In response to yesterday’s article regarding a driver who received a summons for holding his wireless device, Police Chief Rob Lawson sent TLS the following statement: If it was for illegal use of the cell phone, advise him that he can go to court and plead not guilty if he feels that the summons was unfair. In court he can present the facts to the Judge and let him decide if the charge is appropriate. Not knowing all the facts in this case, it would be hard to say if this was the appropriate charge but just based on the email, I think it was. In my opinion, checking a date on a calendar on your cell phone while driving may not be the explicit criteria set forth in 39:4-97.3 but it is in the spirit and the intent of the statute to prohibit such conduct ( motorist initiated distractions while driving). An alternative could have been to charge the motorist with Careless Driving 39:4-97 which unlike the previous statute would be potentially more onerous incurring motor vehicle, insurance eligibility points and as higher fine.
Police Chief Rob Lawson: Checking Your Phone While Driving Can Result In Summons For Careless Driving

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if the cops stop, we will stop!!!!!
Thank you LPD
There’s no such thing as being in violation of the law if your conduct does not fall within the statute. This is so notwithstanding the fact that it is one man’s opinion that it is in the spirit and the intent of the statute to prohibit such conduct. Yes, the cop could have ticketed him with a Careless Driving charge, but he didn’t.
Just for the police chiefs information a cellphone ticket is more expensive than a careless driving ticket.
A friend of mine was recently given both by the lakewood police for talking on a cellphone – isn’t that double ticketing???????????
to #1 in the statue / law there is a provision as follows:
39:4-97.4 Inapplicability of act to certain officials.
2.The prohibitions set forth in this act shall not be applicable to any of the following persons while in the actual performance of their official duties: a law enforcement officer; a member of a paid, part-paid, or volunteer fire department or company; or an operator of an authorized emergency vehicle. L.2003,c.310,s.2.
Meaning that (sometimes) Cops and other Emergency Personel are allowed to use there cell phones while working.
#5, it’s their, not there.
As if the judge would even listen to what you have to say…
Stop complaining and obey the law so you wont get a ticket. Is it that hard?
shoyn tzeit tze machen tinkele fensters de poitzee zul nisht kenen aryn kiken
#5 it can be argued that although cops are exempt from the cell phone law, if their being on the phone is personal and not of an emergency nature i would argue as did chief Lawson that it wouldnt be in the spirit of the law for them to talk on their cell phone
Dear Mr Lawson
The point of the email was to show that cops are giving tickets for infractions that are grey area which from your response it looks like you agree that thats not what the law says only its in the sirt of the law DEAR CHIEF THAT IS THE PROBLEM!! I would like to know why thier giving out tickets in the spirit of the law and not focusing on violatons that breck the law clearly. Also you say the offcer could have gave out a ticket for carless driving the same would apply to drinking coffe or blowing your nose because it can distract your driving.
no 9 ma tur nishit machen tinkle fensters in nj
Di velts bakimen a ticket far tickele fensters oichet.
can u say ticket blitz…….zero tolerance. I saw this because today around 3pm on Main street we were cut off by a driver talking on his cell, who made an illegal 3rd lane, cutting us off, then driving up on no lane because he was in a hurry. ok we didn’t get the plate number but it wasa white male, in a dark honda accord…………..hmmmmmmm
It may be 100 percent wrong to be on the phone. But the cops are on ther cell phones plenty
hey moise…….call the watch commanders office with the car number and location when you see them on their phones……………but not while your driving…………..and everytime you see a Lakewood housewife blasting down the street on her cell call that in too.
Chief Lawson is a good man
I love rob Lawson and would do aannyy tthhiinngg for him
All I can say, is the unofficial ticket blitz is in full swing.
I drive through town every day numerous times, and boy, these Police are pulling people over like never before.
Can anyone explain why they are doing this?
Could the police chief please look into this overzealous ticketing over the past few weeks. The community would appreciate a response on the matter from our chief.
If they would live in Lakewood, maybe they’d be more concerned about community relations and more respectful of their fellow residents. If there is ever a need for layoffs, the officers who live in town should have seniority regardless of when they joined the force. And there should be a new policy that any new hires must reside in the town that they protect and serve.
Less pay+work= ticketing!/ LPD,DPW.
Lakewood needs$?.
#21 you are required to live in Lakewood upon hire. But It is far to expensive to stay. Between taxes and the price of a good house most cops would not be able to stay. The only way it would be resonable to expect cops to say in this town is if they brought thier house before the 2001 when prices were still ok.
Well become a police officer in the town you are living in now.
And try doing a ticket blitz there and see how your neighbors treat you.
Just don’t come here to work and then have some sport giving out hundreds of tickets to the people who do live here and pay the taxes
that pay your salary.
There is no grey. Diverting your eyes from the road to check the time using your phone is a clear violation of the statute. You can argue that the law is not fair since you can legally look at the clock on your dash but you can’t pick up your phone to look at the time. The law is what it is. Deal with it. If you can’t resist the urge, put your phone in the trunk while you drive.
Hundreds of tickets in less than a week. Stop focusing on one case.
(and would a warning instead of a ticket been so terrible?) This ticket blitz is premeditated and organized.
So all the dozens of police who were hired over the years all started off living here and then moved out. Which moving company did they use?
Can you please refer me to a police dept. job application. Does it mention Lakewood residency as a mandatory pre-condition for employment? Do you know how many legal Mexicans would love
full-time employment? And they would be able to communicate with all of the many residents who are only spanish speaking.
TO # 4
careless driving is no points and costs $430
so before you say the cop doesnt know what hes talking about, maybe at least know what you are saying is true.
i dont think Cell Phone ticket is mor ethan $430!!!!!!!!!
to # 26
unfortunetly ALMOST NOBODY will listen to warnings, if it mattered to you , YOU WOULD WEAR A SEATBELT, REFRAIN FROM USING YOUR PHONE WHILE DRIVING, STOP BY STOPSIGNS, NOT SPEED ETC….
FOR THE 5 MINUTES THE COP IS BY YOUR CAR YOUR SCARED AND YOU BEG FOR A WARNING INSTEAD OF A TICKET. BE REALISTIC, YOU GOTTA PAY FOR WHAT YOU DO WRONG!!
sometimes losing some money will awaken the MIND!!