The Fastest Way to End a Traffic Stop? Be Nevada’s Governor

People have tried nearly every excuse imaginable to avoid getting a traffic ticket. Some blame their GPS, some insist they were keeping up with traffic, and others suddenly remember an extremely urgent appointment that begins in approximately thirty seconds.

However, the great state of Nevada may have revealed a much simpler strategy: It definitely helps if you are the governor.

Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo was driving near the Las Vegas Strip on May 15 when an officer with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department pulled over his pickup truck for allegedly failing to stop before making a right turn at a red light. Body-camera footage shows the officer approaching the passenger-side window and politely beginning to explain the reason for the stop.

Before the officer could finish, Lombardo offered a very brief introduction:

“I’m Joe Lombardo.”

The officer calmly replied that he was already aware and continued explaining what he had observed. Lombardo responded with a lighthearted, “Come on, man,” before the officer told him he was good to go and wished him a good day.

The entire exchange lasted about 15 seconds, making it quite possibly one of the quickest traffic stops ever captured on body camera. No citation was issued, and law-enforcement representatives noted that officers frequently use their discretion and give verbal warnings for minor traffic violations.

While most drivers will probably have to keep searching for a more realistic strategy, the lighthearted encounter offered a funny reminder of how unpredictable police work can be. An officer can begin a completely routine traffic stop without knowing who, or what kind of situation, will be waiting inside the vehicle.

Police officers conduct traffic stops every day to help keep roads and communities safe, and every stop can bring a different person, explanation or unexpected moment. This time, it happened to involve Nevada’s governor, one extremely efficient introduction and an officer who remained calm and professional throughout the brief encounter.

It was an unexpected police moment that proves officers truly never know what their next traffic stop will bring, and that in Nevada, name recognition apparently works a little faster than searching for your license and registration.