By Stephen Smoot
In the past decade, a number of black parents and other people of color have shared that they give “the cop talk.” That involves explaining to a teenage child about to go out on the road for the first time how to engage with law enforcement.
One of the most disheartening symptoms of social divide in the United States lies in the fact that many people of color are either shocked to find that white parents do the same, or don’t believe the phenomenon is true.
My stepfather gave us our family’s “cop talk.” And they generally implore that children do the same things.
When addressing law enforcement, say “yes sir” or “no sir.”
Always comply with the requests of law enforcement as promptly as possible or explain reasonably why you cannot.
Never, ever raise your voice to law enforcement..
Under no circumstances do you argue with law enforcement. The courtroom is where you give your side, not the side of the road.
These teachings were done just as much to instill respect for police as to protect our safety.
They stood me in good stead when I found my wife and myself in a questionable stop in Frederick County, Maryland.
A State Trooper pulled us over late one night as we exited Interstate 70 to go onto U.S. 340 to get back to West Virginia. He said we followed a semi too closely, then later provided some other reason for stopping us.
The real, yet unstated, reason is understandable. West Virginia plates on a decade old vehicle on a car with four occupants traveling the road from Baltimore to the Mountain State. In our back seat was a friend we had picked up who was in domestic distress, which is a whole other story. Almost understandably, the Trooper thought he’d busted drug traffickers on that highway oft traveled by those odious people.
What was odd was his frustration when he discovered who we really were. I served at the time as a Congressional regional director and my wife as a field director for the West Virginia Republican Party.
My wife was pulled from the car for interrogation. The Trooper noticed that she had bruising on her arm. Instead of assuming that the hospital bracelet still attached from a visit that day indicated bloodwork, he continually accused her of doing drugs. He requested to search the car, which we quickly agreed to, because we knew he’d find nothing. I honestly hope that he pulled her for a legitimate, even if unfounded, suspicion and not because of her ethnicity.
When he sent us on our way, he did so with a stack of violations that technically could have led to thousands in fines and even jail time.
I happened to work with a state senator representing that county, but did not go to him. Instead, we followed the process. We each took a day off work, went to court, and my wife made her case. Even the prosecutor was stunned at the overreach and we walked out with a $25 fine for having the top brake light out.
Some in the extreme wings of the Left or Right would advise non cooperation stretching to the very limits of the law to obstruct law enforcement, whether they are in the right or the wrong. That said, as they sit behind their keyboards, they need not face the consequences of awful advice.
They won’t get pulled from the car, put to the ground, cuffed, and spend a night or longer in jail for the foolishness they advise others to try. You will.
Always treat law enforcement with unfailing respect, no matter what they do or do not do. No matter whether they come to the window with professionalism or not. You do this because they put their lives on the line for us daily and because the vast majority of them do the job right and for the right reasons.
Also, it just makes no sense to obstruct or provoke law enforcement, especially when they are on the job. The accountability and consequences will always fall on you if you abuse a constable, officer, deputy, trooper, or federal agent.
Also, at least in West Virginia, many times law enforcement is coming to the window looking for a way to cut the driver a break rather than pile on with violations.