****SPECIAL REPORT**** I was driving home from work on Mechanicsville Turnpike coming from Interstate 64. I was passing the store, Roses and I saw a guy on a bike what looked like being detained (or hassled) by 3 Cops (in their own respective cars). I made a U-turn, pulled into the parking lot and whipped out my phone to record. Unfortunately, the first 60-90 seconds wasnt recording and I didnt notice it right away. But here is what ensued: I approached the scene and stayed about 30 feet or so away. I started engaging in a conversation with the guy on a bike. I noticed he was talking to the police before walking up to the scene. So the first thing I told him was he did not have to talk to the police and by doing so he was assisting in their investigation against himSELF. I asked him why they stopped, and it was apparently because there was a 911 call of someone shoplifting, I thought I heard him say the ABC store, but apparently that wasnt the case. I couldnt get to close to the scene, and between the wind and the traffic behind me it was hard to hear. The alleged shoplifter was allegedly wearing a grey hoodie. The guy on the bike was where a charcoal grey UVA hoodie that said Virginia in orange, if I remember correctly, because he pointed that lettering out to me. THEN, the cop who seemed to be taking the lead, told/ asked me to not engage in discussion with him. I thought I was still recording, but wasnt. He told me not to talk to him. I asked him if my 1st Amendment Rights were suspended during someone elses detainment. He didnt answer. I then asked if it was a lawful order he gave me, he said no. So I told him I would not comply and would engage in a voluntary conversation with the individual being detained. I then realized my video wasnt recording and began recording. Which I may upload tomorrow for educational purposes. I gave the guy some advice and told him not to talk to the police and when stopped by the police to ask Am I being detained and if they say no, ask Am I free to go. Of course he was being detained and they were running his info. Turned out, he had warrants in Richmond and they arrested him. Nothing I could do at that point, as I was walking away filming, some folks leaving the parking lot thanked me for what I was doing and said, you never know, anything could happen. I decided on the way home to verify what the officers told the guy about the 911 shoplifting call, because if they were lying, that would qualify for an illegal detainment. SO, I called communications, they wouldnt give me the info and said I would have to FOIA Request it. I said I would and asked to have a supervisor call me back. I got a call back within 15-20 minutes. The supervisor was at the scene at Roses. Apparently one or more of the police officers during the detainment called their supervisor because I was recording. I made it clear I was peaceful and simply recording for accountability reasons. I asked the supervisor why they felt the need to call him, and told him that kind of worried me. He wouldnt answer my question. I then explained to him the information I gathered at the scene and told him I was going to FOIA the department to make 100% sure that it was not an illegal detainment because I am personally fully aware that some police officers are in the habit of stopping people, whether it be on bike, foot or car for whats described as Warrant Fishing. Warrant Fishing, meaning stopping someone for no justifiable reason to see if they can get an easy arrest. I told him I would email the FOIA tonight or tomorrow and make sure his officers were doing the right thing. I told him If I found out through the FOIA that infact there was no 911 call about a shoplifting incident then they lied to that guy on the bike which mean it was an illegal detainment. I told him to confer with his officers to make sure they were handling things lawfully otherwise, if that didnt end up being the case, I would have a Constitutional attorney get a hold of the guy incarcerated. I went so far to tell him that IF that was the case that it was an unlawful detainment that HE could rectify the situation by letting the guy go. I called a few stores from what it sounded like I heard the guy say and the 911 DID infact happen and it was Big Lots. He didnt shoplift, but like I said, he did have warrants, I couldnt hear what they were for. TAKEAWAY: HELP YOUR Neighbor, stranger or not and film the police when you see something happening! ADVISE people of their rights while they are on the scene so they can Flex Your Rights. He thanked me for recording. I was courteous and respectful to the police. Offered to give one of the officer my card as I was leaving since they initially expressed interest in who I was. The business card was a Virginia Cop Block card we give out (which we are almost out of). I went the extra mile to make sure the guy wasnt getting screwed by bad cops and being unlawfully detained. I wonder what the supervisor is thinking about that. At least they know they are being kept in CHECK. - Nathan Cox P.S happened at roughly 4:05pm
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 23:00:44 +0000
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