Tales of Woe
are the horror stories we share
to try to understand and feel better
about what they do to us
 

We saw your website on 20/20 last night.  I was a VICTIM of New Rome Police (and I use that term very loosly) on Christmas Day several years ago.  I was born 12-05 and didn't know that a person didn't have to the end of December to get their license plates renewed (shame on me for not knowing).  I had just delivered presents to my brother who lived on Lawrence Ave. and had turned onto Broad St.  I was the only car (except for the police car) on the road and that gave me a very bad feeling.  I checked my speed and was going exactly 35.  He pulled in behind me and followed me for a while then on came the lights.  By that time, I was where GEMCO Coins is now.  He gave me the ticket for expired plates.  From what I have heard since then, I should be thankful that a ticket was all I got - but come on, on Christmas Day!!!!!  Being the only car there that night, I knew he was running my plates to get me on something.  Please add this to your list of stories.  I live on Grener Ave. and avoid New Rome as much as possible.  I just wish I could help vote it out.

I just wanted to say thank you for bringing attention to the insanity that is New Rome.  I am a former Columbus resident (1995-1999) who was ticketed by the New Rome PD.

My tale of woe:  As a young college student I was taking my girlfriend (now my wife) home on a Saturday night.  While heading through New Rome I was pulled over.  The sticker on my license was three days past date.  It is not that my registration and everything was not up-to-date, but that the sticker had not arrived in the mail.  This did not prevent the police from giving me an expensive ticket and threatening to impound my car on the spot!

It was not until later that I learned of the pattern of harassment in New Rome…  I sincerely hope that this madness will end.

Thank you!!!

John
[Failure to Display.  One of the most minor of infractions.  No need for a citation, unless you're generating revenue. -Michael]

First of all Nice job on 20/20. My Dad and I got pulled over in New Rome for nothing. The reason they gave is we have that new OSU plate holder and they said they couldn't see all the #'s and letters, but they could.

Dan
[NRPD roots for Michigan.]

Watched the 20/20 show about the police force of New Rome Ohio. I too have a tale to tell, about New Rome and her "finest"  This one is an oldie.  Back when I was a student at Otterbein College, in the winter of 1972.  My self and several of my fraternity brothers where on our way to Wittenberg University to visit with some friends,  We made the mistake of driving through New Rome.  At a stop light, our cars were side by side, as we were talking to our friends of our need to find a place to go to the bathroom.  As the light turned green, we both pulled ahead , only to hear the siren and see the gumball all lit up.  We were pulled over  and cited for drag racing, each driver was fined, and the officer threaten to have there license revoked..  Needless to say we were not to impressed with the village of New Rome.    Any way, thought you might enjoy a piece from ancient history of New Rome and her "finest"

Michael

I have a TOW on New Rome, but I live in Florida. I was visiting family, they live on Old Sullivant. When I was driving in New Rome I got pulled over. I was like what the hell? They cop came to my window and ask for the essentials: license, registration, insurance proof, etc.

As I asked what for, he ignored me. So I asked him again. He told me he pulled me over for not having a tag in the front of my car. So I responded and explained that Florida doesn't require a tag in the front of the car. He argued with me for about 30 minutes. When he gave me the ticket I refused to sign it, and asked him to hang on while I called the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles in Florida from my personal cellphone. Wow, I made him feel like a complete jackass.

I was driving in new rome on my way home at 9pm and Guess what! Blue lights behind me..I couldnt think of anything at all that i was doing wrong.i want speeding. ok, well i pull over! and roll down my windo and he Demanded (not asked) for my lisc, reg, and prrof of insurnace so i handed him them, and he typed it in his lil computer in his car and comes back tells me to step out of the car, i asked him what i did wrong, he said "You leave that up to me" What an asshole! So he pops out a mesureing tape and mesures the space between my front bumper and the ground and said it was .8th of an inch too low (its a 99 cavalier NOT lowered!) i told him and he said "We could see what else is wrong with your car" So i just bit my toung and took the ticket ($140) I paid it! But i feel i was violated and there is something BADLY wrong with new rome police!!!!!!!!

In fall of 2000, I was working as an armed public safety officer at Lincoln Park West, just outside new Rome (I am presently an attorney, I was a cop in NY and I have an extensive law enforcement background). A new Rome police officer asked me to accompany him while he served traffic warrants at the apt. complex there. it was funny. The new Rome cop was knocking on doors, while standing directly in front of the door, a big no-no (police have been killed by gun blasts through front doors while serving warrants, and they are supposed to know better than to stand right in front of the door.  As he was knocking, I advised him to notice the numerous bullet holes in the adjacent door. I also advised the new Rome "cop" that the bullet holes were from a gang shooting. I further advised him that the area he is in is a headquarters for a notorious Mexican gang, the "Brown Pride." I almost laughed when this "cop" immediately drew his gun 2 inches out of his holster! Meanwhile, I am standing at the side of the door, which is what REAL cops are supposed to do! This New Rome cop is nonchalant about serving traffic warrants in an area where it's likely people are wanted for things like murder and drugs. Even me, being a so-called "rent-a-cop" at that time, was wise enough to know not to stand directly in front of the suspect's door!

