Below is the bodycam footage TLS obtained from the Howell police officer who ticketed a Lakewood driver for speeding.
For privacy reasons, TLS removed the conversation and driver’s identity.
Immediately upon approaching the vehicle, the driver can be heard stating “my wife is in advanced labor.” That is at the 1:25 mark in the video.
The cop responds, “Okay. Got your license, registration and insurance?”
After again explaining to the officer the urgency of the situation, the cop heads back to his vehicle to write the ticket.
At the 8:08 mark – 6 minutes and 43 second after the driver told the officer his wife was in advanced labor, the officer offered to call an ambulance.
See video below.
Insensitive of the officer.
Will there be ramifications? Or will Howell just let this pass by?
Sad and sickening.
And this is supposed to be our ‘finest’
Video shows nothing. Sorry. With today’s advance video software TLS should post full video while hiding identity. Also you can post full audio.
Honestly the cop did his job. And from a person who isn’t a fan of the police, I commend the officer. Call an ambulance but don’t you dare put my life or any of my family members lives at risk because you didn’t want to. Stop crying about this, pay the fine, and go celebrate the birth of your child now
Really? officers can speed as they so please if they feel its a safety concern, but someone who has a wife in active labor cannot? And perhaps they should now wait for an ambulance after waiting 15 minutes for the nasty selfish cop to issue a ticket? Maybe they should drive by Starbucks in the meantime, Frank.
Frank, unlike you- I AM a fan of police. But i certainly do not commend this officer.
The reason the driver of the vehicle (and 100s others) are ‘crying’ about this is bec in the future there will be others in midst of a similar emergency medical situations, and if subsequent Officers delay medical care for 5-9 minutes- g-d forbid the next patient might not be lucky enough to,”celebrate the birth of their child”
He must be fired. He is a sick man. No compassion. With all the story’s of abuse going on now in the news- this one trumps them all!!!
Did the cop enjoy the college basketball game?? Was it enjoyable while someone else is busy dying in the car in labor??? #disgusting #excuseforpeople
i feel the stress of the mother in labor as i watch this video. ugh! really nasty that he didnt just let her go.
This officer obviously has no children of his own and never experienced a wife in agonizing labor for 60 seconds let alone 6 agonizing minutes!!!!!!!!!!
I don’t see anything in this video, please post full clip.
Frank
The right thing to do for him would be to escort the mother in labor to hospital . This way it’s safe & quick at same time
If wants give ticket after
That could be a good point; becasue if not, anyone can say they’re on the way to a hospital!
100 antisemitism
What was it he said that was antisemitic? I must have missed it?
Just for the fact that he didn’t offer an ambulance BEFORE writing the summons is enough to dismiss this Officer (and the summons)
Sit tight for a few minutes?? Are you for real??!!
#FIREOFFICERMAROTTA
Any medical professionals willing to share their thoughts? Maybe an Ob-Gyn? EMT?
Was it reasonable for the officer to assume that to delay the woman for the amount of time he spent writing the summons didn’t constitute a risk to the woman or the fetus?
How much danger is tolerated for the purpose of issuing a summons?
(When a detention is necessary to prevent danger, like a subject deemed a possible threat to themselves or others, the criteria would surely be different. In this case I doubt the office had grounds for such concern. According to the TLS report from the HPD, he ultimately allowed the driver to proceed with a warning to be cautious. He could have done so without spending the time on a summons. If his concerns were only allayed by “running” the driver’s license, he could have done so but skipped the summons.)
The statement from HPD states that after after he was free to go “The operator, not the officer, then prolongs the stop asking who he can call to “explain the situation” and address the ticket despite reports to the contrary.”
If it was unreasonable to think such a delay was safe, the driver causing further delay is in my opinion irrelevant to the officer’s conduct (other than to clarify that the last portion of the encounter was not caused by the officer.) A driver’s disregard for the wellbeing of his passenger would not justify anyone else’s.
