Patriots linebacker Elandon Roberts says he was harassed at home by police

[JarOfMayo51]

He probably is. And that’s another problem. Cops that are pipsqueaks and have terrible fitness need to quit being hired. If it were up to me, I’d increase the difficulty of the aptitude tests to get into the academy and have them train in MMA. Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu, etc. That said, I only see it as him describe his “suspect” when he pulled him over. No different if he had said “black male.” Unfortunately, this country has gotten to the laughable point where we can no longer call a black guy black without scrutiny by spineless, white turds with sticks up their asses. The type that reflexively apologize to people when they hold the door open for someone else and that person doesn’t thank them.

If I read the transcript correctly, the main issue is with him radioing that he has a black male that was not complying with orders. It’s not that he identified him as a black male, or a big black male, or a giant black male... it’s that he identified his race and then said he was not complying.

Given the overwhelming amount of police brutality that has been going on in the news towards black people, that is what is “triggering” people.

Just like videos where cops brutalize people who are complying, smash them into the ground while saying “stop resisting!” and punching them in the head when they aren’t resisting, and at worse are trying to instinctively protect their head from being pounded (is they’re even fortune enough to not have both their arms restrained so that they can protect their head)

Obviously there are countless examples where people don’t comply and deserve what’s coming to them in terms of being roughed up to be taken into custody (but not murdered), but there is also countless examples of people who are not resisting and get the crap kicked out of them, or are shot and killed.

Lots of instances of cops using the “resisting arrest” term like it’s a license to brutalize/kill. It’s no different than those 2 hunters/poachers on
southpark that always say “Look out Ned, it’s coming right for us!!!” before blowing it away. Literally the same concept, only one is a cartoon meant for comedy and the other is real life

The fact that he identified him as a black male isn’t what “triggered” me, it’s the cop identifying him as a black male who would not comply

I’m really glad I’m not black. As Louis CK said perfectly, it’s not that white people are better.... it’s that being white is clearly better right now.

 

[Tony2046]

I don't have a problem with the officer using this description depending on the context, but I don't see how calling a suspect a "large white male" or "big black man" is helpful in police enforcement. What does "large" or "big" even mean? Does it mean 300 pounds? Does it mean 6'5? Unfortunately, there is a stereotype that all black men are "big" and "overgrown" individuals. That's why the cop's description could be perceived as racist. Depends on the audio of the encounter.

Sorry I disagree. If ER was a 5'5" 150 pound black guy the police officer would not have said "big black man". It's not a stereo type. It was an accurate description.

 

[signbabybrady]

ER got out of the car. You can't do that. Thats SOP in law enforcement.

Presumption of innocence and stupidity should also be SOP. Had Roberts continued his stupidity after being called out for it you might have a point but he complied and got right back in the car. At that point it should have de-escalated and a quick check of ID and either issue a ticket or warning. It appears instead the officer assumed more was going on and called back up and threatened innocent bystanders with arrest. Not clear what else occurs and I won't assume but I think what we see is enough for my opinion.

 

[XLIX]

I'd be a lot more confident about the officer's report of the non-radar-measured speed if he hadn't lied about the rest of the encounter.

Anyway, yep, anybody going that speed deserves a ticket. But my guess is that the ticket didn't disappear because Roberts was a football player per se. It disappeared because supervisors found that the camera footage contradicted the officer's report of "failing to comply," showed him treating Roberts like a criminal suspect rather than a routine traffic stop, even threatening to arrest his wife--and he turned out to be a prominent citizen who could make some noise about his treatment. So they just wanted the whole thing to go away before it got worse.

This this this. I think they decided that while the cop didn’t exactly come out with guns blazing, he also didn’t exactly behave with textbook professionalism. They wanted the whole thing to go away, hence the apology and choice not to issue a citation.

 

[Tuck]

He should have been pulled over and ticketed if he was speeding but the police should explain why they followed him to his house. That would piss me off too and I probably would have reacted the same way if cop pulled up behind me in my driveway without any explanation.

 

[Kontradiction]

If I read the transcript correctly, the main issue is with him radioing that he has a black male that was not complying with orders. It’s not that he identified him as a black male, or a big black male, or a giant black male... it’s that he identified his race and then said he was not complying.

Given the overwhelming amount of police brutality that has been going on in the news towards black people, that is what is “triggering” people.

Just like videos where cops brutalize people who are complying, smash them into the ground while saying “stop resisting!” and punching them in the head when they aren’t resisting, and at worse are trying to instinctively protect their head from being pounded (is they’re even fortune enough to not have both their arms restrained so that they can protect their head)

Obviously there are countless examples where people don’t comply and deserve what’s coming to them in terms of being roughed up to be taken into custody (but not murdered), but there is also countless examples of people who are not resisting and get the crap kicked out of them, or are shot and killed.