Those cops are good at writing tickets, but they are not real police officers, at least from what I saw.

Dave

I was driving down Broad Street with my girlfriend in my 1992 Camaro Z28 25th anniversary. This is no hoopty car!!! It is a show car!!!! A new rome gestapo pulls into traffic in FRONT of me and waits til I get up there, while blocking traffic and almost causing a pileup in the process.

He pulls behind me and his lights were on before I ever got within 100 feet of him. I pulled over to the side wondering what in the hell was going on. He comes up and says my REAR license plate was covered where the county sticker is. It wasn't covered!!!!!  It was the tag holder that was put on by the dealer where the car was purchased. He walked back to take another look and says "oh yeah, you're right" now how in the hell did he see my back plate when he was in front of me!!!!

I guess the new rome gestapo gets standard issue x-ray eyeballs huh!!! He then says he is writing me a ticket for no seatbelt!!!! I had unbuckled it when he pulled me over so I could get my license and insurance card from my wallet. He watched me unbuckle it and now said he didn't see any such thing.  So then he writes another ticket for smoked taillights that came that way from the factory!!!!! As I was sitting there helpless a black truck with tinted windows, no mufflers and loud music comes pulling up. The pig didn't even look!!! Nneedless to say when I went to pay the ticket at the gestapo headquarters, I was "greeted" by Frau Blucher lol!!

I looked at her, took a look out the window and handed her my money and told her that it was obvious that the hole called new rome needed the money more than I did.  Lesson learned: steer clear of new rome.

[Another typical story.  BS traffic stop, followed by BS revenue generation tickets.]

I am a West Jefferson resident who needs to bypass New Rome on every trip to Columbus. I would like it known that there are several business's on Rt 40 in New Rome that do not get my money simply because getting there would involve driving through the speed trap. My bypass involves Galloway to Sullivant  to Norton.

PS my first ticket was in New Rome back in 1980. A traffic light turned YELLOW when I was under it. Of course the officer who I believe was legally blind swore I ran a red light. Of course the I got a ticket and they confiscated my license.

Dwayne 

Well......my dumb ass did it again! I went through New rome.....and guess what???  Yep you got it....pulled over and you know what for???  Get this light bulb not working over my tag in the back.  I didn't even know it went out.....but do you think i got a warning?  Nope!  $112.00 ticket! How much more do we have to endure of this hole? What would happen if a real crime happened in New Rome?  Never mind one did happen while NRPD was writing a ticket a block away. If New Rome is put out will the donut place gonna have any business? [I would love to own a donut store near there and get to tell NRPD they weren't welcome in my store... -Michael]  I'm just tired of having to go out of my way to get to places I need to go because they are on the other side of New Rome.

Cunningham and that prune face witch need to get a life and stop trying to be what they are not...important people.  It's a small hole with small law makers..and the prune face......go away and let the state handle New Rome and it's residents....the state would do far better then you could ever dream.

Steve

I do hope lawful order returns soon to New Rome.

Three years ago, my husband and I were returning late at night from a funeral in Cincinnati. My aunt, a Sister of Charity from Mount St. Joseph's, had passed away unexpectedly. We were both very tired and had turned off the interstate onto Rt 40 and proceeded through New Rome. We regret doing that very much and will never go that way again.

I was driving at the speed limit when out of nowhere, as we passed Doctors Hospital, the New Rome police pulled us over. The charge was, "I can't see the county on your plates"! (The plates had been put on at the dealer with their name on the plate holder. You could see half of the franklin county sticker.)

The policeman insisted on seeing not only my license but my husband's license which he did not have with him. The officer treated us rudely as though my husband was lying to him about his ID. If had the ID with him he would have shown it to him. We did not understand his attitude since I was driving my car and showed him my license. We are both in our late 40s, now grandparents, and do not look like criminals. I have never had a ticket in my life.

I had not put my insurance card with the most current renewal date in my wallet, but I did show him the card that had all other my insurance information. The card with me showed the policy was due for renewal two days before this incident. He took his time in his cruiser doing "whatever", about 10-15 minutes.  He finally reappeared with more questions about where I worked etc. He finally gave us the ticket for $235.00. As you can imagine, we were very disturbed by the incident.
I personally went to the office and paid the ticket because they said they would report me as uninsured, if I did not go and show the correct proof of insurance. I was concerned that they might leave such a thing on their report.

Paying the ticket was an experience too. The lady in the office had no concern about my showing the proof of insurance with the correct dates. Someone, other than myself, stated to the office lady that this was all unfair. The office person called for a deputy to come into her office, as though the person in front of me was some type of threat to security. I thought they might arrest the person who was just trying to pay her fine.

Thanks for getting the word out so that others will not have to have this happen to them. 

Anne
[Wow!  Great story...it raised my blood pressure reading it.]


