It's worth it, by the way. Jeremy DeWitte offers up a very entertaining rabbit hole to fall down. You're going to want to throw in a bag of popcorn for this one.
The short version is that he runs a funeral procession escort service in Florida under the name, Metro State. That's a business that is, for all intents and purposes, legit. What's gotten him into trouble is how he operates it, and more importantly, what he feels he can do because of it.
He thinks he's a cop.
Or well, he thinks he has way more authority than he actually does. He's a man caught up in a world of delusion.
The way I see it, he's a man who just really wants to believe he's something he's not and found an interesting loophole of sorts to kind of get to at least play the role. He's just a slight step above the infamous mall cop—or maybe Barney Fife on steroids.
With the only exception being that Barney Fife, although a fictional character of course, was actually a cop. Only one no one could really take all that seriously.
Apparently, he tried to become a cop early on. But it just didn't happen. You'll have to follow the story. I only write opinion here. But he tried. Of course, he's not cut out for the job, and I think watching Jeremy DeWitte in action, it's a Godsend that he never actually was given a real badge, and God forbid, a gun and any level of real authority.
You see, the job of a funeral procession escort service like Metro State is to simply direct the procession through traffic obstacles like traffic lights and ensure a safe passage to the cemetery. In the case of Metro State, they use mostly motorcycles to run ahead of the procession at intersections and stop any traffic until the procession is through it.
If anyone else would have started a company like Metro State, they may have decided to do it in a similar unique way.
Put flashing lights on the bike and put the escorts into a unique uniform.
But when it comes to DeWitte's company he goes a step further. It's not that his officers, as he calls them, look like cops in performing their duties the way he does. But Jeremy DeWitte certainly has the entire garb. In his mind he's the chief of his own police and the company gives him an opportunity to play dress up.
He's been arrested multiple times for impersonating a police officer. And it's not just because of the get up. He's been caught by his own body cameras going way too far in his role. "I'm a state agent," he typically shouts when questioned by civilians as to whether or not he's law enforcement.
Dr. Phil did an interesting exposé on him as well which is worth watching if you get the chance.
In Chicago he even tried to claim he was an officer when he ran into some trouble after tossing metal chairs at a tow truck driver who was called to tow his rental car from a place he was staying. So, his insistent claims he's not trying to play cop is laughable at best.
The bottom line for me is this. Sure, owning a business like his, even I can admit, could be fun. You could make it somewhat unique and make it cop-like without actually trying to be a cop. It could be a simple gimmick or schtick to set your business apart from others.
Where he runs into trouble is that the motorcycles he uses, as well as the cars, so resemble police bikes and cars they could easily be mistaken. Even if his flashing lights are purple and amber instead of red and blue.
But his uniforms do actually look very much like police uniforms. He wears a badge. He has a utility belt equipped with handcuffs and a pepper ball gun painted black to look like an actual stock, police issue firearm. He even wears a bullet proof vest.
The question is, why would you need a pepper ball gun or handcuffs to escort a funeral procession through traffic? Let alone the bullet proof vest? Unless you're escorting the funerals of gang members or something, you're probably not going to encounter anyone dangerous.
But Jeremy DeWitte insists he's not playing cop. He's just running a business. And the cops are just out to get him. But the reason the cops are "out to get him" is because of how he looks and what he does when he is wearing the uniform.
He's got a very easy problem to solve and save himself from all the trouble and legal issues causing his business to literally fall apart. The fact that he doesn't get this tells the whole real story.
Lose the badge. You don't need it. You also don't need the pepper ball gun or the handcuffs. You certainly don't need the bullet proof vest. And you don't need to go out of your way to make yourself look like a cop.
Period. Done. End of story. And the end of the pursuits.
If the business' primary function is to provide a service to escort funeral processions, you can do that easily without all the extra appearance of being something other than a simple funeral procession escort service.
If the problem is that the police are concerned you are acting like, or looking like the police, then stop doing that. Just escort the funeral procession and get on with what you are supposed to be doing. As many times as he's been arrested, you'd think he'd get it. The fact that he doesn't, to me, just confirms what he's being accused of.
Part of it is that he's just not all that mature a guy. Even if he is in his 40s, he acts more like a 5-year-old who can't get his way. He's, like I said before, an interesting character. Even his own mother has sort of written him off. He's stuck in a lifelong world of make-believe. He doesn't want to give that up. The purpose of his business is not to make money. It's to get to dress up and play the one part he has always wanted to play.
While his problem is a very easy one to solve, in some ways I am glad he hasn't solved it yet. Because if nothing else, his antics make for hours of solid entertainment. Eventually he may be in prison and then his story ends.
In the meantime, the only ones legitimately making money from his operation are the ones telling his story. Ironically, he's become a bit of a reality show entirely based on fantasy. The difference, in his case, is that no one has to write the script.
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© 2024 Jim Bauer
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