Sheriff Defends Stopping Black Man For Walking With Hands In His Pockets
A black Michigan man posted a video on Facebook of his encounter with a police officer in which the cop tells him he stopped him because his hands were in his pockets and that looked suspicious. The local Sheriff is defending the incident and said the entire story wasn’t told.
The officer tells McKean that he got a call about his “suspicious” behavior.
“You were walking by … well you were making people nervous,” the officer tells McKean. “They said you had your hands in your pockets.”
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office responded to the story which has gotten a lot of attention.
On Facebook the sheriff states:
…Shocking that the internet does not tell the full picture or people use this for an agenda-right? So, here is the whole story.
The video that was posted was an edited version of the whole situation and cut out the Deputy fully explaining as to why 911 was called on him, and ended with this person agreeing that the police should respond. The 911 call received by the Oakland County Dispatch Center originated from a nearby business that had been a victim , as well as its employees, of seven robberies. The caller and his employees were concerned about the individual who had walked by the front window of the business five or six times, while looking inside with his hands in his pockets. Fearing for their safety, the business dialed 911 and the Deputy responded.
In the unedited version of the event, the individual stated that if he had called the police on a suspicious person, he would expect the police to respond, check the area, and talk to the suspicious person being called about. The Deputy did not detain or pat down the individual and considering the nature of the call responded in a very restrained and professional manner.
We will continue to take each and every call seriously at the Sheriff’s Office and hold our Deputies to the highest standards and expectations of public service.
According to what McKean told The Huffington Post, that reported “suspicious” person spotted by the business owner definitely wasn’t him.
The encounter:
Image: Huffpo
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By: Anomaly100
mea_mark December 2nd, 2014 at 19:25
Seven robberies? No security cameras? You would think by now they would have cameras up and know who is robbing them.
MIAtheistGal December 2nd, 2014 at 19:42
Or invest in a security guard if things are that bad.
mea_mark December 2nd, 2014 at 20:25
Seven robberies? No security cameras? You would think by now they would have cameras up and know who is robbing them.
MIAtheistGal December 2nd, 2014 at 20:42
Or invest in a security guard if things are that bad.
edmeyer_able December 2nd, 2014 at 19:27
Well how else can you play pocket pool?
edmeyer_able December 2nd, 2014 at 20:27
Well how else can you play pocket pool?
Denise December 2nd, 2014 at 20:10
what is suspicious about walking down the street with your hands in your pocket? I see men of all races walking like that.
Denise December 2nd, 2014 at 21:10
what is suspicious about walking down the street with your hands in your pocket? I see men of all races walking like that.
M D Reese December 2nd, 2014 at 20:42
It would be funnier than hell if it was actually 6 DIFFERENT
M D Reese December 2nd, 2014 at 21:42
It was probably 6 DIFFERENT black men who had walked by with their hands in their pockets and stopped to look at the display in the window. It looks like it’s cold there–I’ll bet humans of all sexes and colors go walking by storefronts with their hands in their pockets. As another person suggested, they should install some cameras.
Hirightnow December 2nd, 2014 at 20:51
” considering the nature of the call responded in a very restrained and professional manner.”
So,he didn’t shoot him a dozen times,I guess?
Pistol-Packing AKA "Susie" December 2nd, 2014 at 21:26
Could have just capped him in the knee for the fun of it…
(SNARK)
whatthe46 December 2nd, 2014 at 22:25
you would have found a reason to say he had it coming though.
Hirightnow December 2nd, 2014 at 21:51
” considering the nature of the call responded in a very restrained and professional manner.”
So,he didn’t shoot him a dozen times,I guess?
Pistol-Packing AKA "Susie" December 2nd, 2014 at 22:26
Could have just capped him in the knee for the fun of it…
(SNARK)
whatthe46 December 2nd, 2014 at 23:25
you would have found a reason to say he had it coming though.
whatthe46 December 2nd, 2014 at 21:00
this chief is full of caca.
whatthe46 December 2nd, 2014 at 22:00
this chief is full of caca.
Pistol-Packing AKA "Susie" December 2nd, 2014 at 21:26
Damned if you do, Damned if you don’t…
Your all screaming CACA here, and yet, if the police did not respond and something transpired, you would all be screaming why didn’t they do anything… smh…
arc99 December 2nd, 2014 at 21:50
yes when a citizen calls 911, the police must investigate. I have family who have worked in law enforcement, so I understand that basic principle.
my problem is with the classification of some people as “suspicious”.
if we are going to profile black males as “suspicious” and call 911 because people who look like me happen to be walking down the street window shopping, then why is it unreasonable for me as a black man to assume that all white people are Klan sympathizers until they demonstrate otherwise to my satisfaction?
whatthe46 December 2nd, 2014 at 22:00
if there’s a report that a white male of average height and looks, wearing a business suit and carrying a briefcase is raping women in the downtown area, how many of those white males fitting that description do you think the police will stop for questioning in that area? NADA DAMN ONE!!!!!
whatthe46 December 2nd, 2014 at 22:19
and you’re only right about the “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” which only applies if you’re a black male. can’t walk in the street unarmed, can’t walk down the sidewalk with hands in or out of pocket, while unarmed, without being harrassed. PERIOD!!!!!
