Cell phone ban no joke to one Chicago cop

Chicago -- Chicago is one of the only major U.S. cities to ban motorists from using cell phones while driving, and one police officer is making sure the ban is enforced.

Officer Ramon Solidum told The Chicago Tribune he considers himself the "super-cop" of the city's cell phone ban.

Solidum said many people do not think they will get caught if they talk while driving. He told the Tribune he has heard all kinds of excuses while making cell phone stops.

"There are thousands of alibis or stories," he said. "'Oh, I'm lost.' 'Oh, I was just checking my messages.' 'I'm not from here. I didn't know.' 'Oh, I just answered this phone call. My baby is in the hospital.' 'Oh, my son ... ' 'Oh, my mom ... '"

Solidum, 43, immigrated to Chicago from the Philippines and has been a police officer since 1999.

He told the Tribune he believes making cell phone stops makes the city a safer place to drive.

The number of cell phone citations has recently increased, suggesting that more Chicago police are taking the new law seriously, the newspaper said.

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Copyright 2007 by United Press International.