Profiling while DWB

[Rainman]

Not really a complaint here, but rather an observation. I got pulled over yesterday in Cambridge, Ontario while driving my yellow MSP with my 12 year old son. No speeding, no traffic infractions, music was not playing loud, plates in order, licence in order, no outstanding violations...just driving. DWB I should say (for those not in the know...DWB = Driving while black). Usually, I get a bit nervous being pulled over, not wanting to get a ticket and all, but for some reason, knowing that I didn't do anything gave me a strange level of calmness. I actually wanted to see what kind of shit the officer was going to bring.

Anyway, I pulled out my ownership and registration in anticipation of the officer and rolled down my window. The guy walks up and sees me smiling an does a double-take. He's only about 25 y/o and I am easily older than him (actually 34 y/o). Then he looks over and sees my son in the front seat and starts back-peddling. He gives me some line about, "Ohh, you are not who I expected to see," which I take to mean I am not some 18 y/o ripping around in a fast car. He continues to mumble on and makes up some excuse about how he wanted to pull over this other cop that he knows. Plausible story (I am going to give him the benefit of the doubt here, just so that I can be devil's advocate) until he continues on with, "Well can I see your ownership and registration anyway." He goes to the car and runs my plates and info. Nada. Crisp and clean, no caffiene. He comes back and says, "Well what about your licence?" I hand that over to him as well. Again, I'm clean. Now he is reaching. "Well, uhh, did you move here to Cambridge, cause your licence has an Ottawa address."

"No officer. I'm in town visiting my family who live around the corner from here and I am still living in Ottawa. That is why my address is listed as being in Ottawa on the licence."

"Oh, well, uhhh, sorry about that. My mistake. Everything is in order. Have a nice day," and then drives away.

Now let me say that he was very polite and I want to give this guy then benefit of the doubt, but I gotta say that I really believe that I was pulled over simply because I was a black guy driving a nice car. I told my son to get used to it being that I am soon finishing my residency in Orthopedic Surgery and nice cars will be something that we have a chance to ride in. The officer didn't give me any good reason why he thought it necessary to pull me over.

To tell the truth, I am kinda shocked that it happened here in Cambridge, Ontario. Toronto, or in the States maybe, but not here.

Just a thought.

Rainman

[KYREDP5]

Perhapse he was profiling the car, not nececissarily your skin color.

[Midnight22]

i think itz the car... alot of cops will do that on impulse because chances are the kids driving with suspended license or insurance

[muohio]

Hell, I was stopped on the way to my rehersal dinner and I know it was solely based on the car. He just started following once I got off the freeway waiting for me to do something I guess. BTW, I'm a pale white guy :)

[Rainman]

i think itz the car... alot of cops will do that on impulse because chances are the kids driving with suspended license or insurance

I thought about that, but in Ottawa, the cops don't even bother with the MSP cause there are only 10 of them there, and none of them (to my knowledge) are driven by anyone younger than 25. Around here, it is not the kind of car that some kid can easily afford. Much easier to scoop up a Civic for cheap and do it up. It could easily be the car, but something about the way he backpeddled so quickly doesn't sit right with me.

R

[Midnight22]

then the cop may have been right and trying to find someone, especially if there are only 10 around and driven by peeps 25 and older

[girth]

That such BS and that story doesn't surprise me in the least. You should have gotten his badge number and reported his worthless F-ing a$$. It wouldn't have did any good probably...but if enough people complain about 1 guy then MAYBE something will be done. And cops wonder why they're universally hated. *eye roll*

[Rainman]

No fear. I took down his name and I am taking my well-educated ass to the local precinct tomorrow to "enquire" about their profiling practices. I'll keep you posted about the results.

R


That such BS and that story doesn't surprise me in the least. You should have gotten his badge number and reported his worthless F-ing a$$. It wouldn't have did any good probably...but if enough people complain about 1 guy then MAYBE something will be done. And cops wonder why they're universally hated. *eye roll*

[kingpin7666]

move to ky buy an msp in texas then be a 25yo blackman driveing it in tennessee now theres an invatation to be pulled over

[Midnight22]

add orange to the mixture and itz screaming pull me over

[muohio]

move to ky buy an msp in texas then be a 25yo blackman driveing it in tennessee now theres an invatation to be pulled over
You forgot the, "Bad copy, no dougnut for you!" bumper sticker :)

[kingpin7666]

if i had one id be there

[mspdfreak]

Didn't you know? Black people aren't allowed to own MSPs! Jus' kiddin'.

[ChopstickHero]

i was profiled once. it was most likely b/c i was young (19 at the time, and was wearing my hat backwards!) and i was driving my parent's Benz. so here's the story: I was leading (my dad was behind me driving his truck) and my dad got held up at a red light. i pulled into a small parking lot of some convenience store to wait for him. i noticed two cop cars sitting there and they were talking to each other. i didn't think anything of it. anyways, i let my dad go ahead and i proceeded to leave the lot. 2 mins later, i was pulled over by the two cop cars. i had a clean record, no accidents, nothing. he checked my license and registration and i asked him why he pulled me over. he simply said, "You looked suspicious." that's it, i wasn't mad or anything, but i guess profiling does occur sometimes.

[Puckpimp71]

I haven't had any problems with cops watching my car. Haven't been pulled over in it yet, either. Of course my MSP is black and that's pretty plain color for car. hmmm Even boulevard battle are hard to come by. Maybe I need an orange MSP for that.

[msp03.5]

I got pulled over in Utah on my way to vegas. I was going with traffic and he picked me out of the crowed. It was a bunch of crap. He made me get out of the car and sit in his car while he gave me a ticket. He stood behind me for like a mile before he pulled me over that bothers me, when you know they are going to pull you over but they sit behind you for awhile. Oh I was doing 84 in a 75. and got a 82 dolla ticket. (fu) Utah

[Rich24km]

in my old car i had 18" chrome rims, it was lowered and had a loud ass system. I had tint and the windows were down and I got pulled. I had 2 girls with me and a 7 year old girl (my girlfriends little sister). We had cleaned my car just prior to me getting pulled over. The 7 year old wanted to help so i told her to clean the liscense plate. She cleaned it no shit for like an hour. The cop told me i was being pulled over for a dirty liscense plate. The 7 year old was like i just cleaned it and start getting all sassy with the cop. It was pretty funny. Then another cop comes up and they searched my car. Didn't find shit, and another cop comes up. The cop that drove up was a friend from highschool. He talked to the lady officer that pulled me. He came back to the car and said this is bull shit, you did nothing wrong. Then he got them reported. The lady officer got put on probation after that situation. So i feel your pain. Its bull shit getting pulled for your car etc. But honestly if i was a cop knowing what i know, i would problably have done the same shit. Honestly i got luck that on this occassion i didn't have anything on me. I used to do dumb shit which i take no part in anymore but I understand where cops are coming from in a sense. Just because i used to be 1 of the types of people they were looking for.