A pair of social justice crusaders recently stopped to record Arizona State Troopers as they conducted a traffic stop, alleging police targeted the vehicle involved because the driver was a minority.
The duo were seemingly attempting to create a viral moment, and that’s exactly what they recorded when the lead officer confronted the camera to set the record straight.
Person: “That individual is being racially profiled for being brown.”
Police Officer: “Wow, you are about as ignorant as I’ve ever met. Oh my God, go do something else. Go have fun. It’s Friday night, man. Don’t be such an idiot. Put that on your website.” pic.twitter.com/nuyeSTUvVj
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) April 22, 2019
“Person: ‘That individual is being racially profiled for being brown,’” Caleb Hull posted to Twitter, along with the video. “Police Officer: ‘Wow, you are about as ignorant as I’ve ever met. Oh my God, go do something else. Go have fun. It’s Friday night, man. Don’t be such an idiot. Put that on your website.’”
The altercation starts when the commanding officer confronts a woman recording the traffic stop and graciously provides a warning not to impede the investigation.
“Let me give you some advice. When we are on a traffic stop, you are not legally allowed to walk up and interfere with our traffic stop. You can stand back and record as much as you want to. But if you interfere with a traffic stop again, I’m going to arrest you for interfering,” the officer said.
“Do you understand that? Don’t ever interfere when one of my guys is on a traffic stop. My name is Sergeant Dave Ernst, I’m with the state police gang task force. Alright? This is your last warning. If you ever walk up on one of my officers during a traffic stop, I will place you under arrest,” he continued.
“Alright,” the woman behind the camera said.
“You good?” the officer asked.
“Yes,” the woman replied.
“Ok, then you’re free to go,” Ernst said.
As Ernst walked away, the woman made it clear she didn’t understand what was happening.
“Am I being detained?” she questioned
“You were never detained,” another officer nearby responded.
“Okay,” she said.
“Is that person being detained?” she asked, referring to the driver in the traffic stop.
The question prompted Ernst to intervene again, and he quickly put the woman and her partner in their place.
“It’s none of your business,” he said.
“I think it is my business,” the woman shot back.
“How is it your business?” Ernst questioned
“Because I’m a human being,” she replied.
“You have no interest in that traffic stop whatsoever,” Ernst countered. “It’s none of your business.”
“There’s a lot of racial profiling in this town,” the woman claimed.
The remark didn’t sit well with the sergeant.
“Oh, shut up with that crap!” he said as the woman informed him she was recording the encounter.
“Who’s being racially profiled?” Ernst questioned.
“That individual for, for …” a man shouted from behind the camera.
“For what?” Ernst pressed.
“For being brown,” the man said.
That’s when the trooper set the record straight and offered the dynamic duo some sobering advice.
“For being brown? Wow,” Ernst replied. “You are about as ignorant as I’ve ever met.
“My goodness,” he said.
“You are the one whose making these things happen, sir,” the social justice warrior yelled back.
“You guys, go do something else,” Ernst said. “Go have fun. It’s Friday night, man. Don’t be such an idiot.
“Put that on your website,” he said.
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