An officer from the Lakewood Police Department detained a Hatzolah volunteer from responding to an emergency for the second time in the past few months.
Officer Dennis Scanell pulled over the Hatzolah member who was responding to a call in the vicinity of Route 9 near Prospect Street, on Monday afternoon.
Although the member respectfully informed the officer that he was responding to an emergency, the officer insisted on answering him disrespectfully, and ridiculously questioning why the Hatzolah member had more than one flashing light in his vehicle – when the officer clearly knew that he had all proper identification and red-light permits.
Eventually, he was released to proceed to treat the patient only if he turns off his lights and siren, and was told that a summons would be mailed to him.
YWN received numerous emails from Lakewood residents regarding this troubling incident, and can and should be done to ensure that precious seconds would not be lost if Chas Veshalom a Hatzolah member is detained by the police while responding to a child choking.
Lakewood Police Commissioner, and Township Committeeman Meir Lichtenstein released the following statement in regards to the incident:
“It is always upsetting when a volunteer Hatzolah member gets stopped. Hatzolah members should not feel restricted from responding appropriately to calls.
Patients deserve a timely response and indeed there are situations where seconds count.
LPD and Hatzolah have a system in place where Supervisors can talk to each other about any incidents and take appropriate steps when necessary. Hatzolah has also provided LPD with a list of the member’s responding cars. LPD can and in fact has called Hatzolah dispatch to verify responding vehicles. This system works and allows all agencies to perform their responsibilities without delaying patient care.”
“It is extremely frustrating and uncalled for when this system is not adhered to. I spoke to the Chief who assured me that today’s incident is being investigated. I am certain appropriate measures will be taken and that the good relationship between LPD and Hatzolah will continue”.
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(Moshe Altusky – YWN)
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10 Responses
So much for having a good relationship. This shows the true colors of the officer involved. If the mayor was serious he should have the officer fired for interferring with an emergency vehicle.
how come we are told the name of the police officer involved who was Officer Dennis Scanell who pulled over the Hatzolah member , yet how come we do not know who the hatzolah member who was involved was.
Eventually, he was released to proceed to treat the patient , i find this statement very odd . was this member the only one responding , or did other members respond , and if this member was the only one responding forget about the police officer and take care of the caller . it is pekuach nefesh and that goes to the top of the class and we take our cars on schabos.
As a lakewood askan, I would like to update all New York residence as well as some Lakewood residence as well:
New Jersey is not a hefker velt like New York. You can’t just install red lights and sirens on your car. There are State laws for that. In every squad you can have “1” captain & “1” liutenant. These 2 individuals and “only” these 2 are allowed to have red lights & sirens in their personal vehicle if they have a permit given by the state. All other members can only have “blue” lights and NO sirens. Yes, I know this sounds crazy, but this is the law.
Unfortunatly, Lakewood Hatzolah cracked this law and has multiple members with red lights and sirens permit thats against the law.
Therefor, I can’t say that the officer was totally wrong. He was doing his job.
This Dennis Scanell should have his badge ripped off his shirt and fired. The nerve of ANYONE getting in the way of an EMERGENCY VEHICLE responding to a call. I am sure this Dennis character is in violation of some municipal and state laws for doing so.
Secondly, the Dennis character knows full well how cops flip on THEIR siren and lights so as not to have to wait at a red light, then resuming regular speed in the regular flow of traffic.
Thirdly, this Dennis character, if he did feel he had a beef, being that he is SWORN to protect and serve, he should have rushed to the call himself, first, and then gone to the Hatzolah station to discuss the matter.
Anti-Semitism? You bet! If it were Catholic services or Red Cross volunteers, it would be a different story.
TO #3 Askan.
Thanks for clarifying why Lakewood Yeshivas should teach English. It must be embarrassing to write in manner that shows such a poor command of English.
Dear Askan. To which residence are you (pardon the pun) addressing your comment?
TO # 3. YOU MIGHT BE AN ASKIN, BUT I HOPE THAT YOUR ASKANUS IS BETTER THAN YOUR COMMAND OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. I ACTUALLY HAVE THIS BAD FEELING THAT EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE WRITING ABOUT, YOU ARE GUILTY OF. IN OTHER WORDS, PASSING YOURSELF OF AS AN ASKIN AND HAVING ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF BADGES AND LIGHTS OR STROBES (EVEN ORANGE OR YELLOW)DOES NOT SIT WELL WITH THE LAKEWOOD POLICE DEPT.OR OTHER OFFICIALS. LET THE DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS FROM HATZOLAH WHO WILL DROP ANYTHING AT ANY TIME OF THE DAY DO THEIR AVODAS HAKODESH AND EVERYONE ELSE SHOULD MIND THEIR OWN BUSINESS WHETHER YOU ARE AN ASKIN OR NOT. AS AN ASIDE, I DAVEN IN THE MORNING WITH A COUPLE OF DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS FROM HATZOLAH, AND MY ASKONUS IS WHEN THEY GO ON A CALL IN THE MIDDLE OF DAVENING TO FOLD UP THEIR TALLIS AND TEFILLIN. IF HATZOLAH WILL BE THE ONLY ONES WITH LIGHTS, THERE WOULD BE FAR LESS INTERFERENCE FROM THE OFFICIALS.
I was just a few cars behind this Hatzalah member on Route 9 and heard through my closed window how the cop yelled “what do you think you are doing?? Get over to the side, pull over…” I was horrified and started thinking what about the caller who was waiting for this Hatzalah member to arrive. It was clear to see the anti-semitism this cop had. It shook me up.
very difficult situation to be in as a hatzolah member.
this happened to me a few years back in washington heights.
was responding to a possible unconscious patient.
luckily, the officer lit me up only around the block from the scene. i proceeded to the call and was getting my stuff from the trunk when he began yelling at me on top of his lungs.
i said “officer, please let me tend to the patient who is possibly unconscious in that apartment and then we can discuss this” I also welcomed him to follow me in to the call.
by the time the call was finished, the cop was gone.
there will always be the anti-semitic cops that just can’t stand what we do.
i never followed up with the cop in my case but i think an example should be set…
FROM THE LAKEWOOD SCOOP:
UPDATE 11:20 p.m. Dennis Scanell, Badge # 267, has submitted the following statement to TLS:
“First off it is DENNIS. Second, I stopped the driver for driving southbound in the northbound lanes of River Ave. at approximately 50+ m.p.h. and traveling for over a 1/4 mile in this fashion. While doing so he passed by another L.P.D. officer who was on a motor vehicle stop in the northbound lane. This driver whose name I could and should mention but I won’t out of respect, could have struck the officer should that officer have stepped out of the marked patrol vehicle. Anyone that was waiting in the southbound lane could have inched out to see what the hold up was could have been struck not thinking there would be a vehicle driving the wrong way”.
“I have never written a summons to ANY Hatzolah member nor an EMT or Fire Fighter. This should have been checked before comments were made. But just as history shows, there are too many people who jump to conclusions. How would you feel if this driver struck and injured or killed your family member? Thats what we think about when we patrol the streets”.