Lots of instances of cops using the “resisting arrest” term like it’s a license to brutalize/kill. It’s no different than those 2 hunters/poachers on
southpark that always say “Look out Ned, it’s coming right for us!!!” before blowing it away. Literally the same concept, only one is a cartoon meant for comedy and the other is real life

The fact that he identified him as a black male isn’t what “triggered” me, it’s the cop identifying him as a black male who would not comply

I’m really glad I’m not black. As Louis CK said perfectly, it’s not that white people are better.... it’s that being white is clearly better right now.

I’ll ask you, then: Is Roberts big? Is Roberts black? Is Roberts a man? Did Roberts get off with a warning when he failed to stop in time and failed to produce insurance? If we’re employing common sense, where do we see racism here? Keep in mind that, by definition, a racist act is one borne out of the belief that one’s race is superior to another’s.

Let’s face it, all sides are equally to blame for the racial issues in this country. Black people are just as culpable as whites people or cops who were losers when they were younger and on a power trip. The black folks who surround cops on a normal traffic stop and record them while launching verbal barbs at them (which are in themselves racial a lot of the time) hold just as much of the blame as a cop who is slamming a suspect’s head into the pavement. Neither side is making the situation any better.

 

[Ring 6]

Presumption of innocence and stupidity should also be SOP. Had Roberts continued his stupidity after being called out for it you might have a point but he complied and got right back in the car. At that point it should have de-escalated and a quick check of ID and either issue a ticket or warning. It appears instead the officer assumed more was going on and called back up and threatened innocent bystanders with arrest. Not clear what else occurs and I won't assume but I think what we see is enough for my opinion.

Presumption of innocence?
You think that proper police procedure is to pull someone over and assume they are innocent and totally no threat until they produce a weapon?
Police officers truly get shot on traffic stops.
Being cautious to safeguard there life is necessary.
Presumption of innocence is for a court room.

 

[XLIX]

He should have been pulled over and ticketed if he was speeding but the police should explain why they followed him to his house.

You're joking, right? When the video starts, you can tell the cop has already lit him up. We don't know how long the lights were flashing before the video starts, but they were already flashing at that point. So what is the cop supposed to do? Say "oh, the guy drove all the way home so now I guess I have to leave him alone"..?​

That would piss me off too and I probably would have reacted the same way if cop pulled up behind me in my driveway without any explanation.

Then you would be very unwise.

 

[IllegalContact]

What evidence do you want? Radar gun readings don't have timestamps.

any evidence.......as of now, there is none

 

[RobertWeathers]

Presumption of innocence and stupidity should also be SOP. Had Roberts continued his stupidity after being called out for it you might have a point but he complied and got right back in the car. At that point it should have de-escalated and a quick check of ID and either issue a ticket or warning. It appears instead the officer assumed more was going on and called back up and threatened innocent bystanders with arrest. Not clear what else occurs and I won't assume but I think what we see is enough for my opinion.

The genesis of the issue was a man traveling 59mph in a 35mph zone, who gets out of the car, is physically imposing who hesitates to immediately comply and fails to produce proof of insurance in a timely manner. I then see a 3rd party interjecting themselves into a police matter.

If we want to criticize the officer for being discourteous a bit jumpy or not issuing a traffic violation that fine, but based on the situation criticizing him for calling in backup is not warranted.

Situations like these are very common and escalate quickly without law enforcement controlling the situation.

 

[BTTA]

Bottom line, none of us know what happened regarding the speeding. There simply isn't enough evidence, and some of the evidence appears contradictory. Any positions we take under those circumstances only satisfy an emotional precondition.

For me, if he was doing 60mph in a 35mph residential, and nobody in his car is bleeding, I don't just want a ticket, I want him taken in and held overnight. We seem to have stopped taking it seriously and people are literally dying because of it.

Regarding the racism thing, as long as race is one of the first descriptors that police use to describe someone, that'll trip the wires of people who are paying attention to that. The reality is that "black" and "white" are made up categories; very very few people are actually black or white. The labels mean something else. Why not just describe the guy as "large" and "getting out of his vehicle" if the cop is worried about needing support? Those are legit policing descriptions.

The cop, as a public servant, has a responsibility to understand the social context and conduct himself in a way that helps us all deconstruct these social dynamics that we have invented and that are only doing us harm. Just stop using extreme, misleading labels like "black" and "white" as part of that.

If you haven't seen it, Aziz Ansari Live is funny as heck and a great exploration of race in the US today. Netflix.

