All over the country there is a lot of talk about pretextual stops.<\/span><\/p>\n By now, most of us know what a pretext stop is.<\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/span><\/p>\n According to statistics, people of color are more likely to be the subject of pretextual stops.<\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/span><\/p>\n No, this is a completely different take.<\/span><\/p>\n I don’t think the police make a mistake every time they stop someone. <\/span><\/p>\n I actually want them to stop the bad guys. Stop them, get the drugs, the guns and keep the population safe. <\/span><\/p>\n Of course, this all comes with the police staying within the law. <\/span><\/p>\n We all have rights and they must be respected.<\/span><\/p>\n This is where I see the need for change.<\/span><\/p>\n Too often the good guys are stopped, questioned and treated like the bad guys. <\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/span><\/p>\n Trust me, it’s happened to me too many times, more in Altadena than Pasadena, but the point is the same. <\/span><\/p>\n Many of us have been stopped while standing, breathing, walking, sitting and jogging.<\/span><\/p>\n This is why so many black men who have done nothing wrong have this fear when they see those red lights behind them.<\/span><\/p>\n They have been treated like criminals, forced to sit on the pavement while their car is searched. <\/span><\/p>\n been there<\/span><\/p>\n Asked if they are in a gang.<\/span><\/p>\n been there<\/span><\/p>\n Asked if there were any weapons in the car.<\/span><\/p>\n been there <\/span><\/p>\n However, I have no criminal record. <\/span><\/p>\n This treatment makes it appear as if some of the pretextual stops are in fact pretextual fault. <\/span><\/p>\n No, this doesn’t happen every time. <\/span><\/p>\n Of course, there are times when the police must pull over law-abiding citizens, but even so, the process should be simple.<\/span><\/p>\n Let them know or write the ticket and send them on their way.<\/span><\/p>\n Of course, this requires the citizen to respond in kind. It’s a two-way street.<\/span><\/p>\n 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. <\/span><\/p>\n Simply put, it’s time to bridge the gap between police and people of color.<\/span><\/p>\n
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