I know a couple of people who would beg to differ on your beloved "police"(thugs). One got pulled
over because, unknown to him, his kids had been playing with the dots you use for
pricing and had stuck some on his license plate. The posse pulled him over and instead of warning him, they seen fit to issue a ticket for defacing the plate???? My step-dad was going west on Broad St. years ago, before the advent of anti-lock brakes, and the light turned yellow, he was approx.20 ft. from stopbar, not nearly enough time to stop...but nooo, the thugs thought differently. Instant ticket, and I don't mean the lottery kind.Been driving for almost 50 years and that's the only ticket he ever got.

The other beef I have personally with the so-called police force is how they get away with pulling cars over as far east as the Super-America @ Broad & I-270, the Kroger store on Broad to the west, and the railroad tracks on Rome-Hilliard to the north.  Last time I looked,that puts them waaay out of their jurisdiction, and there is no way Alisa that you can tell me with a straight face  that if the police(chuckle) light up a vehicle in New Rome  that person is going to drive 2 MILES!! before they pull over!!  Bull****. 
Doug

Michael says: Yeah one time I saw New Rome working a minor traffic crash at Rome-Hilliard and Beacon Hill.  (Probably some poor slob on the detour). They were parked like idiots with their lightbars ablaze, marching around with a purpose.  If I had been in the crash I would have been on the cell to Franklin County begging a Sheriff officer to respond.
We live in Galloway and got pulled over once in NR. Typical story - expired tags, threat of impounding the car, voice mail message left advising an arrest warrant if fine wasn't paid by close of business, etc.  I would love nothing more than to see that "village" dissolved and the cops left to wander around with no one to officially bully.  I stop by the website several times a week to check for updates and would
like to say keep up the good work!

Teri


I would just like to say it is pretty sad when your driving a car that is your other half's and you are stopped and ask if you know that the car you are driving is not registered in your name!!! Of course you know!!! Is this a reason to be stopped? Well I do not think it is matter a fact I think it is a pretty stupid reason to be pulled over when you were doing nothing wrong to begin with but then what do you expect when in New Rome where the officers run everyones plates trying to see if they can catch someone. So when travling in New Rome Beware your tags are being ran!!!!
 
 From someone who knows!!
 Signed Red

Michael says: I agree. Don't drive through New Rome.  Period.


Here it is 3 days before Christmas at 9:30 pm and my husband and I were pulled over by the infamous sorry New Rome "cops".  Stopped at the one and only traffic light, this rookie cop ran our plates and hit the jackpot with my expired tags.  My husband didn't know what the heck was going on...he wasn't speeding, and it was dark out, so we couldn't figure out why we were being stopped.  We pulled over at the Kroger's at Galloway Rd and he informed us of the tags.  I told him that the car we were driving was in my mother's name and she signed the car over to me, and as an oversight, I had forgotten to renew the tags based on my birthday.  He didn't buy it.  Our second slam was that we had just changed insurance companies and didn't have the new cards as of yet.  The new agent told us to keep the old card on us in case something like this happened.  I handed the old card over and he wouldn't accept it, saying it was expired and wrote out the second citation,and then asked for my husband's place of employment.  After reading another TOW, I realize that that is so they can come and arrest him if the ticket is not paid.  Gee, they are bored out there, huh?

 The car is mine and my husband was issued both citations.  I will never drive through New Rome again....I have a gold 2001 Honda Civic, and that's not a car that blends in...I'll be targeted from here on out.  What is it going to take to run these yahoos out?  I'm sure their parents must be proud to have their sons as NEW ROME officers..the most hated police force in all of our state.

Thanks,
Shannon

Michael says: We get a lot of "expired tags" e-mails.  It's definitely something that NRPD looks for.  We also get e-mails from people saying "well it serves them right if their tags were expired."  I guess our point of relaying this type of TOWs is to warn the public to detour New Rome, even if you think your car is legal.  


I think that your Website is great.  I am a victim of forgetting to pay the ticket that I received in New Rome.  My boyfriend needed my truck so we traded vehicles.  I was pulled over for expired plates and issued a ticket for $83.00.  Needless to say I was not happy for receiving a ticket for a vehicle that is not even mine.  I put the ticket in the glove box and it slipped my mind.  Anyway, 1 week after my court date they sent an officer to where I work to bring me in.   He said there was a" WARRANT"  for my arrest.  (I was 7 days late)   I didn't go with him.  Luckily, I have a job where I deal with police officers from surrounding counties on a daily basis. (not that I think that New Rome are real police officers) So, no one thought anything of it.  I was charged $50.00 extra dollars when I came in that evening to pay my ticket.    They said it was to cover the cost of the warrant and time the officer had to take to come to my work place.  Okay,  the CPD, State of Ohio, and Franklin County send out a letters.  Cost?  Maybe $ .50 for ink, paper , postage and employee time to press the button on the printer.  This is just another example how they are screwing the public and wasting time and money in New Rome. I thought is was weird when the officer (I use this term loosely) asked me where I worked and for a phone number.  I will drive that extra few miles to avoid New Rome which means I longer be able to patronize the business's in New Rome.   Thank you for giving me this opportunity to vent.

