A New Jersey police department dressed an officer as a shrub and issued 74 distracted driving citations in six hours.
The Dunellen Police Department shared a Facebook post on Wednesday, July 29, with the caption: “Did you spot our ‘shrub’ today?
If you had your head buried in your phone, probably not!”
The department conducted the enforcement operation on the 100 block of North Washington Avenue, an area with heavy vehicle and pedestrian traffic, with the goal of enforcing New Jersey’s handheld cellphone law and increasing safety in the community.
Police issued the citations during a six-hour span.
The shrub costume proved effective at catching drivers off-guard.
“Our ‘shrub’ was busy. We issued 74 citations to drivers distracted by their devices in a six-hour window.”
The police urged drivers to prioritize road safety.
“Let this be a reminder: That text or notification can wait. Keep your eyes on the road, not your screen!”
The internet erupted with reactions both amused and critical.
The department’s unusual enforcement strategy drew a mix of amused reactions on social media.
Some social media users challenged the legality of the approach.
“How is this not entrapment?” one Facebook user asked, while another wrote, “By dressing as a bush they are distracting drivers…the thing they are ticketing for, entrapment at its finest.
Judge may throw out many of these tickets.”
Other critics accused police of revenue-seeking over safety.
“So you are making a problem, by distracting drivers, to collect money for the city?”
one commenter wrote.
However, many residents welcomed the tactic and requested more enforcement.
Plenty of residents said they’d like to see the shrub — and more traffic enforcement — return to their own streets, with several commenters requesting similar crackdowns on speeding and crosswalk violations nearby.
The six-hour operation took place along North Washington Avenue, a corridor with heavy vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
In the viral moment, the department combined whimsy with strict enforcement of distracted-driving laws. The shrub costume allowed the officer to blend into the roadside landscaping while monitoring drivers, then coordinate with other officers to issue citations once violations were spotted. The five-foot-tall (or larger) green costume successfully disguised the officer’s presence long enough to catch dozens of drivers visibly using their phones. The department had chosen a corridor known for high traffic volume, making it an ideal location for the operation.
The goal was to enforce New Jersey’s handheld cell phone law and increase safety in the community.
“Let this be a reminder: That text or notification can wait. Keep your eyes on the road, not your screen!”
the department emphasized in its post.
The operation comes as New Jersey has intensified crackdowns on distracted driving statewide. No future shrub operations have been announced by the Dunellen Police Department.