 

[RobertWeathers]

You're joking, right? When the video starts, you can tell the cop has already lit him up. We don't know how long the lights were flashing before the video starts, but they were already flashing at that point. So what is the cop supposed to do? Say "oh, the guy drove all the way home so now I guess I have to leave him alone"..?​

Then you would be very unwise.

Thats my other question. How long was ER lit up? How far did he drive? Another mile? 100 ft? Depending on that answer that may create more suspicion in the officer's mind.

 

[IllegalContact]

So, in your opinion, a racist white cop pulling over a black man simply because he is black let’s said black man off that easily even though he didn’t stop when initially lit up and failed to provide proof of insurance? Doesn’t add up. Where I come from, racist cops enter citations in those situations. See how you’re already beginning to venture into that realm? The simplest explanation is probably the best, and you were on the right track before with incompetence.

I think it's both.....you're still assuming that he was really speeding, something I am not at all convinced of.......cops make up stuff all the time, after all, they are frequent liars......the incompetence probably stemmed from the fact that one of the other cops who arrived reminded the original cop of the dash cam and then they hit the road without providing a citation......more incompetence.....If I was in that spot, I would have issued a ticket for 5 mph over the speed limit, never mind 24 mph.

again, I have zero proof as do any of us and am using my lifes experience as a source for the general scenario I am depicting trying not to stray from logic in this day and age.....it's what I sense and I have no reason to be biased

 

[IllegalContact]

The genesis of the issue was a man traveling 59mph in a 35mph zone, who gets out of the car, is physically imposing who hesitates to immediately comply and fails to produce proof of insurance in a timely manner. I then see a 3rd party interjecting themselves into a police matter.

If we want to criticize the officer for being discourteous a bit jumpy or not issuing a traffic violation that fine, but based on the situation criticizing him for calling in backup is not warranted.

Situations like these are very common and escalate quickly without law enforcement controlling the situation.

there's no physical imposition from that distance especially since he just got back in the car

 

[RobertWeathers]

there's no physical imposition from that distance especially since he just got back in the car

If ER were intent on causing harm he could charge the officer and reach him in a matter of seconds. He could also have a weapon behind his back in which he could reach for and use. Cops are trained to keep these scenarios in the back of their minds. Thats how they survive.

Yes, ER got back in the car and that defused that potential situation.

 

[Kontradiction]

I think it's both.....you're still assuming that he was really speeding, something I am not at all convinced of.......cops make up stuff all the time, after all, they are frequent liars......the incompetence probably stemmed from the fact that one of the other cops who arrived reminded the original cop of the dash cam and then they hit the road without providing a citation......more incompetence.....If I was in that spot, I would have issued a ticket for 5 mph over the speed limit, never mind 24 mph.

again, I have zero proof as do any of us and am using my lifes experience as a source for the general scenario I am depicting trying not to stray from logic in this day and age.....it's what I sense and I have no reason to be biased

How do you reconcile the fact that “cops make stuff up all the time, after all, they are frequent liars” with the cop letting him off with a light warning if the stop was borne purely out of racism? Like I said, you were on the right track before with incompetence. Occam’s Razor.

 

[signbabybrady]

The genesis of the issue was a man traveling 59mph in a 35mph zone, who gets out of the car, is physically imposing who hesitates to immediately comply and fails to produce proof of insurance in a timely manner. I then see a 3rd party interjecting themselves into a police matter.

If we want to criticize the officer for being discourteous a bit jumpy or not issuing a traffic violation that fine, but based on the situation criticizing him for calling in backup is not warranted.

Situations like these are very common and escalate quickly without law enforcement controlling the situation.

All I can say is I got pulled over in my driveway and jumped out like a moron too and the officer in my case was able to correctly asses the situation. ER's officer did not and we are completely justified to ask why.

 

[signbabybrady]

Presumption of innocence?
You think that proper police procedure is to pull someone over and assume they are innocent and totally no threat until they produce a weapon?
Police officers truly get shot on traffic stops.
Being cautious to safeguard there life is necessary.
Presumption of innocence is for a court room.

All I can say is I got pulled over in my driveway and jumped out like a moron too and the officer in my case was able to correctly asses the situation. ER's officer did not and we are completely justified to ask why.

 

[Ring 6]

All I can say is I got pulled over in my driveway and jumped out like a moron too and the officer in my case was able to correctly asses the situation. ER's officer did not and we are completely justified to ask why.

How did he not properly assess the situation?
He told him to get back in the car.
What exactly are you objecting to that he did?
(I understand there may be things that occurred other than what was in the clip posted here but I’m not aware of them so my opinion may change if something happened I don’t know about)

What would you have wanted the officer to do?

 

[1960Pats]

I just don't understand why some people will jump through hoops to justify police doing something stupid.

The person acting stupidly was Roberts. The hoop-jumpers are on his side.