NJ cop disguises himself as a shrub to bust 74 distracted drivers

By New York Post (U.S.) | Created at 2026-07-31 00:46:07 | Updated at 2026-08-10 16:19:20 1 week ago

This was no bush league move.

A New Jersey cop disguised himself as a shrub on Wednesday to help bust over 70 distracted drivers on a heavily trafficked road.

The Dunellen Police Department used the swampish costume to covertly conduct a distracted-driving enforcement operation in the Middlesex County town, according to a social media post from the force.

Police officer in ghillie suit with binoculars near a tree on a sidewalk.A Dunellen police officer disguised himself as a shrub to bust over 70 distracted drivers on a heavily trafficked avenue. Dunellen Borough Police Department
A police officer disguised as a shrub holding a radio on a street corner, with a truck passing by.The six-hour operation was meant to enforce New Jersey’s handheld cellphone law and promote safety. Dunellen Borough Police Department

The six-hour operation — meant to enforce the state’s handheld cellphone law and promote safety — resulted in 74 citations to drivers distracted by their devices.

“Our ‘shrub’ was busy. We issued 74 citations to drivers distracted by their devices in a six-hour window,” the department wrote in a statement.

The law prohibits drivers from using a handheld cellphone or device — resulting in fines of $200 to $400 for a first offense.

Photos captured an officer outfitted in scraggly shrubbery and armed with binoculars to surveil for any preoccupied drivers.

“Let this be a reminder: That text or notification can wait. Keep your eyes on the road, not your screen!”

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