Dana


Well, it all started when I inadvertently ended up driving through New Rome.  I figured I'd be safe for the 1/4 mile that I needed to get through.  Well, as I turn left onto Broad from Norton I see a cop sitting on the shoulder.  I was fine I thought, going the speed limit, my turn is right here.  Nope....All of the sudden he speeds behind me and pulls me over *no lie* 10 feet from the corporation line.  I got pulled over for failure to show front license plate and failure to show insurance.  Well, I had my insurance card right there, but he already wrote the ticket and said I had to go to court to get it dismissed.  Second, I had the license plate right under my seat because it had fallen off.  He didn't care that I had an appointment the next day to get it re-bracketed on there.  So I went to court today and got an 85 dollar fine for something so assanine.  The insurance did get thrown out.  I tried to transfer it to Franklin Municipal but the Magistrate said no. 
 
Ben

Michael says: Another letter that proves that New Rome is a "Traffic Trap", not a speed trap.  Remember, by their own documents, only 14% of their tickets are for speed.  Most municipal cops would issue a warning for the minor infraction of not having the front plate on your car.  As for the no insurance violation if you had a valid card, that's a tough one.  If anyone could enlighten us why so many people are having difficulty transferring these cases to Franklin County, we'd love to hear it.


I am beginning the fight of a ticket for illegal tint that I drove through New Rome, the car of which is not even mine.  The ticket cost is $118.00

Can you tell me what, if anything, is being done at this point to rid ourselves of the Village of New Rome?  Has anything been attempted at targeting the businesses to lessen their traffic and revenue?  If we can decrease their revenue on a continuous basis and let them know why it is decreasing, maybe they can be the turning point on the issue.

Let me know!

Debi

Michael says:  We've kicked around the idea of a boycott, but decided it was futile.  It's funny, but we've had a fair amount of support from businesses near New Rome (George's Coney Island and Buffalo Wild Wings) while few comments from business owners IN New Rome.  I think it comes down to each consumer making a personal decision on whether it's worth the risk to drive into or through New Rome to get to the AutoZone, Dairy Queen, etc.  We continue to urge that motorists take the detour around New Rome, or use it to cut the corner from Rome-Hilliard Road.  Good luck with your fight.


I was travelling through New Rome with my mom going to Krogers when I noticed a set of lights behind me. I pulled over on Broad street and the officer started hitting his air horn and motioning for me to pull over of a side street so I did. He got out and walked up and before I could say anything he wanted my license and proof of insurance. I then interrupted and asked why he stopped me and he said that the county on my back license plate was unreadable. I said you've got to be shi*ing me and he said you want to go to jail boy and I asked him for what and he said for obstructing official police business. I then said is that right well that's funny because I'm a police officer and that that's not obstructing and if he wants to push the issue we can go back to there station and get his chief in there and we all
three can discuss the Ohio Revised Code. The look on his face was that I just killed his dog. I asked him if he still needed my license and he said no and walked back to his cruiser and drove away. That's pretty bad when other Law Enforcement officers can't stand New Rome Police.

Chris

More proof New Rome will stop people for whatever reason they can think of.


Back in the early 80's, my great aunt came to Columbus for Christmas, all the way from Cleveland. At the time, we lived down on Norton Rd. in Weston Gardens. She had the misfortune of going thru New Rome. She got pulled over....... Guess what her crime was???????   driving " TOO SLOW FOR CONDITIONS "  There you have it folks.  Damned if you do & damned if you don't     - Robin

P.S.  I read the "Timeline of Shame" and was wondering why hasn't the state of Ohio done something a long time ago. I mean, there has to be somebody over the mayor of New Rome. Like perhaps, Ohio's governor?  Maybe it's a moral issue (problem being, no one has any)


I was driving through New Rome about 4 years ago with 2 friends (we were all 17 coming from Westland High School).  A New Rome cop followed us all the way to Lincoln Village to pull me over because we looked suspicious.  He then proceeded to search (tear up) my car, again because we look suspicious.  He gave everybody a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt (which we all know better than to drive through New Rome with out a seatbelt) which we were wearing until he made us get out of the car.  Then he gave me a ticket for my tags because the came off of my old car and I had the sale receipt showing this car had only been purchased 3 days before.  The real beauty of the story is that everyone had to pay their tickets through Franklin County since we were all minors at the time and the judge made a comment about "New Rome wasting his time" and dismissed all charges against me and my two friends.  New Rome didn't win this one. 
 
Randi


Last year I was driving through New Rome about 2 am, I'd never been there before. Well, I stopped at the only stop light in town and remember seeing nothing around, just an empty lot to my right, I honestly thought nothing of it. Now remember, it's 2 am, there are NO cars on the road but me...I mean it literally was just dead out. Now I have to disclose that my car that I was driving that night is a highly souped up Mustang. Now I realize that I'm in a fast car but I honestly did nothing, I went when the light turned and was minding my own business, going 35. Ok, now is where it gets good, I happen to look in my rear-view and see headlights turn on in the empty parking lot that I'd noticed earlier and they start moving and turning onto broad street and coming up behind me. I then remembered a quote from my friend whom I'd dropped off earlier,he said "Watch out for those prick cops in New Rome!!" I immediately decided that I was not in the mood to deal w! ith some fat-ass cop for something I know I didn't do so I floored it!!! I haulded ass down broad street and hit 270 North and you know that sucker tried to run me down?! All I can say is that the guy couldn't drive worth crap, he was all over the road, I even backed all the way down to 80 to let him catch up a bit once we were on 270. He chased me all the way to Hilliard with me laughing the whole way, I totally lost him. Here's my message to whoever that punk wannebe was: 92 Mustang GT Silver with illegal window tint, illegal exaust, dirty liscense plates and no seat belt.. come get me anytime you think you have the balls, this is one ticket you're going to earn!! .
Casey

