[ad_1]
WYOMING, MI – Police say racial profiling was not a factor when a black real estate agent and his client were handcuffed in a mistaken identity case that gained national attention.
But Eric D. Brown, the agent, said he was not convinced.
“It’s like that,” he said when asked about profiling, describing the event as “traumatic.”
Brown was showing a house on Sharon Avenue SW on Sunday August 1 to a man and his 15-year-old son. It was mid-afternoon.
Wyoming police in five patrol cars suddenly showed up to the house, ordered the occupants out with their hands up, and then handcuffed all three for a brief period. A policeman drew a weapon while other policemen put handcuffs on him.
Police said the house was the site of an illegal entry on July 24 and a black man was arrested. A neighbor called on August 1 to report that the person and his car, described as a black Mercedes, had returned and had entered the house.
The report was incorrect.
Articles about the detention have been published by various media, including the Washington Post and NBC News.
Wyoming police responded on Friday August 6 to allegations that race or racial profiling played a role in the incident.
“After a thorough internal review of the actions of each of our public security officers who responded to this incident, we concluded that race played no role in our officers’ treatment of those who were briefly detained, and our agents responded appropriately. While it is unfortunate that innocent people were handcuffed, our officers reacted reasonably and in accordance with departmental policy based on the information they had at the time, ”Wyoming Police said in a statement. written press release.
Police said the handcuffs were part of protocol for an “emergency” incident such as the August 1 appeal.
As soon as agents determined Brown’s story as a real estate agent was true, they untied everyone and issued an apology. Brown was able to quickly show an officer how he used an electronic key to open a lock box.
Not everyone buys the police explanation, at least not in its entirety.
Charlie Oppler, president of the National Association of Realtors, wondered if race had played a role.
“Although thankfully neither Brown nor his clients were physically harmed in the incident, the racial profiling – and the humiliation, indignity and trauma that accompanies it – has no place. place in our country, “he said in a written statement.
Wyoming Police released a bodycam and dashcam video of the event on Friday.
In it, Brown and the client immediately tell the police that they are there for a house visit and that Brown is the real estate agent. Brown tells an officer to look at his realtor license in his wallet and soon after he uses his phone to demonstrate how the safe works.
An officer then detaches Brown and can be heard saying “Sorry for the inconvenience.”
Police, in a calendar released on Friday, said the three people had only been detained for about five minutes or less. But the client and the client’s son briefly sat in the back of the cruisers.
The police also published the call to 911 to send the police response started. In it, a woman tells a dispatcher that “last week on Saturday the police came out. There was a young black man who squatted a house for sale. I know they came and took him away and towed his car. Well, he’s back there. The car is seated in front, ”she said.
She said it was a black Mercedes.
None of the vehicles Brown or his client drove were Mercedes, although one was a black Hyundai Genesis sedan. Police said he looked like a Mercedes.
Brown, reached on Saturday night, said police did not do enough investigation before surrounding the house and ordering him and his client to come out and handcuff them. He wondered why they couldn’t “pass” his license plate to find the owner of the car and learn that it was not the same as the person arrested on July 24.
He said they should have checked where the “squatter” was and made other efforts before acting so aggressively. The incident was frightening, he said.
“I never had a gun pointed at me,” Brown said.
He spoke on the phone with Wyoming Police Chief Kim Koster and may meet with her in person at some point.
Brown is hopeful the incident may lead to changes in the way Wyoming police respond to similar calls. He thinks better communication links between agents, dispatchers and 911 callers could help.
More from MLive
Arrested after being stabbed twice near downtown Grand Rapids
3 people injured in shooting outside Grand Rapids bar
The Canadian border reopens on Monday: here’s what you need to know
[ad_2]
Source link