Kick Frenzy December 2nd, 2014 at 23:20
It was good that the police responded.
Mr. McKean agreed to that point.
He disagreed with the people who called, because he says he only walked by a couple times, not several.
He was unsettled by being stopped because of all the tension right now.
But all in all, this isn’t an incident about police that warrants any attention.
At least not negative attention.
They were both polite and the officer was just doing his job without taking it any further than needed.
Pistol-Packing AKA "Susie" December 2nd, 2014 at 22:26
Damned if you do, Damned if you don’t…
Your all screaming CACA here, and yet, if the police did not respond and something transpired, you would all be screaming why didn’t they do anything… smh…
arc99 December 2nd, 2014 at 22:50
yes when a citizen calls 911, the police must investigate. I have family who have worked in law enforcement, so I understand that basic principle.
my problem is with the classification of some people as “suspicious”.
if we are going to profile black males as “suspicious” and call 911 because people who look like me happen to be walking down the street window shopping, then why is it unreasonable for me as a black man to assume that all white people are Klan sympathizers until they demonstrate otherwise to my satisfaction?
whatthe46 December 2nd, 2014 at 23:00
if there’s a report that a white male of average height and looks, wearing a business suit and carrying a briefcase is raping women in the downtown area, how many of those white males fitting that description do you think the police will stop for questioning in that area? NADA DAMN ONE!!!!!
whatthe46 December 2nd, 2014 at 23:19
and you’re only right about the “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” which only applies if you’re a black male. can’t walk in the street unarmed, can’t walk down the sidewalk with hands in or out of pocket, while unarmed, without being harrassed. PERIOD!!!!!
Kick Frenzy December 3rd, 2014 at 00:20
It was good that the police responded.
Mr. McKean agreed to that point.
He disagreed with the people who called, because he says he only walked by a couple times, not several.
He was unsettled by being stopped because of all the tension right now.
But all in all, this isn’t an incident about police that warrants any attention.
At least not negative attention.
They were both polite and the officer was just doing his job without taking it any further than needed.
neworleans878 December 2nd, 2014 at 21:54
So now we can add no pocket apparel along with hoodies (Geraldo Rivera) to the list of clothing that blacks shouldn’t wear. Got it.
nola878 December 2nd, 2014 at 22:54
So now we can add no pocket apparel along with hoodies (Geraldo Rivera) to the list of clothing that blacks shouldn’t wear. Got it.
Tommy6860 December 2nd, 2014 at 22:01
Yet these folks can walk down the street without their hands in their pockets, but hands fully armed. The difference? they’re white and not automatically under suspicion.
whatthe46 December 2nd, 2014 at 22:16
if this guy were to have done that, it woudn’t be the one cop showing up, it would be the SWAT and the fk’n national guard.
Tommy6860 December 2nd, 2014 at 23:01
Yet these folks can walk down the street without their hands in their pockets, but hands fully armed. The difference? they’re white and not automatically under suspicion.
whatthe46 December 2nd, 2014 at 23:16
if this guy were to have done that, it woudn’t be the one cop showing up, it would be the SWAT and the fk’n national guard.
greenfloyd December 2nd, 2014 at 23:15
Obviously many people are paying more attention to the police. Mr. McKean’s video now has well over 700,000 views and 1,600 comments. Many of the comments I read reflect a high level of racial tension. Is it warranted in this particular case? I don’t think so and neither does McKean, according to his and now the officer’s recordings of this uneventful encounter.
There are enough real problems without anyone creating more, or worse encouraging racial tension or even worse making stuff up.
BTW, is that a picture of Brandon McKean under the headline above? TIA.
floyd[@]greenfloyd.org December 3rd, 2014 at 00:15
Obviously many people are paying more attention to the police. Mr. McKean’s video now has well over 700,000 views and 1,600 comments. Many of the comments I read reflect a high level of racial tension. Is it warranted in this particular case? I don’t think so and neither does McKean, according to his and now the officer’s recordings of this uneventful encounter.
There are enough real problems without anyone creating more, or worse encouraging racial tension or even worse making stuff up.
BTW, is that a picture of Brandon McKean under the headline above? TIA.