Michael says: I just love this story since we see so few victories against NRPD on this site.  Now, obviously we DO NOT CONDONE driving in this manner even at 2am.  I wonder what other police agenices think when NRPD is chasing someone that far away from the village...

Here's an response from the author responding to those who questioned that New Rome was working overtime on this night...

Oh they work alright, I still think back on that incident and think "what possibly could he have pulled me over for?", I mean you can't see a cracked windshield at night, my tires weren't low, I suppose he would have just made something up when he got there I guess. What a bunch of crackheads, I hope you guys succeed and get that place wiped out. Thanks for the site, I visit it regularly now.

Casey


Three or four years ago, my wife and I were taking our grandaughter to the Dairy Queen in New Rome.  I pulled into the Dairy Queen and saw a New Rome barney follow me in. I got out of my car and approached him knowing I did nothing wrong.  He asked me if the child had her seat belt on. I told him to look for himself.  I asked him why he pulled me over, he said to forget it that he saw that she had her seat belt on. I pressed him why he pulled me over again.  He told me that he had seen too many children that day without seatbelts on.  I told him that he wasnt allowed to pull me over without me in violation of another law.  He told me that it was ok and to forget it. Well it really pissed me off and I gave him a piece of my mind he left me standing there oh how I wanted a piece of his sorry ass..
-Papa

Papa added that his granddaughter was 9 years old at the time.  Somebody should remind NRPD that in Ohio, you can't stop a car solely for seatbelt violations unless there's an unrestrained child under the age of 4.  (Believe it or not, children over 4 can ride unrestrained in the back seat of a car in Ohio.)  Or maybe NRPD officers can't tell the difference between a 9 year old and a toddler.


During the winter of 1995-96 I was working as a line technician for a utility company in Columbus.  I was called out one January winter night and worked until 11:00PM in below freezing temperatures on Sullivant Ave.  On the way home I stopped at the BP station on Broad St., just outside of New Rome.  While pumping gas, I was approached by a clean-cut, well-dressed young man in his mid twenties.  He asked if I could do him a favor.  I asked what that favor might be.  He told me that he, his wife, and 3 children had been to their parent's homes in Springfield, Ohio to show them a new van they just purchased and decided to take Route 40 home to Newark, Ohio.  Somewhere along the way, the paper temporary tag had blown off.

Now, everyone knows the NR policemen cannot see their dicks or feet, but they can spot a missing plate 23 miles away.  There was no way a car without tags is making it through Hooterville.  Long story short, the family was told they could not move their van without plates, even though they had the bill of sale showing the van was just purchased and backed up their story of losing the temp tag.  Where are replacements available at 11:00PM?

I thought this was ridiculous until I walked into the BP station and found 3 children, the oldest maybe 6 or 7, and a woman that was obviously 6-7 months pregnant!  What kind of bottom feeding, piece of s---, that claims to be a police officer, puts a pregnant woman and 3 kids on the street in the middle of the winter?  DESPICABLE!  NRPD obviously has no idea what it means to be a police officer.  I look at them no differently than thugs and thieves, backed up by a badge that means nothing more than they have the right to bully and harass people in New Rome.

NRPD:

Take a look at the officers in Columbus, Grandview, Dublin, Hilliard, and other surrounding communities.  They are the real police officers, the real heros!  Not some overgrown junior high bully with an IQ lower than his cruiser.

Avoiding New Rome at all costs,

Frank



i received a ticket because i had a frame over my tags and the top half of the word franklin was showing.......$148.00........they knew it was franklin you could see the top half!!!!!!!........My kid was in the car, we were coming from wendy's.........this all happened a few years ago.....but still to this day pisses me off.

Michael says: It pisses me off just hearing about it.  New Rome Police, do you think it's moral to steal two weeks worth of groceries from a family for having a frame around their license plate?  How does this make the world safer?

Back in the late 80's I worked in the now closed Kroger Building at W Broad and Norton Roads (right on the edge of New Rome).  There were countless stories of ticked off individuals coming in to the store that had just received a questionable ticket.  The person that I can remember the most was a lady insisting that we open up our cash office for her (it had already closed since it was close to midnight) so she could give this New Rome cop a money order for her ticket.  She claimed that they were going to hold her, her license, and her car if she couldn't pay, tonight, and they wouldn't take cash.
Mark

I marched today (8/17/02) for my son who was pulled over BECAUSE he was
driving a red Lebaron with his girlfriend and another couple and BECAUSE he
was 19 years old. He broke no laws except for driving through this "town" no
one wants to have to be near.  The cop found everyone sober, no pot or drugs,
everyone sane and polite.  So as not to have wasted his time pulling over my
son, the cop issued him a ticket for overly-tinted windows.

