Battle Between Sheriff's Departments
Augusta County | Brianne Carter

One New Jersey Sheriff's Department has left a bad taste in the Valley. On September 18th, deputies from Passaic County, NJ were speeding and running with lights and sirens on their way back from helping victims of hurricane Katrina. They were pulled over by an Augusta County Deputy. Then, the New Jersey deputies got nasty.

It was supposed to be a routine traffic stop for Deputy Michael Roane. He simply asked some brothers in blue to slow down.

Roane explains, "I observed about eight to 12 police cars running lights at about 95 miles per hour traveling north on 81."

The officers from the Passaic County Sheriff's Office in New Jersey don't agree.

A phone call from Passaic County Sheriff Jerry Speziale was recorded by Augusta County authorities.

Speziale is heard saying, "I'm going to tell the National Sheriffs Association because there is no room for people like you in law enforcement."

But Deputy Roane notes, "We're not above the law, we have to obey the speed limits we cannot run emergency equipment when there is no emergency."

Roane says he respects the efforts of the Passaic Deputies but says they need to remember public safety comes first.

The Sheriff of the Passaic Department doesn't want to hear it, saying, "It's a disgrace, if you think it is not a disgrace you should take the badge off your shirt and throw it in the garbage, that's what I got to tell you."

The Augusta County Sheriff's Office says that not everyone up North agrees with the New Jersey office. Sheriff Fisher has received many e-mails from other agencies around the country apologizing for Passaic County.

TAKEN FROM WHSV.COM

http://www.whsv.com/news/headlines/1864262.html