Dec. 02--In one way, the video record of the Thanksgiving Day confrontation between a black pedestrian and a white cop is dismaying -- fuel to the fire that is burning nationwide about racial bias in law enforcement.
"You were making people nervous," explains the Oakland (Mich.) County sheriff's deputy who has driven up, lights flashing, gotten out of his car and started questioning an African-American man on a deserted stretch of sidewalk in suburban Pontiac. "They said your hands were in your pockets."
"Wow!" says the man, Brandon McKean, 25. "Walking by having your hands in your pockets makes people nervous and call the police when it's snowing outside?"
"They did," says the unidentified deputy.
Both men have pulled out their cellphones and are recording the exchange, which took place in daylight. The video taken from McKean's angle has been viewed online some 4.5 million times.
The deputy says, "What are you up to today?"
"Walking," says McKean, his voice rising with indignation. "With my hands in my pockets. Walking."
"Is it an inconvenience to talk to me right now?" asks the deputy mildly.
"Hell yeah," McKean says. "Just because of the whole police situation going on across the country, this is outrageous. ... There's 10,000 people in Pontiac right now with their hands in their pockets."
Weather charts show the temperature was about 30 degrees at the time. Snow is not visible in either video.
"You're right, but we do have a lot of robberies," says the deputy. "I'm just checking on you."
"Wow," says McKean again.
Walking while black. Aggravated concealment of freezing hands while wearing a hoodie. Is it any wonder that African-American anger at their treatment by police has boiled over in the wake of the grand jury decision last week not to charge a Ferguson, Mo., police officer in the August shooting death of an unarmed African-American man?
In another way, however, the video record is encouraging.
The deputy never moves for his gun, never curses, never threatens, never demands ID and never asks to search McKean before allowing him to go on his way. In fact, in the slightly longer law enforcement video of the same event, McKean ends the conversation by wishing the deputy a happy Thanksgiving.
The deputy was responding to a call from the owner of a nearby store reporting that a man dressed as McKean was dressed had walked "back and forth, back and forth" about six times in front of the store with his hands in his pockets as he peered into the window.
"He looks suspicious," says the caller in the 911 recording, also posted online.
McKean, in the officer's video, says he only passed the store twice -- "I walked and came back." He didn't respond to my message requesting further comment.
Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard has told Detroit media that the store has been robbed multiple times, that law enforcement has a duty to respond to and investigate such calls of concern, and that the deputy "acted properly."
I'm not sure about that. Once he eyeballed the situation, did he really think it necessary to intervene?
But I am sure that the deputy didn't exhibit the disrespect and hostility that can easily escalate such encounters into violence and that many minorities say is common in their everyday dealings with law enforcement.
Was this because both men drew phones instead of weapons and began shooting video instead of bullets?
Maybe so. And in that way, the video record is also educational.
It suggests what other research has already told us, that cameras put cops as well as citizens on their better behavior, and that the massive proposed investment in police body-cams will be money well spent, saving lives as well as reputations.
"I had to get this on camera," explains McKean to the deputy.
"Me too," says the deputy, pointing to his phone.
"For sure," says McKean, "for my safety and yours. I'm being very respectable. You're being very respectable."
"High five," says the deputy.
The men lean forward and slap their raised palms.
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LINKS:
The video of the confrontation shot from the vantage point of Brandon McKean is posted above, but you can also find it here. You can find the video shot from the deputy's point of view, provided by the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, embedded in this news story.
The audio from the precipitating 911 emergency call is here.
Detroit News columnist Laura Berman has a good take here.