Later, my son parked at the cop shop in Grove City and had one of their
officers check out the tinting. The officer said no way would Grove City pull
him over and that the windows were okay.

You can't have a ticket moved to Franklin County.  No way can you avoid
paying court costs and the ticket.  My son was afraid to contest anything and
came away from the ordeal $88 short plus missing a day of work.

I'm tired of the west side being made fun of by this situation.  VOTE TO GO
TO PRAIRIE TOWNSHIP, citizens of New Rome!!!!  Maybe your funky little town
can be cleaned up (you definitely need new sidewalks) and it'll be more
attractive for everyone passing through and more profitable for the
businesses.

Freda


The next time you get a whiner who says "if you break the law you get caught, etc.", tell them this:

I was just at a meeting just outside New Rome.  Someone there--who has lived on the West side for decades, I have worked with for years, and who serves on several boards and is very honest--claims New Rome once pulled him over for having too small a font on his license plate.

If this doesn't show how corrupt they are, I don't know what does.  Duh, the
state issued it, he didn't make it himself.  Funny how they can ignore state
sign regulations but do this.

They ran his license and hassled him but couldn't find anything so they let
him go.

Proof positive that New Rome sucks.

John


Here is my story..........It was around 8:30pm on a quiet Wednesday night last year.  I just picked up a order of chicken wings from roosters and decided to take my chances thru New Rome..   BIG MISTAKE!!!!!!  Should of known better being a long time Hilliard resident and watching the fat whores in New Rome get rich off of unsuspecting motorist.  Anyways,
My front license plate was loose and I noticed it at roosters.  I had no tools to put it back on and you can guess the rest!!..Yep pulled over for failure to display front plate..I had it in my front seat and that fat cop gave me a ticket and notice to appear in court..I go to court they would not let me transfer the case to Franklin County!!!!  I was railroaded by the BIG FAT ASS COP IN NEW ROME!!
I TAKE THE FREEWAY AND AVOID THAT PART OF TOWN..
 
IN CLOSING I THOUGHT YOU HAD TO BE IN SHAPE TO BE A COP!!! 


Here's the story. A few months ago my brother went to the Auto Auction next door to the Volunteers of America store on W Broad St. near New Rome, when he got out of the car he noticed a blob of sorts sitting in a police curiser, one of New Romes finest just hanging out seeing who he could intimidate. My brother started walking to the auction and as he neared the car noticed this rather large (i.e. blob) officer sitting staring at him. Not knowing what else to do he nodded at the officer and said hello. The officer jumped out of his car, waddled behind my brother chasing him across the parking lot and shouting, I could haul you in ,are you trying to get smart with me, huh, you trying to be smart? (believe me he wasn't trying to get smart with him, I don't think the officer could handle smart), he kept following my brother and patting on the gun on his side in the process.  My brother is disabled and unable to defend himself from the Robo Cop Reject! , I know he wasn't trying be disrespectful, but it sure don't pay to be friendly in New Rome.  Keep up the good work, and remember the squeeky wheel get the oil. The only way to change the laws and get New Rome out is get enough publicity going that the state will have to move on this.

I have several members of my family that are or were police officers. This type of "justice" is a travesty endangers the lives of good cops, and builds hatred for the law. I read your question and answer section. One question in paticular got my attention. It went something like this. If you are obeying the law you don't have anything to fear do you? Whoever wrote that, if you see this take another look at my brother's story, and tell me what is illegal with saying hello? (person must be a New Rome city employee,ha) 

Angelina


A couple years ago I was leaving Doctor's North and heading back to work. The quickest route was making the dreaded right on W.Broad. I was in a car I had bought from a friend, it still had his tags until I could get the title in my name. My friend had a suspension on his Driver's License so when the Barney Brigade ran the plates it came up. I was pulled over in the DQ parking lot and the officer walked up to my window looking rather cocky. He asked me to see my license and as soon as he read my name his little grin became an agrivated frown. "Is this your car?!" he asked in a tone that sounded like I had pissed in his wheaties. I said "I just bought it from a friend and havent bought new tags for it yet." The officer then tossed my license back into my car window and said in a very rude voice, "Well, tell your friend he has a suspended license!". He then stomped back to his cruiser like a 5 year old who was told he couldn't have some candy. I just sm! iled, took my time about putting my license away (seeing how Barney couldn't back into traffic and had to wait on me), gave him a little wave and drove off knowing I had ruined his day.

Just thought I'd share that with you guys. Good Luck with the fight.

Taylor

I love your Web site!  Having lived in this area for 23 years, I learned to
avoid that speed-trap the hard way a long time ago.  We paid our "dues:"
Back in the '80's they gave my wife a ticket for running a yellow light that
they claimed was red.  Later they gave me a ticket for having a cracked
windshield.  I was returning home from Kroger to get milk at about 1:00 AM
and got pulled over for the crack in the windshield.  He must have had great
vision to see that cracked window in the dark!  He probably thought I was
coming from a bar.  He even threatened to impound my car because he said
that crack posed a safety hazard!  Luckily he had some mercy and just wrote
me a $48 ticket for the cracked windshield.

