Why is the Grinch pulling over drivers in the Florida Keys? He’s got something for them
The Grinch is back patrolling the Florida Keys during the holiday season. And he’s offering scofflaw drivers a choice: ticket or onion?
The seasonal shtick, with a costumed cop from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, is promoted by the Keys’ tourism arm. But it’s also an educational moment, according to the sheriff’s office.
Col. Lou Caputo, along with a team of deputies, has been playing the Grinch for about 20 years. The ugly green thing was out on the streets again this week in Marathon.
The Dr. Seuss character is known to put a damper on the holiday season. But the Keys Grinch isn’t out to steal Christmas.
“It’s about education, awareness that our school zones are still operating, even though it’s the holiday season,” Caputo said in a statement through the tourism bureau. “We want people to be aware of that, and we want them to slow down.”
Not every driver in violation of the law gets a choice between ticket and onion. The decision typically goes to drivers who are caught going 5 mph or less above a posted school zone limit.
A uniformed deputy pulls over the driver. Then the Grinch could appear if the situation calls for it.
“It catches them off guard, Caputo said. “When I give them a clear choice of a citation, or the onion, they will take the onion. And I’ve had them eat the onion, right in front of me.”
This story was originally published December 14, 2022 at 1:57 PM.
