Keven was up in Newport Beach today (affluent area) parked in front of a friend's house waiting for her to come out. He was drinking a Rockstar and texting. A cop drove by. A few minute later three cop cars surrounded him.
He rolled down the window and politely asked what the problem was and the cop said "You look cracked out. Are you on probation?"
Keven said "yes, and I'm a registered narcotics offender". So they searched him and the car, found nothing. The cop wrote a note on the back of his business card stating that Keven was cooperative, polite, etc. and that his PO could call if she had any questions about the incident.
Kev says he's always profiled as a drug user. BUT WHY? HOW? I ask this more out of curiosity than anything else, I don't get it. I'm not upset that they questioned him, and he obviously handled it well, but it bothers me that he's got "that look". He looks SO MUCH better now that he's not using, he doesn't even wear those stupid earrings anymore. He wears nice clothes and has nice hair and a nice face and was driving a nice car. What's the deal?
I mean basically they were right - he's a former user and they had every right in the world to search him because he's on probation, I just don't understand what they see when they look at him that lets them know? Its weird.
Again, I am not trying to say this should not have happened, but it does bother me a bit.
Oh, and it was not the car, the car is one he has never been pulled over in and has no "record" attached to it.
Peace, Hope and Love,
Barbara
19 comments:
It could be a number of things, from simply down and out prejudice to a level of training of behavior monitoring or maybe the cop ran his plates. But I wouldn't put it past the police to be prejudiced, after all, this is America.
Most of my police experiences have not inspired much trust in me.
I'm sure he knows that he needs to let his P.O. know that he's had police contact... sooner rather than later. Was it early in the day? Perhaps if it was during school hours and he appears young, mixed with the Rockstar and texting.... he just raised too many questions on someone's mental radar.... also, something may have been going on nearby, and he loosely fit the description of someone they were looking for?
It's disturbing, especially when he's trying so hard. I hope he will not take it personally! He's doing SO WELL!!
Bob, I always raised Keven to trust cops and think of them as "there to help" but is convinced they are all bad, and unfortunately I've encountered quite a few who are :(
Cops are jaded, they think they know it all and everyone is some sort of criminal. Probably hard not to think like that with what they go through, but that doesn't make it right. HAve you watch that Police Women of Maricopa or Broward County? No wonder everyone hates the police. Get over yourselves.
Today I passed two motorcycle cops trying to make their monthly quota on our 35mph 4lane street. I know how they are all concerned about those 44mph speeders :(
It was an affluent area, so perhaps they just thought it was suspicious he was sitting outside a house in a car that they may not be familiar with.
I'm thinking they saw him parked there and ran his license plate - saw he was on probation and thought they'd go on a fishing expedition...
IF my conspiracy-theory is even doable???
Does stink though :( Praise God he ended up getting a good report out of it :)
God bless!
ugh...I always raised my kids to think of the police the same way that you described. Now...my outlook has changed,..with things that have happened w/our son's incidents,...much different view now,and I don't always trust them. Remember how I was talking about the Oxford house and the neighborhood he's in? Today, a cop questioned him as he waited for a bus,...why was he in that area, etc. ..he had to show I.D.. I don't like him even near cops now. He wasn't doing anything wrong (yippee) and it went O.K.,..but still,...too much has gone on in the past,..that I cringed when he even told me that. I can't figure out what look Keven would have done or looked lik that would cause suspicion,,..from what you've described.
Lori
Lori, that stinks! He just got there and is already being harassed! I have met my share of good cops/bad cops and I am convinced some of them are on a power trip just out to get people. I have to admit, I dated a cop years ago and he told me stories that made me lose respect for him and eventually dump him. On the other hand, the one who showed up after Keven OD's was very compassionate and concerned. So I guess its like every other thing in life, you have to take the bad with the good.
I have witnessed way more bad incidents with the fuzz than good for sure...do they call them that anymore??
Renee, lol !!! Haven't heard that term in a few decades but it sure made me laugh when you said it. I wonder how that originated? It doesn't make sense like cop, or "the heat" or "the law" or ??????
My guess is: no plates & sitting in the car seemed suspicious to a cop familiar with the area, & something happened there recently so they're hypervigilant... Glad K's handling it all so well!!!! Shane's home tonight after 9 months at PH. I'm so impressed with the changes in his personality. Hope it sticks!
I agree with Heather! Very happy he's O.K.!
I don't know the answer. I'm just glad that he handled it well and remained calm. The "why?" questions are the tough ones.
Sherry, Yeah me too. He handled it well, I just hope it doesn't happen too often, it bothers me for some reason. When Anthony got busted a few weeks ago it was three white kids in a Hispanic neighborhood known for selling drugs. I would have pulled them over too.
Syd, you are so right! I need to wipe that word out of my vocab, it really doesn't do much does it?
Josh, that's too bad, I guess you have to be on your toes at all times. I don't think I will take any action but if it happens continuously I'll look into it.
I find this sad on some many different levels. Here is a kid trying to do the right thing and something like this happens. What must Kevin's thoughts be? Do I really l look like an addict even when I am clean? Am I going to have explain for the rest of my life that really I am clean? Consequences suck but they really suck when you are working so hard to do right and still somehow not quite exuding that image.
HI LAUREN! Its so cool to see you here :) If it was a known drug area I could totally understand it but I'd be surprised if it was since its a very nice residential area of Newport. Of course who's to say nice areas in Newport don't have drug sites???
Moms SB, thank you for saying that. I think that's what is bothering me and I couldn't find the right words for it!
Lisa, You're so insightful and smart. NONE of those things crossed my mind at all. It was during "school hours" and he was a stranger in the neighborhood. I still think three cops was a bit much. His purpose was waiting for his friend to come out of her aunts house and he was texting her to say he was out front waiting. But the cop even told him he looked "cracked out" and I think that's what got my defenses up (how dare you call my drug addict son cracked out when he's not using???) LOL.
Remember the days when people actually walked to the front door and knocked instead of texting from the car? This generation has no idea how we lived as teens with cell phones. Its unfathomable to them when I share stories of the "old days". Thanks for your perspective. I agree about the good cop bad cop, I've just seen more of the bad since I've been "in the system" with Keven (the way they treat ME not just him).
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