But, here is a story that beats them all:  I was in the chainsaw shop in New
Rome about eight years ago when a person came in and told us we would not
believe what had just happened outside in the alley behind the chainsaw
shop.  A car was driving down the alley, the driver stopped and rolled down
his window to ask this person for some directions.  A New Rome cop
immediately came up and began to hassle the driver.  He ordered him out of
the car and arrested him for blocking the alley.  When he tried to explain
that he was just asking for directions the cop hand-cuffed him for something
like disorderly conduct or resisting arrest, took him to jail, impounded his
car and had it towed away, and made his pregnant wife who had been riding in
the car get out and stand in the alley alone with no ride while her husband
went to jail.  All of this just because the poor guy was lost in New Rome
and made the mistake of stopping to ask somebody for directions!

Keep up the great work!

Larry


This is a story from a customer of mine.

His son-in-law was stopped by NRPD on trumped up BS charge that they have arrested him on before and had the case thrown out of court.  But as you now "The Dukes of Hazard Law Enforcement Department" does whatever they want.

Anyway, my customer was called, and told unless he showed up with 500 bucks his son-in-law was going to be detained.  His son-in-law was allowed to speak to him and he told him to let them detain him.

He was then shipped off to the county lock up.  New Rome does not have any overnight accommodations.

The next morning the County released him ROR. Saying the charge was minor and no bail was needed (the judge also indicated that the charges had been dropped but they would need a hearing not an arraignment to drop the charges).  It took NRPD all day to show up before he was released.  Can you say sour grapes?!

Anyway, it is my understanding a law suit is pending.

I can't wait for the day they pull me over. My wife is an attorney.  I think that pork chops may be on the menu that day.

Steve

I have just finished reading the ToW's and am amazed at the bull that people have had to go through.  I personally have been pulled over by New Rome 2 times.  Neither time was I ticketed.

In the mid 80's I was at the Lounge (Ma Alices) in New Rome and had a few drinks.  When I left the Lounge I was driving a friends car that had a shotty front end, so, needless to say I was not driving in the safest manner. The windows were fogged up, bad front end and feeling no pain.  New Rome pulled me over in the National City Bank parking lot.  When the "officer" approached the vehicle he asked where I had been and I told him that I had been at the Lounge.  He then questioned me about how much I had had to drink and I told him just a couple and I started to laugh.  My friends in the car were losing it!!  The "officer" then shined his flashlight in my face, stated "You look o.k. to me" and I in turn told him "Thank you I just got my hair done today". He smiled at me and told me to be careful.  He actually let me go.

The second time I was pulled over was for not having the front license plate displayed.  I had the plate in the back floor board of the car.  When the cop asked where the plate was I reached around my seat and pulled it out.  I told the idiot that my Husband was in the MIlitary and I was waiting for him to get home to put it on for me.  The officer told me he did not want to see me in New Rome again without my plate being properly displayed.  And he let me go.  Go figure.  Maybe if we all act as stupid as the "officers" are the reports of Individuals driving through New Rome will have more success stories?? I have told many people about these incidents and each time I am told that I was so lucky.  I truly now do feel lucky.  The horrorific events that others have went through because of the egotistical jerk-offs in New Rome is mind boggling.

This web site is a fantastic option for people to use to vent.  I appreciate the efforts that have went into the creation of the site!!  Keep up the good work!!  New Rome, eventually, will hang themselves with their stupidity and ignorance of the law.

Tammy

I will turn 40 in January.  Although originally from Grove City and the west side of Columbus, my run in with NRPD did not come until I moved back to central Ohio from Lansing, Michigan in late 1994. 

At the time, I was living in Carriage Lane Apartments just across from Westland High School which required my traveling through New Rome on an almost daily basis.  I owned a new car, had current plates, insurance, etc.  I thought that if I obeyed the traffic laws, then I would have no problem.

Right? Wrong!

My late husband was still alive and remained in Lansing, Michigan to continue working on his newly created (and struggling) business and to complete the sale of our home there.  Because I was unsure I would remain in Ohio long-term due to both issues, I did not transfer my Michigan tags or license to Ohio since I considered myself (as did Ohio and Michigan tax authorities) a "dual citizen".  Many Ohioans who live in Florida part-time do the same thing, hence the nickname "snowbirds".

One could argue since I owned property in Michigan (but not Ohio), I should have continued living as a Michigan citizen. Right?

WELL, according to the NRPD officer who pulled me over on the 32nd day I traveled through New Rome on Michigan plates that I should have had Ohio plates on my buggy since I had been spotted with them in their "town" over 30 consecutive days.  Talk about being stalked!  When I explained to the officer my circumstances, he demanded my license.  Well, much to his chagrin my Michigan drivers license contained no Social Security number.  You see, Michigan was light years ahead of Ohio in that your SSI number should not be used for identification purposes.  Leaning down in my drivers window, the mental giant exclaimed, "where's the Social Security number on this thing!"  (If I had been a real criminal, wouldn't that have been a good opportunity for me to find my gun and shoot him when he was leaning down in my window struggling to find my "magical" number?  Say it with me - TRAINING.)  When I told him that Michigan didn't require them, he said he had to have one to see if I had prior tickets.  Already, I had gone from suspicious Michigander to potential criminal with outstanding tickets.

