The fear of driving while black is one that is ever-present, regardless of how often it happens.
That fear was heightened for a group of black Houston residents, on May 19, when a white Houston police officer ordered one of the women to “put your hands up like we’re going to shoot you,” after her initial efforts to do so failed to appease him.
Denee Harris, who recorded the incident from across the street can be heard in the background saying, “Why would you say that?” echoing the internal thoughts that most viewers had while watching the video.
The officer’s insensitive remarks not only affect those impacted directly but those who have vicariously lived through countless events like these from afar.
Around the 3:25 second mark, an officer can be seen stripping a crutch away from one of the alleged suspects, who had a noticeable disability, and throwing it to the ground before detaining him.
Harris added her commentary again in the video and said, “Be gentle with him. He can’t do much… Don’t rough him up.”
“There is no excuse for such threatening statements, particularly given the high number of unjustified police shootings… and the fact that the woman appears to be complying,” Andre Segura, legal director for the ACLU of Texas, told The Huffington Post. “The officer’s statement demonstrates a disregard for the sanity of the lives of those whom our police officers are sworn to protect.”
Although the identity of the officer in question has not been released to the public, Houston Police Chief, Art Acevedo, defended the officer’s actions in a statement released on behalf of the department.
“During the stop, the officers followed tactics and procedures designed to take suspects into custody in a manner that maximizes safety for both officers and suspects,” Acevedo said. “While the tactics used were consistent with policy, the phrase in question is not consistent with the expectations of the Houston Police Department.”
“While we appreciate Chief Acevedo’s quick acknowledgment,” Segura said.
“We urge [Houston police] to immediately investigate and take steps to ensure that this does not reoccur.”
