Cop Dresses As Homeless Man to Catch Texting Drivers
Well, this is certainly an unusual way to catch motorists who are texting while on the road.
Police in Maryland's Montgomery County have put an officer disguised as a homeless man on the side of the road holding a sign that reads, "I am not homeless. I am a Montgomery County Police Officer looking for cell phone texting violations."
The genius of the plan, of course, is that many drivers simply don't pay attention to homeless people, so they're likely to just go by without even noticing the sign.
The officer has a microphone to alert his colleagues, as well as a camera to provide any evidence should a driver be ticketed and try to fight it in court.
Fellow policemen are situated just up the road from where he's situated so they can pull over any driver who's been busted. It's some serious business, too, because motorists are staring down the barrel of an $83 fine for their first offense.
It's the latest attempt in the area to keep drivers honest. Last week, they cracked down on drivers who failed to stop when a school bus flashed its lights.