CHRIS ROCK KNOWS WHAT TO DO, DO YOU?

In recent days New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio made several controversial statements regarding the interaction between law enforcement and the minority community. Since that time the mayor has attempted to step back from his earlier comments. When elected to perhaps one of the most prominent offices in this country, a politician must choose his words very carefully. Mayor de Blasio is white and married to an African American woman, Charlene McCray. The mayor has a son, Dante, with McCray. Perhaps Mayor de Blasio’s most controversial statement and one that incited the most critical response from his own police department was, “Because Chirlane and I have had to talk to Dante for years about the dangers he may face. A good young man, a law-abiding young man, who would never think to do anything wrong, and yet, because of a history that still hangs over us, the dangers he may face — we’ve had to literally train him, as families have all over this city for decades, in how to take special care in any encounter he has with the police officers who are there to protect him.”

To many, these statements were inflammatory to race relations. On their face, the statement is directed at the African American community, particularly young males. The fact is that for anyone that has an encounter with the police this same warning should apply. There is no particular group that is exempt from this warning. Many police encounters come with a certain level of confrontation and the police officers and the subject of their attention need both to see the others’ side. Comedian Chris Rock has a famous video that draws attention to police stops in the minority community. This video has been viewed over 11 million times on You Tube. Many stereotypes are used in the film for comedic purposes and to bring to light injustices felt by many minorities towards the actions of law enforcement.

General Guidelines if You Are Stopped by a Police Officer

State law requires you to pull over to the right side of the road and stop when signaled by a police officer. You must pull over whether the officer is in a police car or on foot. Being pulled over may cause anxiety for both you and the police officer. You may be anxious about getting a ticket or not know why you are being stopped. Police officers rarely know what to expect from a driver or passengers. Because of this, they may be anxious about their own personal safety.

Your actions during a traffic stop may determine the police officer’s reaction. Arguing, disregarding the officer’s instructions or requests, suggesting that the officer could be more productive by stopping other drivers, or suddenly reaching under the seat or into unseen areas of the passenger compartment are not appropriate. These actions may increase the officer’s own anxiety.

Traffic law enforcement is one of a police officer’s most important duties. They help to ensure the orderly flow of traffic and to prevent deaths and injuries on our public roads. There is an obvious need for constant enforcement. More persons are killed and injured in motor vehicle crashes across the U.S. each year than in all other forms of violence combined.

Police officers have reason to be worried about their safety during traffic enforcement. Each year in the United States, a number of police officers are killed and thousands more are assaulted. During 2012 alone, 8 police officers were killed and 4,450 others were assaulted during traffic pursuits and stops (Federal Bureau of Investigation-Uniform Crime Reports).

To help reduce the levels of anxiety, you should do the following during a traffic stop.

· Don’t ignore the officer’s signal or pretend you didn’t see it.

· Turn on your right-turn signal and check your mirrors. Carefully and slowly move your vehicle completely to the right side of the road. If the officer drives by and doesn’t stop, return to the travel lane when it is safe.

· Do not stop your vehicle in an intersection, in front of a driveway, or in a travel lane. If the officer directs you to pull over in a certain place, pull over where directed.

· Put the car in park (if an automatic transmission) or in neutral with the parking brake on (if a standard transmission). Turn off the engine.

· Stay in the vehicle (both you and your passengers). Only get out if the officer instructs you to.

· If it is dark, leave your headlights on and put the interior overhead light on.

· Roll down your window as the officer walks toward you.

· Have your license and registration ready. Give them to the officer when instructed. Do not present them to the officer in a wallet or holder. (You are required by law to have your license and registration when operating a vehicle.)

· Keep your hands in plain sight and tell your passengers to do the same.

· Do not make any sudden movements or gestures that could seem threatening. Examples of this could be reaching under the seats or into unlit areas of the vehicle. Make sure your passengers do not do this either.

· Stay in your vehicle when the officer goes back to the police car. If you have a question, wait until the officer returns. If you find something the officer requested, hold it out the window and wait for the officer to return.

· Be polite when the officer returns your license and registration. If the officer gives you a ticket, do not argue. Once a citation is issued, the officer is required to file it and cannot take it back. You have the right to challenge the citation in court.

· When the officer tells you that you can go, put on your left-turn signal, check your mirrors, and return to the travel lane. If you are on a highway, accelerate to a safe speed in the breakdown lane before merging into traffic.

Remember that a police officer never knows what to expect when stopping a driver. Don’t let your emotions or sudden unexplained movements (or those of your passengers) cause more anxiety. The officer may be more likely to listen to you and less likely to feel threatened if you follow these guidelines.