doing their job.
Speaker 3:Because, like you said, every job has a bad egg, regardless. You know, not everybody's good. Even though they're trying, even though they're a police officer, doesn't necessarily mean they're good or any field for that matter you know what I mean, Right yeah, they just think you know they have that way about them. So yeah, it's sad, but community must be a big thing too right for you to like be. You know, have that, uh, communication and relationship with as well.
Speaker 4:that must help and be very helpful as well as far as your job is concerned I agree, I agree and I'm and I am big on community because obviously I police the community that I'm in right now and I do feel like there has to be communication between us and, I guess, the municipalities to govern them to obviously make a good living situation for them. To obviously make a good living situation for them, right. And it boils again down to politics, where it doesn't always happen, right.
Speaker 2:Right, right, got it, you got one more. Are you good? No, I'm good. So, brother, man, officer Hightower, appreciate you being here. Thank you for your time. Thank you for you know, appreciate you guys having me. Yeah, oh yeah, appreciate you being here. Thank you for your time. Thank you for you know, appreciate you guys having me yeah, just thank you for being here.
Speaker 4:Hell yeah, appreciate it.
Speaker 2:If there's another time that you want to discuss something else, let us know. You can certainly come on back. You know what I mean. You know anything else with police stuff or anything else going on? Yo let us with that. Thank everybody for listening. Love peace and hair grease. Live longer and prosper and go vegan.
