NJ Police Boss Turns Self In, Gets Speeding Ticket

42 Comments

TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey’s state police superintendent has been ticketed for speeding after turning himself in.

Col. Rick Fuentes was traveling northbound in an unmarked state police-issued black SUV on the Garden State Parkway on Friday morning when a trooper stopped him in Paramus, just northwest of New York City.

State police spokesman Capt. Gerald Lewis says Fuentes was going 75 mph in a 65 mph zone.

Lewis says the veteran trooper who stopped Fuentes didn’t realize he was pulling over another officer and didn’t issue a ticket. He says Fuentes later contacted his department’s Office of Professional Standards to report the stop and request a ticket, which will cost him $160.

Fuentes also will receive a written reprimand.

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beejac

over 2 years ago

1424 Comments

BUMP BRADYDPS
tacticalphil

over 2 years ago

14 Comments

So keko3006, you are bragging about about lying to a police officer on a traffic stop........You do that in police reports too?
Reaper6

over 2 years ago

122 Comments

Well said BRADYDPS. I myself have never written a ticket to another LEO or immediate family member of an officer. But my wife did receive a citation for 9 over. But DUI/OVI is a huge pet peeve of mine. I see cops out in the bars all the time getting smashed then driving like idiots when they leave. I don't understand that being that i'm sure these are the guys that would write you in a heart beat. But to teach there own I guess
Anonymous

almost 3 years ago

I applaud Col Fuentes. I am shocked by some of the comments on here, about not writing other officers or arresting them for criminal acts. We have all used discretion, but if I pull you over and the 1st thing you do is try to shove your badge in my face, we are going to have an issue. I have written other officers tickets, mainly after 911 calls reporting their reckless driving on Interstate. In one of these instances, it was actually two other State Troopers (from a different state) and one of their wives, who claimed to be a Fed Agent. 911 call, I checked the pickup pulling a trailer at 87 mph. 1st words out of the driver's mouth, without even looking at me, was "It's ok, I'm a cop.' Wrong answer!!!! I have arrested other officers for DWI and not missed a lick of sleep over it. To all other officers who are now mad and upset with my comments, get over it. Until you have had 2 very close family members killed by a drunk driver as I have, you are allowing that to happen by not arresting or calling someone to get them. We are officers, NOT ABOVE THE LAW.
MAYES969

almost 3 years ago

3606 Comments

I once pull over a female that announced she was an MP right as I arrived at her window. I asked for identification and inquired why she felt like she had to tell me that before I even said hello. Her exact words were "Because you can't write me a ticket since I am a cop" In talking with her I discovered she was not really an MP but was at Ft. Leonardwood, MO for training as an MP. So I called my brother in law, who at that time was a commanding officer at Ft. Leonardwood, MO for the MP training. He did know her and did request that I write her a citation and not say anything about having contacted him. I received a phone call the following monday from this person, from Capt. ( JONES ) personal cell phone, appologising. I told her if she would mail me the hard copy back, I would void the ticket as I was sure that Capt. ( JONES ) was far more capable of taking care of the matter than a simple fine of $142.00 plus court costs.

Closest I ever I came to writing another officer for a traffic offense.
keko3006

almost 3 years ago

124 Comments

HERE'S SOME PROFFESSIONAL COURTESY, I WAS ONCE COMING HOME FROM A TRAINING CLASS IN WISCONSIN IN AN UNMARKED CAR WITH REGULAR ILLINOIS TAGS..MY PARTNER AND I ARE DOING 75 WHEN THE POLICE LIGHTS ARE COMING UP MY REAR PRETTY QUICK. THIS IS IN 1994 WHEN THE GUN LAWS WERE DIFFERENT THEN..MY PARTNER JUMPS IN BACK SEAT AND THROWS A PAIR OF CUFFS ON. SAYS TELL THE TROOPER YOUR BRINGING BACK A GUY ON A WARRANT, THATS WHY YOUR GOING SO FAST....SO THE STOP TAKES PLACE AND A THE TROOPER QUESTIONS ME OUTSIDE THE REAR OF MY CAR...I TELL HIM IM A DETECTIVE FROM COOK COUNTY AND I GOT A PEDIPHILE CAUGHT IN MADISON WI, IM TAKIN HIM BACK TO CHICAGO..TROOPER SAYS CAN I SEE HIM DETECTIVE??.YUP U CAN I SAY, HE OPENS UP THE BACK OF MY CHEV CAPRICE AND DECKS TOMMY IN THE FACE...HE SAYS BOY, I GOTTA GOOD LOOK AT YOU, AND I DON'T EVER WANA SEE YOU BACK IN WISCONSIN AGAIN...HE THEN SAYS, DETECTIVE, YOU HAVE A NICE DAY, AND GET THAT PIECE OF S^%$ OUT OF MY STATE.....I'VE BEEN BUYING TOMMY BEERS EVER SINCE THAT TRAFFIC STOP....
darsavmo

