We have a lot on our plate as a nation with regard to the plethora of socio-economic issues and systems we need to improve. There is also the racial tension between law enforcement and the black community which has been around since the conception of this nation and this video shot by a pedestrian in the local streets of Boston, Massachusetts proves that these relationships still need rehabilitation.
The video displays the cameraperson casually walking down the street and almost instantaneously pointing the direction of his smartphone at the Boston police officers vehicle who proceed to ask if the pedestrians name is Kevin. The pedestrian refuses to answer and then is asked by an officer who identifies himself as, Zachary Crossen, a multitude of questions involving where his place of residence is, where he's going, and his employment status, all questions that legally don't have to be answered if a pedestrian is not being detained.
The hostility in the exchange between the officer and citizen luckily doesn't intensify past words as the cameraman reveals that he's headed to a local barbershop in which supposed officer Crossen, responds, "It looks like you just got it done." The second police officer allows the pedestrian to continue with his day but not before officer Crossen asks repeatedly what he did for a living, who's phone he was using to film the incident, and lastly sarcastically telling the man 'have a nice day, contributor'.
Massachusetts state representative, Evandro Carvalho, called the exchange 'deeply disturbing' and had this to say about the incident, "Young black men should not be stopped and harassed for merely walking down the street in Boston."
A police spokesman, Lieutenant Deputy Michael McCarthy, revealed that the department would be reviewing the video to determine whether if any department rules were violated and also mentioned that the two officers in the area were monitoring a residence when they saw the pedestrian exhibiting behaviors of a potential suspect possibly carrying a weapon.
Obviously, a lack of respect was displayed in both parties involved but, stopping and blatantly harassing citizens on the street with no evidence of wrongdoing isn't in the job description for police across the country and doesn't improve the relationship between people of color and law enforcement.
Take a look at the video for yourself and drop your thoughts on the exchange in the comment section below.
Source: cbsnews.com
