Posted on 10/30/2015 10:04:36 AM PDT by Impala64ssa
'MAYBE IF YOU TREAT POLICE OFFICERS WITH RESPECT, THEY WILL DO THE SAME TO YOU'
Steven Hildreth Jr. was "a black man wearing a hoodie and strapped"—he was legally carrying a gun—when stopped by a Tucson police officer for a broken headlight. And yet, he and the officer involved were respectful to one another, and both walked away from the incident unscathed, Hildreth writes in a Facebook post that's been shared more than 250,000 times. In it, Hildreth tells the story of how he informed the officer he was carrying a weapon near his wallet, the officer disarmed him as per protocol and checked his ID, and ultimately let him off with a warning to get the headlight fixed.
"According to certain social movements, I shouldn't be alive right now because the police are allegedly out to kill minorities," Hildreth writes. "Maybe...just maybe...that notion is bunk. Maybe if you treat police officers with respect, they will do the same to you."
The traffic stop occurred about 3am Tuesday as Hildreth was driving to work, and he tells KVOA that he's amazed by the reaction to his post. “It caught me off guard how much traction it caught,†he says. “And I think that sends a message that, yeah, people want to know about the bad in the world, but they also want to hear of the good in the world.†He used the hashtags #BlueLivesMatter and #AllLivesMatter, but not everyone was convinced. "We know not every cop is bad the issue is when a UNARMED black male gets killed the cop that killed them gets off Scott free or paid leave that's the problem we have with police," says one commenter. "Thats why we saying #BlackLivesMatter." (Another positive cop-citizen interaction is also going viral.)
It’s amazing more have not figured this out. I am always very polite when stopped by police and if I was speeding I acknowledge it and apologize for making the officer have to stop me. This got me off with a warning the last two times (over 10 years) I’ve been pulled over. I’ve never seen the upside to copping an attitude with someone wearing a badge and a gun. Right or wrong, you are never going to win that confrontation.
It is a shame I have to say it but I am grateful to him he has a job and was on his way to WORK!
In this video out of Auburn Hills Michigan the perp first lies on camera that the cop is hitting her and then nearly runs him over with the car.
She could have walked away with a ticket (and car likely impounded) but now she’s probably headed to prison.
Driving to work at 3 AM? Respectful to police?
No wonder the video went viral
That don’t buy no votes or add to Jesse’s bank account
I've had similar experiences. I didn't always get a warning, and one time the officer handed me a ticket and SUGGESTED taking defensive driving, saying I'd also get a discount on my auto insurance. I thanked him, and he was right!
Funny thing, though: I've NEVER gotten a ticket since I got a CHL. I always volunteer it, even though it wasn't required because I didn't have a gun in the car. Since then, I just get warnings.
It has gotten a lot of likes on my FB page.
You're obviously the wrong color and weren't raised right.
“... both walked away from the incident unscathed.”
Doesn’t read like there was an “incident” at all....
I have a problem with disarming him. I never took anyone’s legal weapon unless there was a reason (like warrants or acting aggressive/odd) I just told them to keep their hands where I could see them and not do anything we would both regret.
Years ago I was riding with my brother in his truck and I had a broken pump shotgun that we were taking to a gun smith. Sheriff pulls my brother over in the middle of the day and he’s telling me to throw it behind us bench seat! Told him to relax and let the sheriff tell us what he wanted done. Barrell was pointed to the floor with the chamber open. Sheriff told me to click it a couple times and when he was satisfied it was unloaded proceeded to give my brother a speeding ticket. If he had seen me putting the gun behind the seat, he would have pulled his gun. If you’re legal, you should have no problems.
i agree.....however on 2 occasions over the last 6 or 8 years I’ve been stopped (legitimately, rolled thru a stop sign, no seat belt) but the cop began the conversation with arrogance and attitude.
I always just get a warning, and a "Don't do it again, have good day".
Same. I deliberately carry my wallet on the opposite side of my body from my carry weapon, and I've always announced that I was armed when pulled over but noted that my wallet was not near my weapon. I've never been disarmed.
It could be that because this was a black man at 3 AM, the officer was being extra cautious. They can always play it as "officer safety."
Cops need to dominate the situation. Let them. Work within their comfort zone, and it will serve your comfort zone. They’re not aliens, they’re just constantly wondering when you are going to try to kill them. Its really not all that hard to understand.
I always answer “yes”. Then I comment that “with this stop he gets the Lieutenant off his ass.”. Yeah. I get the ticket.
You're a girl. Its not the same with guys. The ONLY time I ever got a warning was after making a left turn after sitting at a red light (safely), in town at night, with a cop car right behind me at the same light. I was in college and "distracted" by my date. I thought I was toast. The cop walks up and asks me why I didn't wait for the light to change, and the girl leans over and apologizes and says it was all her fault. To my amazement, the cop then sternly tells me to be more careful, and walks away. In turn, the girl puts on some lipstick and tells me she never gets tickets, just warnings.
Time and space changed for me at that moment.
“Ditto here.......When the officer asks “do you know why I stopped you?”........my answer “YES”.
I always just get a warning, and a “Don’t do it again, have good day”.”
Dont try that crap in McAlester OK. They run a speed trap there and you’re gonna get a ticket and like it. Forgot about towns like this in the usa, but these A holes had three trooper car writting tickets left and right. They were shooting radar from the headquarters building and directing which cars to pull over. It was an area where 65 changed to 50 with a merge lane. No signage until they had already tagged you as guilty.
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