The unkind conduct of Sgt. Jon Bucchere

Open Letter to Princeton Boro Police Commissioner About the Unkind Conduct of Sgt. Jonathan Bucchere

By Doron Zeilberger

Written: Nov. 16, 2008

To: Ms. Margaret Karcher, Princeton Borough Police Department, 1 Monument Dr., Princeton, NJ 08540 (c/o adminoff@princetonboro.org also sent by snail-mail).

From: Doron Zeilberger, 85 Wilson Rd., Princeton, NJ 08540

Copies To: Sgt. Jonathan Bucchere (Badge #123, Princeton Boro PD) (a.k.a. Jon Bucchere), Lt. Nicholas Sutter (Princeton Boro PD), Chief Anthony Federico, Mayor Mildred Trotman (c/o adminoff@princetonboro.org).

Also posted at: http://www.math.rutgers.edu/~zeilberg/SamalBucchereLoNekhmad.html

Re: The Unprofessional and unkind conduct of Sgt. Jonathan Bucchere, Badge #123

Dear Ms. Karcher,

I'd like to draw your attention to an unfortunate incident regarding Sgt. Bucchere, who behaved in a way unbecoming a police officer. His conduct displayed a lack of good judgement, lack of common sense, and most distressingly, lack of basic human compassion. I believe that a person behaving in such a way should not be allowed to serve the public.

The details of the incident are as follows. On Nov. 10, 2008, I was walking home from the Princeton Train Station (the "Dinky"), roughly a 20-minute walk. At 8:40pm, as I was passing, "Palmer House"(that belongs to Princeton University) 1 Bayard Lane, (that is roughly across the street from the Police Station), I desperately needed to urinate. Let me point out that 1 Bayard Lane is a huge estate, and the building is very far from Bayard Lane. I turned right into the driveway, (at the Bayard Lane back entrance, not the front entrance of Nassau St.), and immediately proceeded deep into the bushes, right next to a high wall, that prevents both pedestrians and motorists to see anything, and "did my business". It was pitch dark, no one was around (I made sure of that), and the way "I did my business" is so that not to expose any body parts. In the very unlikely event that a passer-by would have walked into the driveway, and shone a flashlight at me, he would have only seen my back. The urine itself landed on the soil, so one can't say that I was violating any hygiene rules.

After I have already finished my "business", a police car drove into that driveway, blinded me with its brights, and out came a police officer, Sgt. Bucchere (badge #123), and in a very aggressive tone of voice screamed at me: "What are you doing here?". I naively and honestly explained to him that I desperately had to go "number one", I have just finished doing it, and that I am about to resume my walk home. I was sure that he would apologize for his rude form of address, and let me go home in peace. However, to my dismay, using the same aggressive tone of voice, commanded me: "Give me an ID", followed by "Stand in front of the car". As I was standing there, blinded by the headlights, waiting for him to prepare a summons, two of his buddies came along (apparently he called-in for some reinforcement, in case such a "dangerous criminal" would try to run away). The night was a bit chilly, so I instinctively put my hands inside my sweatshirt's pockets. Immediately Sgt. Bucchere's buddy screamed at me: "Don't put your hands in your pockets", as though I had concealed weapon.

To sum up, while, taken literally, I did violate the ordinance "urinating in public" (22-13), there were such extremely extenuating circumstances, that any police officer with the minimum of common sense and human decency, would have totally ignored it (once it was clear that I was not disturbing or offending the public), or at least given me a warning. But the humiliating way I was treated by Sgt. Bucchere (and one of his colleagues, whose name I don't know), making me feel like a dangerous criminal, is way out of proportion to the trivial offense. And having to go to court to plead my case (there was no paying-a-fine alternative), makes it even ten times worse.

An even more disturbing thing is the fact that according to the Princeton Boro Police Department's website, Sgt. Bucchere was also a D.A.R.E. instructor. It is bad enough that such a person, lacking basic common sense and basic human compassion, is allowed to serve as a police officer, but such a person should definitely not be allowed to serve as an educator to young children.

(Speaking of D.A.R.E., in the past there were other cases of poor choice of D.A.R.E. instructors. About ten years ago, as I and my wife went to the "closing ceremony" of our daughter's class D.A.R.E. course, I saw one of the instructors smoking (outside) in front of the children. If at all possible, one should choose D.A.R.E. instructors who are non-smokers, but at the very least, they should not be allowed to smoke in front of their students.)

I hope that this incident will inspire you to explain to Sgt. Bucchere, and his colleagues, the importance of treating all citizens with respect and dignity, and to use common sense when they enforce the law, and keep a sense of proportion.