There has been a lot on the news about police brutality against unarmed civilians in this Great Nation. There have been countless video footage of law enforcement use of excessive force. On the other end of these cases usually were an African-American male. This causes a concerning in urban America for young black males. As a result the Black Live Matter Movement was born. Yes, I am in agreement, being a black male myself, that black lives do matter. While searching the internet, I came across a story that went against all that we have come to expect when encountered by law enforcement.

While on his way to his office to turn in his weekly paperwork, an African-American male was pulled over by Tuscon Arizona police officers (Roger 2015). The purpose of the stop was due to a broken tail light. There were two officers in the vehicle. He was wearing a hoodie and he was “strapped,” another term for being in possession of a firearm. The male explains how he was respectful to the officer and complied with all orders. The officers disarmed this gentleman, as a precautionary step in this process. After the officer ran a check on the gentleman’s name, registration, and insurance he returned with a surprise. The officer informed the gentleman that due to the way that he conducted himself, they were returning his firearm to him and only gave him a warning.

As we know, this situation could have gone a lot different. This gentleman which I could have been another incident of a justified homicide. The gentleman who I am referencing is Steven Hildreth Jr who serves our country as a member of the National Guard. After his experience, Mr. Hildreth went public to speak about how he appreciated this experience. The gentleman also pointed out that even when suspects are disrespectful, that it should not lead to death. He credits this successful outcome to being respectful with and cooperating with law enforcement. Mr Hildreth has a message that all police are “Not out to get us.”

I appreciate this story and hope that others can use this as an example of how to respond when confronted by law enforcement. I thank Mr. Hildreth for his courage and how well he conducted himself. I also thank the Tuscon, Arizona Police Officers for their professionalism. #BlackLivesMatter #AllLiveMatter

(Roger 2015) Jazmine Denise Roger, Armed motorist’s FB Post About Traffic Stop Goes Viral: “I’m a Black Man Wearing a Hoodie and Strapped.” October 30, 2015 Madame Noire, Retrieved from http://madamenoire.com/595891/armed-motorists-fb-post-about-traffic-stop-goes-viral-im-a-black-man-wearing-a-hoodie-and-strapped/

Check out my books “100 Years: A Journey to End a Vicious Cycle” and “These Are Your Flowers” available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00TLXK5L6