Racial Profiling and the Emily Good Case: We Need Discussion Not Defensiveness

Central issue that needs to be discussed long after the dust settles on Emily Good's case ends is where Emily and I began that night: confronting racial profiling. I hope the apparent racial profiling and mistreatment of a young black male that Emily, myself and other neighbors observed (and recorded) is an impetus for a wider community discussion on the issue.

As upset and shaken as I was that night when my friend was ripped off her own front lawn for taping what was happening on a public street, I'm becoming more disturbed by the responses of the Police Chief Sheppard and Locust Club President Mazzeo. Instead of acknowledging that this incident caught on tape didn't go right, they continue to defend most or all of the actions the officers recorded. Interestingly, the want to go to great lengths to defend the traffic stop even when their statements seem to contradicts what the widely distributed video shows: there was only 1 person in or around the car during the whole incident (not to mention four eyewitness accounts). See appendix for more info. Why go to this length to attempt to change reality in the public perception? It seems the Rochester Police Department doesn't want to have the discussion about profiling people of color during their traffic stops.

Racial profiling is an issue the riles Rochester and we must have an open and honest discussion about the facts of profiling and how we are going to stop it. Attempts to sweep these actions under rug only build tension which may up end up being released in another July '64 in Rochester. We should not be satisfied with buzzwords used by Police Chief Sheppard like “proactive policing” which seem simply like ways of getting around the law the police are sworn to uphold. How is it legal or ethical to stop, handcuff, and search someone's person vehicle without clear probable cause and then justify it after the fact by saying we were being proactive?

It is my hope that Mayor Richards and Police Chief Sheppard conduct a series of public forums around the city within the next month to address issues of racial profiling, the right to observe, and police accountability. This could be a constructive way to move from defensiveness to discussion.