Since we have been without a pot for weeks, this week I decided to cook at least two columns.
All over the country there is a lot of talk about pretextual stops.
By now, most of us know what a pretext stop is.
According to a memo from the City Council, a pretextual stop is when a police officer stops a person for a minor crime, such as a traffic violation, because the officer believes the person is involved in or has committed another, more serious crime.
According to statistics, people of color are more likely to be the subject of pretextual stops.
I have already covered pretext stops here before this became an issue due to the Office of Independent Review (OIR) investigation into the Anthony McClain case.
No, this is a completely different take.
I don’t think the police make a mistake every time they stop someone.
I actually want them to stop the bad guys. Stop them, get the drugs, the guns and keep the population safe.
Of course, this all comes with the police staying within the law.
We all have rights and they must be respected.
This is where I see the need for change.
Too often the good guys are stopped, questioned and treated like the bad guys.
You know, the average Joe came home after a hard day’s work who gets pulled over and treated with suspicion and has to turn in his papers and reveal where he’s going and where he’s been.
Trust me, it’s happened to me too many times, more in Altadena than Pasadena, but the point is the same.
Many of us have been stopped while standing, breathing, walking, sitting and jogging.
This is why so many black men who have done nothing wrong have this fear when they see those red lights behind them.
They have been treated like criminals, forced to sit on the pavement while their car is searched.
been there
Asked if they are in a gang.
been there
Asked if there were any weapons in the car.
been there
However, I have no criminal record.
This treatment makes it appear as if some of the pretextual stops are in fact pretextual fault.
No, this doesn’t happen every time.
Of course, there are times when the police must pull over law-abiding citizens, but even so, the process should be simple.
Let them know or write the ticket and send them on their way.
Of course, this requires the citizen to respond in kind. It’s a two-way street.
Of course, policing is hard, and it’s a job I wouldn’t want, especially in this day and age where all police officers are treated with derision.
Simply put, it’s time to bridge the gap between police and people of color.
We fill this void with mutual respect.
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