The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Neptune NJ, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority will pay $250,000 to settle a driver’s lawsuit that was filed after a former State Trooper downloaded an intimate video from her cellphone during a 2016 traffic stop on the Garden State Parkway.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Continue reading Off-Duty NJ State Trooper Subdues Knife-Wielding Man
Continue reading NJ State Trooper Rescues Suicidal Man from Bridge
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Continue reading NJ State Trooper Rescues Occupants from Sinking Vessel in Point Pleasant Canal
file photo by Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Trenton NJ, A suspended New Jersey state trooper was indicted today for allegedly engaging in a sexually explicit email exchange with an adult woman about a prepubescent girl, during which the trooper and the woman allegedly exchanged sexually explicit photos, including a photo of the girl.
Continue reading NJ State Trooper Indicted on Child Pornography Charges
photo courtesy of NJ State Police
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Orlando FL, A New Jersey State Trooper on a family vacation in Orlando F.L. performed life-saving CPR on a 7-year-old girl who was found face down in a swimming pool.
On Friday, August 23, Trooper I Charles Travis was near a resort swimming pool when he heard someone calling for help.
Continue reading Off-Duty NJ Trooper Revives Unconscious Drowning Victim
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Sea Isle City NJ, On Saturday, August 3, Detective Sergeant First Class George Wren was vacationing with his family in Sea Isle City, N.J. when he rescued a swimmer who was caught in a riptide and being pulled into the ocean.
Moments after explaining the dangers of the rip current to his children, a woman frantically approached DSFC Wren and screamed that a man was drowning. He observed the man about 75 yards from the shoreline drifting further into the ocean.
December 11,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Linden NJ, A New Jersey state trooper was sentenced today on charges that he tampered with evidence and falsified records to cover up the fact that he conducted improper stops of female drivers in order to view the private contents of their cell phones and proposition them to meet him socially.
Marquice Prather, 38, of Linden, N.J., was sentenced to three years of probation by Superior Court Judge Benjamin S. Bucca in Middlesex County. He was ordered to perform 50 hours of community service and pay a $5,000 fine. The judge also ordered that Prather have no contact with his victims. Prather pleaded guilty on Sept. 11 to charges of third-degree invasion of privacy, fourth-degree tampering with physical evidence, and fourth-degree falsifying or tampering with records. He forfeited his job as a state trooper and is permanently barred from public office and employment.
Deputy Attorneys General Brian Faulk, Jonathan Gilmore and Charles Wright prosecuted the case for the Division of Criminal Justice Corruption Bureau.
The New Jersey State Police Office of Professional Standards investigated numerous incidents involving Prather that reflected a pattern of pulling over women, ranging in age from 18 to 42, and soliciting them to go on a date with him or give him their phone numbers. The investigation revealed the following conduct, for which he pleaded guilty to the three charges:
Prather requested and searched the cell phones of numerous female drivers without justification, after asking the women to unlock the phones. He looked through personal information and images on the phones and, in some cases, reproduced intimate photos and videos of the women.
Prather disposed of suspected marijuana that he seized from the vehicle of a female motorist.
Prather falsely reported the gender of drivers he pulled over to disguise the fact that he stopped a high number of females.
Several women initially came forward to file complaints against Prather about improper conduct. A number of other women subsequently gave statements outlining similar conduct after they were contacted by investigators who were auditing Prather’s patrol activities. Prather was suspended without pay by the State Police after his arrest on Dec. 9, 2016.
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page
September 15,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Multiple injuries were reported in a two (2) vehicle crash on the Garden State Parkway northbound at mile marker 164.3, Paramus on Thursday afternoon, 09/14. Paramus Police and EMS responded along with a NJ State Trooper from the Troop D, Bloomfield based barracks. One (1) vehicle wound up off of the roadway in the grassy center median. A flatbed tow truck removed both wrecked vehicles from the highway.
Conspiracy Theories Abound this #SuspiciousSunday
January 30,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog and NJ State Troopers Facebook
Ridgewood NJ, the latest conspiracy theory of immigration check points is cleared up by NJ State Police. On their Facebook page NJ State Police clear up the mystery .
“So, it was brought to our attention that this rather uninspiring photo of one of our troopers has caused a bit of stir.
This photo was posted by @LVwithLove on Instagram. Now, there seemed to be quite a bit of suspicion and confusion among commenters as to what exactly this trooper was doing. So, we would like to set the record straight by addressing a few.
No, this was not an immigration checkpoint. We were not checking your “papers.” Names taken were not entered into a double-secret federal database.
The truth is that this trooper was recording passengers’ names, ages, towns of residence, and seat locations for, brace yourselves, a crash report. This is standard practice.
As much as we enjoy our job, we typically don’t relish chasing down everyone on a bus to get their information for our report. To be honest, we typically allow junior troopers to gain the invaluable experience of handling bus crashes. We even give them neat little forms to help record names and seat locations.
Oh, and no, you don’t have to provide your license. You can provide your info verbally, but it’s easier and more accurate if we copy information from a license. Many names are not commonly spelled.
This is a service done for you. If you find yourself injured, you’re going to need this information for a whole host of reasons.”
