Driving While Black in Your Hood

The incident with my grandson occurred last night in Brentwood, Maryland, around 9:36 p.m. He will be filing a formal complaint later today, but I just had to get my concerns on record this morning. I will also follow up.

The incident was not provoked; he was simply driving home while BLACK. A former complaint is being filed using the form from the site, but as his grandmother and an outstanding citizen in Prince George’s County for more than fifty (50) years, I find this to be totally unacceptable.

When I came to Prince George’s County, County police were notorious for their treatment and abuse of Blacks in the County. I was here for Torrence Johnson and a host of other similar cases. I got involved in Mount Rainier politics because of my son, some other Blacks males, and I being chased down the Mount Rainier Police department by an officer with his weapon drawn – no provocation but questioning his reason for hauling Blake males in for being on Rhode Island Avenue.

That was in the mid-1980s! Here we are in 2019 and still being pulled over and treated like second class citizens!

As a Black man stopped by an "undercover officer" while driving as Black minding your own business, not violating any laws -- just riding in your car on a dark street where there are no witnesses or cameras-- what do you do when pulled over?

Smile, and act like this happens to you every day?

Obey the officer's request?

Sit and be insulted by negative comments and hope that they just don't shoot you or arrest you or plant something on you?

Piss your pants because you are young and scared to death?

Try to act normal, but break out into a sweat because you've seen what happens to young and old Black men and boys?

Just what the hell do you do?

Why do I ask these questions?

My grandson just got pulled over by an "undercover officer" who said he pulled him over because his lights were out. Then he questioned him about his license and if it was a valid license, suspended license or if the license was real? He asked if he had a clean record?

Once the license, title, and registration were presented, he was questioned about whether or not the address was real or fake?

Then his back up partner showed up and shined his light in my grandson's face. They ran his license and tag and informed him that they were letting him off with a warning -- mind you, no paper warning was given. No badge or badge number visible; no uniform -- nothing that proved that he (they were officers) except for the flashing lights turned on AFTER my grandson pulled away from the stop sign and turned down the street to come home.

A warning for what? Driving in his neighborhood while being Black? Or for not having anything that they could find or pin on him as a young Black man?

Black men are the endangered species. Young Black men are helpless and vulnerable, yet, there seems to be NO defense against this unwarranted treatment.

My grandson is UPSET. He is wondering how he is supposed to report this. To whom should it be reported, and if he manages to get it reported, what will be done about it?
He is one of my humblest grandsons -- never in trouble -- hard working -- easy going -- he votes -- he works the polls -- he is a gentle soul and always striving to make a difference in our neighborhood.

ANGRY AS HELL!

I need some answers. Yes, we will be filing a complaint and doing any, and everything else we can do to stop this behavior -- Reminds me of the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s when Prince George's County police were the most racist in the DMV barring none.
The more things change, the more they remain the same.

NOTE: I know my grandson is not the first nor the only Black male in our area that has had this happen to him. However, others have not come forth to talk about this issue or to my knowledge file a complaint.

If you are out there, it is way past time to take action and demand the respect to which you are entitled!

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

Please provide me with a response on how my grandson should proceed with filing his complaint.