03-25-2012, 03:04 PM
I just wanted to write this post since a majority of LEO's, current & retired including myself have been "Trooper Bashing" since Trooper Watt's egregious actions in October 2011. Last weekend, I worked a security detail in Orlando Friday & Saturday and was on my way back home to Palm Beach County where I reside at 04:30AM after working 14 hour shifts. Like any human being, I was driving the Turnpike Southbound with maybe one or two other vehicles. On a very dark desolate stretch, with my head up my a** listening to some music, I passed a Trooper traveling Northbound with moving radar at about 90. About 15 minutes later, I could see headlights on the approach closing in on me rather quickly and slowed down to about 80. On came the "blues" and I stopped immediately. I was greeted by a middle age Trooper who approached my passenger window and I advised him I was armed and that my ID was in my left rear pocket. I removed my D/L that just happened to be under my Agency ID. He obviously saw my shield and with that, he replied "I don't write cops, be careful driving".
Tuesday at noon, I was Westbound on the Sawgrass Expressway on my way to a doctor's appointment and was clocked by a Trooper using laser going 85 in a 65. I pulled over immediately and was approached by an older Trooper whom was "proudly serving since 1984". He asked me to exit my vehicle and once in the rear, I went to remove my D/L and he saw my Agency ID, looked over my D/L, and I reminded him I was a "safe driver" status. He began to explain to me that "I put him in a very tough situation". I apologized for speeding and told him I should have known better with the "Watt situation" and the extensive three day cover story "Speeding Cops" in our local RAG, Sun Sentinel. He said "if I write you, I am sure I will see it on LEO Affairs, and everyone will dog FHP again". "I will give you a warning this time, drive carefully". He was very professional. He did not lecture me, scold me, or threaten me. He was a gentleman!
Just in case civilians are reading this, I have not been pulled over for a traffic violation in over thirty years. I am human just like the person next to me "keeping up with the flow of traffic." To those who say that all Troopers are morons like Trooper Watts, you are wrong, "TRUE COPS still respect the BROTHERHOOD, and the BROTHERHOOD will always respect a TRUE COP"
Tuesday at noon, I was Westbound on the Sawgrass Expressway on my way to a doctor's appointment and was clocked by a Trooper using laser going 85 in a 65. I pulled over immediately and was approached by an older Trooper whom was "proudly serving since 1984". He asked me to exit my vehicle and once in the rear, I went to remove my D/L and he saw my Agency ID, looked over my D/L, and I reminded him I was a "safe driver" status. He began to explain to me that "I put him in a very tough situation". I apologized for speeding and told him I should have known better with the "Watt situation" and the extensive three day cover story "Speeding Cops" in our local RAG, Sun Sentinel. He said "if I write you, I am sure I will see it on LEO Affairs, and everyone will dog FHP again". "I will give you a warning this time, drive carefully". He was very professional. He did not lecture me, scold me, or threaten me. He was a gentleman!
Just in case civilians are reading this, I have not been pulled over for a traffic violation in over thirty years. I am human just like the person next to me "keeping up with the flow of traffic." To those who say that all Troopers are morons like Trooper Watts, you are wrong, "TRUE COPS still respect the BROTHERHOOD, and the BROTHERHOOD will always respect a TRUE COP"