I also feel strongly that if police cause unjustified danger or harm, being compliant with police policies or protocol does not make it any better. It means that the problem goes beyond that person’s deeds. It means the police regulations allow unjustified danger or harm.
Sure he’s following protocal. But he’s a nasty soul and if this were a guy on my police force, he’d be OUT for failing to have a soul. Makes them actuallu wait?!? Then the poor lady asked for an escort, and he boldly says, this is not what we are here for. Dude got it wrong, police are around to help, or so the institution was once founded on that premise.
DOES ANYBODY KNOW A EMAIL ADDRESS THAT WE CAN FORWARD OUR COMPLAINTS TO THE HOWELL PD?? #LETOURVOICEBEHEARD
I dont usually use insults, but Frank, you are an idiot. If you’re ever in need of emergency medical assistance im sure you would want the ambulance to obey all speed limits and traffic lights, right?
Just for your enjoyment:)
Hope u at least get a good laugh
The officer should think of the repercussions and fallout if she would have had the baby at the roadside.
The baby’s life could very well have been in danger
good idea!
Such callous and cruel hearted people who run around saying they are just obeyin thenlaw
To ASKAN, it seems the email addresses would be first initial followed by last name @howellpolice.org
Bottom line. this officer would be Fuming if a Police Officer did the same thing to His Wife or His Daughter or any of his relitives. He would be seething with Rage! What how dare someone keep my wife in advanced Labor waiting 9 minutes and than issue her a Ticket the last thing the Lady needs is to wait another 15 minutes until a Howell ambulance shows up and takes full Howell Control of her with Howell Bureaucracy it would be a Miracle if either the Mother or Baby survived
Would people be saying the same thing if, instead of a police officer pulling the person over, a person was hit by a driver rushing to the hospital because their wife was in labor. Would they be fine not having charges pressed against the drive because his wife was in labor. Would most people do what this drive do and speed, perhaps, would most people think it was a little unfair they got a ticket, maybe. By going on some website and complaining when he clearly did something wrong does the driver show his immaturity and a seemingly unwillingness to take responsibilities for his action? YES
It’s irrelevant if the driver was speeding. What is relevant is how the cop responded. He could have escorted them to hospital to ensure they drive safely and given them a ticket there.
Too bad we don’t have a functional Obstetrics dept. with a NICU right here in Lakewood, so women don’t have to undergo the rigors of traveling so far to Monmouth in advanced labor. I have seen women give birth in their own homes because the births are so rapid and so spontaneous. That’s what we have hatzolah for. No matter how fast you go it could take 40 minutes to get to Long Branch. The husband should have said do you have sterile towels and gloves in your patrol car to assist in the birth now. That would have blown the officer out of the water. Especially delaying the multiparous women of Lakewood, who’ve had more than four children, what a risk was taken by stopping and delaying the trip. An outrage to women.
we had the same thing happen to us in Monsey years ago, okay it wasn’t that much over the speed limit but my husband did safely pass a redlight (very early morning) cop stopped us but never gave a ticket and did escort us to the hospital a few blocks away.
@public health issue ocean medical center in Brick does have a level two nicu. I work on the the labor and delivery floor. It’s a great hospital with very competent MD’s. The NICU can treat any baby born after 34 weeks gestation. In addition we love the frum community unlike monmouth ( used to work in monmouth and left because of the anti semitism). Brick in a 8-12 min drive from most of lakewood and if u call hatzalah in labor that’s where they will take u regardless.
you sound like a dream nurse. Yes, I also felt like the nurses were anti semitic in Monmouth (aside for a few extra nice ones, the others were mean and cold). But what is one to do if the dr. is delivering at monmouth?
My wife gave birth to 5 babies in MMC and our experience was good. I didn’t experience anything that indicated anti-antisemitism. Some of the nurses were really exceptional.
Mr. Anonymous,
You along with this police officer are being extremely obtuse in your rush to condemn this driver for speeding.
