Homelessness is a huge problem in this country. But you’d never know it from the actions taken recently by the Bethesda Police Department in Maryland.
The department put an officer–who was disguised as a homeless person–at a busy intersection. The cop was holding a sign, but instead of saying, “Will work for food” or “Homeless: Please Help,” this guy mocked the less fortunate by holding a sign that read:
“I am not homeless. I am a Montgomery County Police Officer looking for cell phone texting violations.”
This is what we’ve come to in America in order to stop people from texting on a cell phone?
Don’t get me wrong: I know that texting while driving is extremely dangerous and has led to many accidents and even deaths, but do we want the police to pretend to be homeless in order to catch those who break the law?
Here’s how this whole undercover operation worked: the “homeless” officer would stand and wait for people checking their phones at the stop light, then radio to uniformed officers waiting nearby who would pull the drivers over and issue tickets.
Sgt. Phillip Chapin of the Bethesda Police Department remarked on the unique (and totally tasteless) plan for catching those naughty drivers who check their phones:
“If you’re using your thumbs texting while driving down the road, it’s totally distracting because you have to look down to see what you’re typing. When you have your phone to your ear you’re distracted because you only have one hand on the wheel, and it’s hard to react.”
An excellent point, but was it also required that you make light of–even inadvertently–those who have no place to call home? At least they could give the money they raise through this sting operation to help the homeless. How about it, Sgt. Chapin? Sound like a good idea? Sure, but Chapin says no dice on such a charitable notion, and adds:
“We don’t feel bad for doing it, because we made the roads safer.”