almost 3 years ago

10776 Comments

What was the real agenda here???
Horsey

almost 3 years ago

338 Comments

WHAT A JOKE-WHY WOULD HE REQUEST A SUMMONS?????? ITS NOT CRIMINAL TO SPEED IN NJ ITS A MV INFRACTION-THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND SCREAMING "I NEED TO BE AN EXAMPLE"-YEAH RIGHT. WE ALL STOP FELLOW OFFICERS AND EXERCISE DISCRETION BASED ON THE ATTITUDE OF A FELLOW OFFICER. THERE IS NO NEED TO DEMAND A TICKET. THIS WILL SURELY MAKE THAT ROAD TROOPER FEEL LIKE A MORON AND A KNUCKLE HEAD!!!! PLEASE GIVE ME A BREAK-I WORK IN NJ AND THIS IS TYPICAL NJ STUPID THINKING AND PARANOIA WITHIN THE PROFESSION
ssu459

almost 3 years ago

152664 Comments

I was an officer for twenty seven years and never wrote a fellow leo,although had pleanty of chances to do so.In the two jurisdictions I worked the rule of thumb was always not to even stop a vehicle unless it was doing at least 11 over.I do respect Col. Fuentes.
toddm394

almost 3 years ago

274 Comments

I can't believe this one myself. I always thought that it was the officers perogative whether to write a ticket to someone. I myself never wrote a ticket to someone doing 10 miles over the speed limit unless it was in a school zone which is completely a different horse of another color as they say.
Collegecop_WA

almost 3 years ago

2380 Comments

Gotta give Fuentes respect for standing tall and admitting he did something wrong. However since it states that the trooper who pulled him over did not know Fuentes was another cop or even his boss and elected not to give him a ticket, I would have respected his use of officer's discretion and let it go.

If there is something else behind all of this (past issues with conduct unbecoming or something like that) I am sure we will learn about it in due time.
OlSkoolBlu89

almost 3 years ago

2484 Comments

Wow really! what is there to say I gotta remain silent and Bumb WWeiss two times!! Bump Bump
majorgeneralmontym

almost 3 years ago

54 Comments

OK guys. First of all the NJ troop cars are all equipped with video and audio recording devices, which cant be accessed by the road trooper., so this entire incident is on tape. Want to guess that the press got wind of it and are actively trying to get it. Let's not forget it wasn't long ago that the former Governor ( President in his own mind) Corzine got in a speeding accident traveling at 90 and who;s vehicle was also driven by.....yes. a trooper!!! ( and a great guy at that!!!) HE was disciplined for his driving. So perhaps this may even be a more "internal" matter than they are letting on. Its like the saying, whats good for the goose, is good for the gander.

So Rick is probably between a rock and a hard place at this point. Publicly show a double standard to the public, AND/OR double standard to his own department. I think leadership required his actions, although I would have been more impressed if he made the trooper do it at the scene than later, when the proverbial "s... is hitting the fan.

There is just allot of political correctness out there and the NJ-NY area is just filled with it! I drew the line at DUI/DWI or other criminal acts that I would have locked up the average guy for. Motor vehicle, absent the former was a discretionary act on an officers part.

Yea, we all really know and I dare say believe, that any good cop will give courtesy to another law enforcement officer. The job is hard enough and I for one had no problem with it. I think we can all agree, and it was my experience that 98% of the cops would cut the public a break on a regular basis too. So as to your own, no matter what state their from, i say blood is thicker than water! Somebody should just tell those political correctness squads to just go to H... Sorry Rick you have to eat this one.
Irishcop1961

almost 3 years ago

36890 Comments

Bump WWeiss.
WWeiss

almost 3 years ago

10 Comments

After 22-years in law enforcement, I have NEVER arrested or wrote a ticket to ANY brother police officer, PERIOD!
I also extend professional courtesy to any public safety or medical personel. Working in South Florida, I have stopped officers from all over the country. My personal policy is, once I confirm they are a LEO or other public safety worker, my next comment to them t is "Have a nice day"
If there is ANY other issues, I offer them a ride or call them a cab.
I couldn't imagine working at an agency where I did not have 100-percent officer discretion. This 'zero-tolerance' crap that some agencies feed their guys only hurts all of us.
Why didn't Col. Fuentes 'blue light' the trooper when he pulled up behind him and didn't the trooper run the tag, at which time he would have found out that it was HIS OWN???