Crime

OP-ED: Student Fears for Life During Routine Traffic Stop

Published

9 years ago

December 16, 2014

By Hassan Russell, Laney College student

The shooting of Mike Brown in Ferguson, MO has brought to light that this situation is happening all over America.

If an 18-year old young man can be shot down in the middle of the street with his hands up, then we have to realize that this is not a matter of race at all, but a question of whether or not the youth can survive the militarization of our local police force?

I was raised in Oakland in a neighborhood known as “Funktown,” and there are only two times I can remember being scared for my life – both while being pulled over by the Oakland Police Department.

I remember it like it was yesterday. After picking up two of my friends in my red Buick Park Avenue, I drove one of my friends to pick up some mail at his stepmother’s house.

We passed a police car at an intersection, and it quickly got behind us.

The police followed us until we pulled up to our destination, then turned the lights on us. Coming out of the loud speaker, I heard one of the officers say, “Turn the car off now!”

I did and immediately put my hands up and told my friends to do the same. “Throw the keys out the window,” the officer said.

I thought this was a little odd for a routine traffic stop, but I threw the keys out the window.

A police officer opened my door and pulled me out. I asked him, “What is the reason for this?”

He replied, “We’ll get to that in a moment.”

He pulled me out of the car and handcuffed me. I noticed at least 30 police officers with assault rifles, shot guns, and handguns all pointed at me.

My heart dropped to my stomach. What I thought was going to be a routine traffic stop was something completely different in their eyes.

As he went through my pockets, I could feel every gun barrel and pair of eyes pointed at me with no compassion. The only thing I could mutter was, “Wow!”

After pulling my wallet out of my back pocket, the officer went back to his car. By now, the whole neighborhood was outside. It was one of the most embarrassing times of my life. One of the neighbors yelled out, “Those are good boys!”

It was the truth. This was nothing more than a case of “driving while Black” where we were racially profiled due to the car I was driving and the color of our skin.

Once the officers ran my name and discovered that I had a clean record, I was unhandcuffed and we were released.

“We don’t even get an apology or nothing?” I asked the officer. He ignored me, got in his car and drove away.

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Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

Published

9 hours ago

April 26, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Alameda County

DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland

Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.

Published

4 days ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones

Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.

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California Black Media

Anti-Theft Bill with Jail-Time Requirement Gets Wide Ranging Support

Fed up with the alarming frequency of retail theft across California, including smash and grabs, a diverse group of business leaders, law enforcement officials, policymakers and public safety advocates joined their efforts in Sacramento on Jan. 24. Their purpose: to increase public support for Assembly Bill (AB) 1772, a bill that would make jail time mandatory for repeat theft offenders.

Published

6 days ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

San Bernardino Police Chief Darren Goodman speaks as Asm. James Ramos (D-San Bernardino), left, stands beside him at a news conference in Sacramento concerning retail theft across the state.

By California Black Media

Fed up with the alarming frequency of retail theft across California, including smash and grabs, a diverse group of business leaders, law enforcement officials, policymakers and public safety advocates joined their efforts in Sacramento on Jan. 24.

Their purpose: to increase public support for Assembly Bill (AB) 1772, a bill that would make jail time mandatory for repeat theft offenders.

Co-authored by Assemblymembers James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino), Avelino Valencia (D-Anaheim) and Devon Mathis (R-Tulare), AB 1772 would require jail time “of one to three years for theft crimes depending upon the circumstances.

“Offenses would include grand theft, theft from an elder or dependent adult, theft or unauthorized use of a vehicle, burglary, carjacking, robbery, receiving stolen property, shoplifting or mail theft,” the bill language reads.

Ramos said the need to act is urgent.

“It’s time for us to reverse the spikes in theft crimes since the pandemic. Our law enforcement members and district attorneys need additional tools such as AB 1772. We must reverse the trend before the problem grows worse. Last year I requested a state audit of the impact of Prop 47 on Riverside and San Bernardino counties,” said Ramos.

Prop 47 is the California initiative, approved by voters in 2014, that reclassified some felonies to misdemeanors and raised the minimum amount for most misdemeanor thefts from $400 to $950.

According to a Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) report, the rate of occurrence of petty crimes like shoplifting and commercial burglaries have increased by double digits over the last four years.

In Orange County alone, commercial burglaries have spiked by 54%.

“Our communities are experiencing an increase in retail crime and deserve appropriate action from their legislators,” Valencia said.

San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus thanked Ramos.

“This bill, designed to impose stricter penalties on serial retail theft suspects, responds urgently to the escalating consequences of shoplifting and related crimes on our communities,” he said.

AB 1772 supporters who spoke at the gathering included Sacramento Sheriff Jim Cooper and San Bernardino Chief of Police Darren Goodman. Listed as supporters are the California State Sheriff’s Association, City of Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez and Redlands Chamber of Commerce.