Reactions to Tuesday’s Montgomery County police sting operation in Bethesda that busted dozens of drivers for allegedly using their cell phones varied widely from support to criticism of the operation.
The numerous comments on Bethesda Beat’s story and Facebook page about the sting near the intersection of River and Goldsboro roads in Bethesda showed the dichotomy. The operation involved an officer dressed in plainclothes and carrying a cardboard sign while standing in the median on River Road. The officer radioed information about offenders to other officers stationed nearby, who then pulled over the drivers and issued more than 50 driving-related citations, including 31 for using a handheld phone while driving.
“Love these guys,” Wendy wrote on Bethesda Beat. “I understand some motorists don’t—so put down your cell phones while driving and they won’t bother you! Thank you, officers!”
“I saw this sign guy this morning and was not able to read the sign without taking my eyes off the road for a long time,” Linda Chaletzky wrote on Facebook. “Talk about creating a hazard.”
The plain clothes police officer who served as a spotter Tuesday. Credit: Andrew Metcalf
Others complained about traffic backups near the operation.
Drivers’ reactions flooded the police department’s Facebook page and comment sections on other websites such as The Washington Post.
Susie Sinclair-Smith, executive director of the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless, told the newspaper she was speechless after seeing the plainclothes officer’s disguise that resembled a homeless person holding a cardboard sign.
“I can’t imagine the tone-deaf nature of adopting something like this, and I think it’s disrespectful of people experiencing the condition of homelessness,” Sinclair-Smith told the paper.
The sting drew national attention: The Today Show even did a short segment Wednesday morning on the operation in which Carson Daly called the officer’s sign “creative.”
Capt. Paul Starks, a spokesman for Montgomery County police, said the department is not referring to the officer’s clothing as that of a homeless person.
“I’m not using that term,” Starks said Wednesday. “It has been used by the media.”
Starks said the officer, Cpl. Patrick Robinson, wore the plainclothes outfit because motorists are likely to change their behavior when they see officers in uniform or a marked police cruiser.
“The way the texting and cell phone laws were written makes it very challenging for an officer in a marked car, moving on a roadway to see if a motorist is violating the law,” Starks said. “We want to emphasize this is nothing but and all about safety for the community and traffic safety, which affects us all.”
He added that other police departments across the country are deploying similar methods and that the county is “not on the forefront of this strategy.” He said about 80 percent to 90 percent of the comments county police have received on social media and in emails have been positive and in support of the operation.
Starks said the Bethesda location was chosen for the operation because traffic typically slows near the intersection of Goldsboro and River roads. He said police are cognizant about traffic concerns.
“Police are thoughtful and realize when there are [police] cars on the side of the road and uniformed police officers, it does create somewhat of a distraction and we don’t want to make traffic worse while we’re trying to make it safe.”
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