Yes doing 80 on 547 at night is extremely dangerous and the officer is correct for pulling him over but you don’t make a woman in advanced labor wait 6 minutes!!!! Do you or this common senseless officer think for one second that this husband took his good old time driving the rest of the way to the hospital after being delayed 9.5 minutes because this dummy told him to drive carefully?? If anything, he was probably in a bigger panic and drove even faster the rest of the way hoping that the next cop wouldn’t be that stupid.
What callousness to human life??! What a stupid official response on behalf of Howell PD! And this coming from a cultural mindset that gets all bent out of shape if you don’t hold the door open for a woman!
Brick hospital is great..my wife had 4 births there. Brick was amazing. the issue Is most obgyn are not affiliated with brick..
Hey @frank you must’ve had a Rough life yourself or never had a wife In labor! who do you think you are saying the cop was normal and doing his job-stop being so by the law “Mr incredible” and yes this anti- Semitic cop should be fired
Hey @frank you must’ve had a Rough life yourself or just never had a wife In labor! who do you think you are saying the cop was normal and doing his job-stop being so by the law “Mr incredible” and yes this anti- Semitic cop should be fired
What a low life cop!!!!
If the police department still supports him then they all stink!
This is disgusting. Obviously the officer had a right to pull him over after clocking him way over the speed limit. Where is your sensitivity and common sense once you appraised the situation. I expect our elected officials to voice their outrage about this and demand Howell PD take action against this officer. This isn’t an anti-semitic/anti-Lakewood issue, this is a human decency issue!
If speeding (within reason) to an Emergency does not justify speeding because it puts human life in danger then How can Police speed? Doing double the speed limit and more. Are they super human? They get into plenty accidents themselves. Did that stop them from speeding in time of emergency???
#firehim
Shame on you officer marotta
I understand the driver was under a lot of pressure at the time however if it was so serious he should have called hatzalah.
Yes cops speed yes emt speed but they are a lot more aware of their surroundings when they are responding to an emergency .
we can call them “professional speeders”
i am not saying that cop should have held them up like that but lets not say he is completely wrong .
many babies are being born in this town to let everyone speed just because they are in labor there will be many deaths .
hatzalah is here for emergencys and to prevent them as well.
As a woman who waits til the last minute (not to sit in the hospital for hours and I go from stage 2 to 3 very quickly… so unnecessary)- when I need to go, that means I am about to have a baby. I Don’t need an ambulance. My husband is quick enough. If I would get stopped on the way i would have a baby in the car. It wouldn’t be fair to me if I would have to wait and NO I DON’T NEED AN AMBULANCE!! I WOULD OPT OUT OF THAT IDEA TOO! The officer is a complete idiot for doing this to the couple! I’m so heated from this!
You are a fools fool.
The officer is wrong
just curious who on earth took this video?
We all understand that speeding under certain circumstances can be debated with regard to giving a ticket . However if a ticket is given to a person that’s about to deliver or to the spouse, doesn’t that cause stress to the would be mom that can have a negative effect on her health and the health of the baby.
Yes we should teach people when and when it’s not acceptable to speed but we also need to know when to teach those lessons.
On the way to the hospital to have a baby is an inappropriate time to teach someone a lesson.
@wondering I’m a frum nurse and trust me when I tell you at monmouth they speak horrible behind the frum patients backs! Additionally they play non jewish pop music in the nursery all night long (but that’s a separate issue).
Old story with Howell police, they are famous for having some rude and nasty officers. It’s time to weed out the bad ones so the good ones can enjoy the honor the deserve.
I am shocked that this can even happen.
@Mr anonymous maybe say your name so we can all give you what you should rightfully get!! How about a ambulance speeding?? Might not be safe but the other option is much less safe…
@Brick labor and delivery nurse
I had my babies in Brick and in my opinion it’s the best kept secret in lakewood! You guys are great. Attentive nurses, competent doctors, and an overall pleasantness that is rare in hospitals.
Ooiy!