No, this NJ cop wasn’t drunk – Here’s what happened

When it comes to law enforcement in New Jersey, it's important to recognize the outstanding, important work that they do. They truly do risk their lives to protect us every day and all night.

Think about it. They go to work every day never knowing what to expect. It's all part of the job, but a vital one we should all recognize.

So before we get into the story, it's important to say thank you to all of those police officers in the great state of New Jersey for keeping us safe. Recognition goes a long way.

Yes, there are some bad actors out there, but what job doesn't have those? It's unfortunate, but it's also a reality.

With that said, there was something that happened not too long ago on The Garden State Parkway that had someone I know questioning what the heck was going on.

They were driving along on the northbound side when suddenly a police car came flying up the shoulder. I'm not sure if it was up on the left or right side, but it really doesn't matter in this case.

And the lights were also flashing, so it had to be something serious. So naturally, everyone who saw the cop coming up slowed down to allow them to pass.

But then shortly after that, the officer driving the car started doing something unexpected. From what I was told, they started working their way across to the other side of the highway.

Then they did it again back the other way. And again and again, forcing every single lane to slow down dramatically.

It was almost as if the officer was drunk. Why in the world were they swerving back and forth across a major highway such as the Garden State Parkway?

This went on for a good while. Then all of a sudden, the officer got off the road and traffic was able to get by once again.

Quite clearly, some drivers were confused, such as the one who was telling me this. They couldn't understand what exactly was going on.

Was the police driver drunk or impaired? Did someone steal the squad car? Or was something else strange going on here?

I've experienced this exact same thing myself. The first time it happened, I also wasn't sure what it was about.

However, there is a very logical explanation for what that police officer was doing. And it's something that could've potentially saved your life.

It's actually a strategy police officers use on freeways to slow down the entire flow of traffic. Sometimes, they might even stop it.

The reason for what appears to be a drunk driver swerving is simply a way for the officer to stop drivers in every lane from driving past them. And no, it's not a practice drill, either.

Simply put, there's some sort of emergency up ahead, and the officer needs to slow down traffic so crews up ahead can take care of whatever situation has occurred.

Depending on how long the officer continues to swerve is directly related to how the situation further up the road is resolving. If necessary, the officer might even bring the flow of traffic to a stop.

And it's not always a vehicle accident. Sometimes, debris might end up in the middle of the highway requiring crews to remove it.

Debris, such as piles of wood, could've flown off a truck and onto the roadway. Should a car drive into that it could lead to serious injury.

Or, it could've been work equipment or a part of a car that flew off such as a muffler. Any of those are possibilities.

It's also possible a large tree fell into the highway requiring crews to cut it up before removing it. Or, it might be due to an investigation, or an active situation involving a civilian.

Or maybe whatever's happening further ahead poses a different kind of danger to motorists that doesn't involve an accident or debris. Whatever happened, the officer swerving back and forth is buying emergency crews time to assess and get a handle on the situation.

And if you eventually get forced off the freeway, don't fight the officer on it. Again, there's a reason they're getting you off the road.

Just follow what they're having you do and figure out an alternate way to get where you need to afterward. Trust me, the officers aren't purposely trying to stop you from getting home.

So no, the driver of the squad car isn't drunk or impaired. They know exactly what they're doing to help keep you and the crews up ahead safe.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.