This is the fourth piece in a series concerning a Tik Tok personality’s traffic stop. Tik Toker Joe Campisano, who goes by the name “EvoJoe” over at his channel, is a New Jersey permit to carry holder.
Previously chronicled was Campisano’s stop, which he discussed in an online video, about getting pulled over for alleged speeding. During the stop, Campisano was told he was improperly carrying his firearm – which at the time according to case law, he was not – and told that “in lieu of getting arrested” he was to be ticketed for speeding. After reaching out to the Toms River, New Jersey Police Department about the stop, they took responsibility for the wrong information the officer and sergeant gave to Campisano. We also obtained information that the officer who conducted the stop was working under a “speeding grant.” Through several Open Public Records Act requests and close communications with the media relations office at the department, I obtained the bodycam video and dashcam video of the stop, as well as more information concerning the mishap.
The first thing that needs to be addressed is the professional, quick, and courteous manner in which the Toms River Police Department has handled their communications with me and the execution of fulfilling my OPRA requests. In my first few pieces of correspondence with the department, they did take ownership for the misinformation that was out there about the manner in which a permit holder can transport their firearm in their car. The head of the media relations did bend over backward to help me out and the Chief of Police, Mitchell A. Little, did send a comment for publication.
The subject in question was issued a summons for 46 MPH in a 35 MPH zone which was the officer’s probable cause for the stop. That case will be heard and adjudicated in the Toms River Municipal Court. As far as the interaction regarding the NJ Firearms Law, we did not supply current information to the driver at the time, but it has since been corrected. As a police department we will be more prudent with the release of information and up-to-date directives with our officers.
As discussed in Campisano’s video and previously reported, he was pulled over for alleged speeding. According to Campisano, there was no way he was clocked because he utilizes a radar detector. After reviewing the bodycam and dashcam videos, both Campisano and Officer Weg’s behavior needs to be commended. The video is available HERE and in the embed below. The footage came with muted portions by the department in the form of redactions, and has been further cut to remove any personally identifying or sensitive information about the persons involved.
While Officer Weg – who was advised by Sergeant James Skripko via telephone – was wrong about the law concerning carry, his demeanor and behavior were both professional. Weg is heard saying that he was going to utilize the scenario as a teachable moment for Campisano. This attitude is one that more officers in New Jersey need to embrace. All too often when a firearm is involved – legal or otherwise – the story is plastered all over the pages of Bearing Arms and other Second Amendment related news sites about a bogus arrest, or one involving no victims. In this scenario, Weg believed that Campisano was breaking the law and rather than arresting him, gave him advice to know the law – albeit wrong advice.
Campisano was calm, cool, and collected through the entire stop. He fully complied with the law by informing Officer Weg that he was carrying his firearm and was respectful through the stop. When Weg approached Campisano with wrong information, Campisano asserted that he took a class and was educated on the topic. After Weg doubled down on the wrong information, Campisano did not argue with him, he just accepted the information and carried on with his day. Campisano took his complaint back to the department to discuss the misinformation with Sergeant Skripko. The results of two additional OPRAs indicated there’s no video record from Skripko’s bodycam chronicling the chat with Campisano, and the phone conversation recording between Weg and Skripko on the topic of carry was deleted after 30 days.
Both individuals actually need to be saluted here. If more interactions were like this, we’d have less issues in the Garden State between police officers and gun owners. Officer Weg and Campisano both kept cool heads, and most importantly, no one walked away in cuffs. In New Jersey, this is a big win, where firearm related charges generally come with a three year minimum mandatory sentence if an arrest ends with a conviction.
Here’s a transcript of when Officer Weg returned to Campisano’s car after talking with Sergeant Skripko:
Officer Weg: All right, sir…here’s deal. You cannot carry that gun on your hip in New Jersey. That is permit to carry…
Joe Campisano: Concealed.
Officer Weg: Correct.
Joe Campisano: I am concealed.
Officer Weg: I understand. Not New Jersey, not while you’re driving a motor vehicle. That gun has to be locked in a separate compartment away from the ammunition, also locked in a separate compartment. That’s an arrestable offense, which I’m not going to do right now. I’m going to treat this as an educational moment.
Joe Campisano: Okay, I was I was under the impression otherwise. I went to a state police course. And asked if we could drive with it. And they said, “Yes.”
Officer Weg: Yeah. You cannot. You gotta educate yourself on the law a little bit.
Joe Campisano: I went to a class.
Officer Weg: If I had some reading material, I just called my sergeant just to verify and make sure…
Joe Campisano: I was I was pulled over multiple times in.. my gun on my hip, and I have not had any problems.
Officer Weg: Okay.
Joe Campisano: I do apologize.
Officer Weg: That’s okay.
Joe Campisano: I’ll double check…
Officer Weg: But, this is how bad things happen. You know what I mean? So future reference, educate yourself. Like I said…
Joe Campisano: I went through a state police course ran by Shooters.
Officer Weg: Yeah.
Joe Campisano: And, mind blown. I literally got, unfortunately, yesterday I got pulled over.
Officer Weg: Okay.
