Motor-vehicle stops keep roads safe
In a letter praising the professionalism and commitment of the Old Bridge Police Department ("In Praise of Those Who Protect and Serve in Old Bridge," Suburban, May 1) Scott Forman made a disingenuous statement. No one can question the integrity of not only the Old Bridge police, but of the police in general. Nonetheless, Mr. Forman casts gratuitous aspersions on one of the most visible and valuable functions of the constabulary.

He states, "The majority of interaction we have with our local police is regarding motorvehicle and traffic enforcement and is not welcome." I completely and totally disagree. If we factor in that 45,000 people a year in this country are killed on the roads, my chances of dying in a car accident are astronomically higher than some wacko shooting at me. The word "schadenfreude" is much too gentle a term for the inner glow I feel when I see the flashing lights of a police car that has pulled over some nutcase who has no respect for his own life, let alone the lives of other motorists.

A New York fireman, when talking about the fire in the Deutsche Bank Building, said that with the possible exception of lightning fires, all fires are preventable. The same can be said about so-called auto accidents. When there is an accident, somebody was being arrogant, stupid or foolish, and someone is paying the price.

Most assuredly, motor-vehicle stops are not glamorous SWAT team dramas or chasethe bank-robber scenarios, but they are some of the day-to-day things police officers do. The ability to perform every aspect of a job adhering to the highest possible standards is the mark of a professional.

Most responsible motorists would agree with me when I say thank you to the police for performing the thankless task of trying to keep Americans from killing themselves and each other on the highways. That is a sign of commitment.
Ambrose J. Nelson
Sayreville