Part One

As I was on my way to pick up Douglas this morning, a friend from The Garden, I was turning left onto Park Heights Ave. After just putting on my seat belt at the stop sign, I’m pulled over by a police car. As he disrespectfully and mockingly states I’ve been pulled over for not wearing a seat belt, he demands my information and tells me to shut off the car and give him the keys. By this time another cop has arrived and is instructed to “watch me.”  A minute later I’m asked to step out and walk to the back of the vehicle where the officer asks if I have anything illegal, “drugs, weapons, guns, AK47s.” Of course I say no, at which point he demands that I do not lie to him and just tell him “now” what I have in my possession. I’m instructed to put my hands on my head as he spreads my feet and frisks me, hands in my pockets and everything. When I tell them what I do for a living, another cop barks, “I’ve personally arrested a ton of pastors.”

I’m told to sit on the curb as two of the four officers now on the scene “keep an eye” on me. Throughout the next ten minutes, my car is completely searched as I am disrespected and treated like a criminal in every way.  When he cannot find anything, the original officer (all of a sudden the nicest guy you’ll ever meet by the way) explains that he is not going to cite me for the seatbelt and jokes about his relative who is a pastor and a crook. He gives me nothing but a smile.

I call the Police Dept. to make a complaint, pick up Douglas, and discover that the officer completely ripped off the ashtray in my car during the search – no more plugging my GPS into the lighter.

Part 2

Fifteen minutes later, as I am telling the story to my friend, an unmarked police car turns it’s lights on behind me. Two cops in street clothes walk to either side of the car as one leans in the passenger side and begins to verbally assault us.  Barraging us with questions and language which would make my mother angry, I try to explain what just happened and that I just got off the phone with the police. Douglas says, “This is my pastor, he’s just picking me up.” “I don’t care what the f*** happened and who the f*** you are,” he screams, “this is Baltimore City and we can do what we want.” I ask why I’m pulled over.”You weren’t wearing your seat belt,” he states.  ”Yes I was.” I respond.  ”I don’t care what the f*** you think you were wearing, I didn’t see it. You got a problem with that?”  He goes on, screaming questions, not listening to answers, and talking a lot about jail.

After a few minutes of this, I ask the officer for his name. He gives it to me followed by, “I don’t know how the guys in uniform treat you but let me tell you how us in street clothes do it – you wanna make a complaint? I will pull you outta that car and lock your a** up.” Stunned I ask, “For making a complaint?” At which point he repeats his threat two or three more times. “You want to make a complaint? I”ll lock you up right now.” I look at the other officer. “He won’t save you.” He screams “Don’t look at him.”

Douglas and I do not say another word at which point the officer reminds us once again that he’ll lock us up if we make a complaint, shouting his threat, as they return to their vehicle.

I make the complaint. Not in jail yet.

The Problem

This is not the first time I’ve had a problem with the police.  I fully understand that I am a white guy in an African-American neighborhood and there are stereotypes and prejudices which cause police to question me.  But there is way for an officer to explain himself as he questions you, treating an individual with respect (which many officers have indeed done), and then there is this. What I have experienced back to back this morning, as I have too many times in the past, is that I am treated as a criminal for absolutely no reason. If you have seen me doing something or buying something or hiding something, that makes sense. But living in the “wrong neighborhood?”  Walking to the market? Driving to pick up a friend? It’s not a crime. And either way, there is respect and human dignity. This kind of dealing is not justice. It’s an atrocity.

I can honestly say that I have yet to fear for my safety since I’ve lived in Baltimore until this morning.  I interact with drug dealers and criminals almost everyday and have never felt in danger.  But this morning, as this cop is hanging in my window, screaming and swearing, shouting threats and making it clear that he has a badge and can do whatever he wants, I feared that my friend and I would be hurt.

The problem is that too many of our city’s police officers are simply thugs with badges.  Under the banner of having to be tough because it’s a tough city, these types do not defend the law nor care for the wellbeing of it’s citizens.

I will be the first to say that we have many excellent officers within the Baltimore City Police Dept, and I am privileged to know the faces of some of the most respectful and professional officers from the Central district and I will always be a champion of their work. However while I respect and deeply care for these excellent officers who seek justice and peace, it is these punks, these thugs with badges, who become agents of injustice which cause too many to lose respect for and distrust the entire system.  And so the old problem continues, kids turn to the drug dealers before they turn to the police. This must change. It must be dealt with. And if it’s not, we’re facing a great system of injustice.

To be continued I guess…

UPDATE: I received a very apologetic phone call from the Northwestern District with a commitment to deal with their part (which included the uniformed officer, the street clothed officer is not part of their district). She was appalled that this would happen in her district. I also received a very warm email from the Commander of the Central District who explained the Departments commitment to professional and respectful behavior from all of their officers.  I have been extremely pleased and encouraged thus far with the Department’s seemingly effective response.