I gave Boy Wonder my SSI number.  He came back a few minutes later disappointed that I was not Helga Scrogburn, Ax Murderess and Chronic Speeder from Bumfuck, Michigan.

Just when I thought that was the end of it....

Dudley DooWrong pulled me over again two weeks later in the Aldi parking lot.  Again, my Michigan tag was the traffic "violation".  In what only can be described as a combination of PMS and a predisposition towards fits of rage (I'm German), I blew.  Before he could fully walk up to my window, I went off yelling in front of startled Aldi customers that he was harassing me because I was female and from Michigan.  He immediately figured out who I was (how many 6'0, 250 pound females in blue Cavaliers with Michigan tags do you know?) and waved me on.

Much to my amusement, I found out later from a then coworker (that just happens to have the last name of Carmony) that this officer is brow beaten by his wife constantly and I did the right thing by becoming a hostile female and confronting him.

Granted, I didn't suffer any monetary damages...but since when is it a crime to be from another state in an Ohio town?

I used to live in Galloway and always tried to avoid driving through New Rome.  Occasionally I failed.

One day I was stopped and told my license plate had expired.  It was a day out of date.  I leased the car so I called the leasing company.  They indicated that they had mailed the sticker a few days before and I should have it anytime.  I aked them to talk to New Rome's finest and explain this. They did.  He still wrote me a ticket.  I drove home and the sticker was in the mailbox.  I took it back to "City Hall" and showed it to them.  They refused to void the ticket.

While I lived in Galloway I had a teenager who ran away.  I took his picture to Franklin County deputies who were very helpful.  I did the same to the Columbus Police who worked that side of town and they also were very helpful.  I attempted to give a picture to two New Rome Cops and they refused to even look at it, saying that was not something "they did."

I hope we all will support the Mayor and the one member of Council who are trying to get the village voted out of existence.  I will do whatever I can to help them.

Thanks for the Website.  Eugene

I just wanted to leave my two cents worth concerning New Rome.
 
I been around the west side long enough to learn about the woes of New Rome, I've heard countless stories but after reading the stories on this site, I've come to learn that New Rome is worse than I could have ever imagined.  I live in the NE part of Columbus and dont have to contend with that area very much anymore  but have been known from time to time to venture over that way to a business for some coneys. 
 
This business was located outside of New Rome at one time but had moved and is now within the so called 'city limits'.
 
This one particular night I drove over there for some coneys..my daughter and I and when we had left, I pulled onto the side street of the business and up to the traffic light so that I could go East on Broad and hit the freeway and come back home.  Of all the places in the world for this to happen it would have to be New Rome.  The light is stuck on RED....and there is nowhere for me to go because there is someone behind me waiting for the light to change as well.  And guess what!!  You CANT make a right turn on red at that particular intersection either!!  I feel like a sitting duck and its after dark as well.  I'm trying to stay calm and figure out the logical thing to do...anywhere else in the world, you could just run it...but logic and New Rome doesnt go hand in hand.
 
I was at that light for AT LEAST 10 minutes almost paralyzed with anxiety trying to figure out what I should do.  I looked up and down the street for a cop...I just knew he was sitting somewhere hiding, just waiting for someone to make a right turn on red at that light or worse yet...run it....as I said..it was after dark and hard to see...but after awhile I just decided to go for broke..I couldnt sit there all night.  I elected to make a right turn on red and then I turned around in a business and came back out East on Broad St. so I could head home.  I know I held my breath through the entire episode just waiting for that cop to pounce.  I thank the Lord that I got away.  There really was no cop in sight which was so totally amazing.
 
I think these cops know this web site exist... I also know that they love intimidating people...it makes them feel powerful...they arent going to feel bad because of the things that are said on this site.  Life is way too short and hard enough to get through on a daily basis...we dont need the added anxiety or fear of having to travel through a place called New Rome.  This is a good place for people to vent and come together and unite on this issue. I'd love to see the fall of New Rome!!!
 
I like to come to that business when I'm in a good coney mood and figure its worth the gamble to see if I can slip in and out of there without being detected by the vultures of the land but after reading this site, it suddenly becomes NOT a good gamble......when thinking of the possible costs involved...I think I'll stick with making my own coneys or find another coney place that stays open later at night.  Any suggestions?!?! (smile)
 
I am a firm believer in the fact that what goes around, comes around. New Rome's day is coming and everyone in it who has made it their plot in life to make everyone elses life a living hell. Mark my words...the 'fat lady' WILL INDEED SING!!!!!
 
Keep up the good work on this site!! Deb
Disclaimer:
 The views and opinions posted are solely views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  Jim or anyone at newromesucks.com.