Joe Campisano: And I you know, same deal. I gave the cop my card, I said, “Listen, I am carrying on my left hip,” as we’re shown here.
Officer Weg: Yep.
Joe Campisano: No problem.
Officer Weg: Yeah.
Joe Campisano: Went back to his car, came right back, gave me my things, and sent me on my way. This is news to me.
Officer Weg: I appreciate you telling me and letting me know. So it’s supposed to be treated as like before when you would go to the range you know how used to transport your weapon? That’s how it was. That’s how it is when you’re driving with a concealed, after that you can put it back on and do whatever. But that’s because we live in New Jersey. And it can’t just be a normal carry because New Jersey, New Jersey, everything’s got to be messed up. That’s that’s, that’s that’s the law they passed. But like I said, I’m gonna treat it. I’m gonna treat it as educational moment and I’m not arresting anyone. However, I am going to issue a citation for speeding in lieu of being arrested today. You were going 47 in a 35. I’m working a speeding grant. So, fair enough?
Joe Campisano: Of course. Whatever you say.
Officer Weg: All right. Wait for me to pull away please. Have a good day.
Aside from having the wrong information – which is a big deal for sure – the only criticism I can give up about the exchange given the video – for both parties – is what Officer Weg had to say. Officer Weg telling Campisano, “I am going to issue a citation for speeding in lieu of being arrested today. You were going 47 in a 35. I’m working a speeding grant.” was probably not the best thing to say. That statement can be interpreted many ways, and bringing up the grant, unless needed to be disclosed due to law, should have not been mentioned.
The entire concept of a speeding grant is suspect. In my opinion, an officer working a speeding grant who pulls someone over for speeding, could be used as an affirmative defense for an alleged speeder. The fact an officer’s overtime or wages are being paid through the grant taints the stop, in my opinion.
The law that the New Jersey legislature wrote and was enacted by Governor Murphy is irresponsible and unconstitutional for many reasons. In this case, requiring permit to carry holders – and only permit to carry holders – to have to tell an officer they engage with that they have a handgun is not a necessary detail. If the individual is a law abiding citizen, which permit to carry holders are, there’s nothing to worry about. It’s of zero consequence if someone is carrying a firearm when they’re being stopped for alleged speeding. In this case, the only real conflict revolved around Campisano’s lawful carry of a firearm. Had Campisano not been required to divulge that information, this would not be news.
Officer Weg did say, “this is how bad things happen,” and he’s correct. Bad things happen when officers who are not understanding like Weg was, might fly off the handle over lawful carry. The police and public at large need to accept the reality that the carry of firearms is perfectly normal. Bad things happen when the word “gun” is said in a state like New Jersey, and the culture needs to change to accept the civil right. Cops also need to know and respect the laws.
Rather than having more Jim Crow-style laws tossed at gun owners, the State could better equip gun owners and officers of the law by having information campaigns about this right. In discussing the matter with the media relations head of Toms River, she did tell me that they have been in contact with both the Attorney General’s office and New Jersey State Police about so-called “civilian carry.” Here’s the issue: this is all reactionary. What has the state done to notify all the municipalities of the current law(s) and case law(s) regulating firearms in New Jersey?
Wanting to know, I reached out to both the New Jersey State Police and the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office. I asked both parties if there has been any guidance at all concerning the dynamic changes in New Jersey’s law. The law was changed in December, then subsequent to that there have been two temporary restraining orders, a preliminary injunction, and a partial stay, all regulating carry law in the Garden State. The most recent, a partial stay of the law was issued on June 20th, 2023 at the Third Circuit Court of Appeals level. Campisano was pulled over on July 31st, that’s more than enough time for the Attorney General and New Jersey State Police to get the information about the case law out to the municipal police departments on how to handle citizens who are legally carrying firearms.
Not surprisingly, neither the Attorney General’s Office nor the New Jersey State Police replied to my request for information and comment. This was an attempt to get an actual comment, which both parties decided to not participate in the conversation. This matter will be followed up on with further OPRA requests.
This traffic stop has the earmarks of several learning moments. The manner in which Weg handled the stop should be repeated by other officers in similar situations, this could be a powerful training tool. What was said could have been said better in some instances, but no one got arrested or assaulted. Whether or not Campisano was speeding, he’ll have his day in court and get to argue that, and I’m confident he’ll get off based off what’s been learned about the situation. Another exemplary element of this situation has to do with the expeditious and cooperative manner in which the Toms River Police Department both took ownership of the scenario, and was transparent during every stop of the way.
Hopefully this scenario will aid both permit to carry holders and police departments in navigating a free New Jersey. While there might be some crow being eaten by all parties involved, everyone did win in this situation. There’s no Give Send Go account set up for someone’s legal defense fund, we’re not reading any obituaries, and nothing about this matter hit the police blotter. Is this important news? It sure is. For so many reasons. Let’s also hope that other departments and officers in the state are being educated on the most up to date laws on carry.
To watch the dashcam and bodycam videos from Officer Weg on the 31st of July 2023, you can check them out HERE or in the embed below:
Please be sure to check out all previously reported articles on this story:
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