So last nite I had to drive from DC to Orange County, New York to do a show at SUNY Orange. About 10 miles out from the hotel I got an e-mail that I needed to read. So I pulled over to the side of the road like Oprah told me to. I put my hazards on because it was a dark stretch but there were lots of trucks out so I wanted to make sure anyone who might need to pull off the highway could see me sitting there.

As I was reading a car pulled up behind me. Turns out it was a state trooper patrol car. But they never put on their red and blues, and they just started shining the flood light on me so I couldn’t see who/what they were. So being a single woman on a deserted highway and there being nothing to indicate they were police, I shifted the car into drive and get ready to pull off. I didn’t know if it was a trucker coming to kill me or what. But as I start to try to pull away, I hear someone banging on my passenger side door and I floor it. Still can’t see its a cop cuz I’m blinded and they haven’t said anything (don’t they have speakers in those cars?). But then the one in the car moved the flood light and I can now see there’s a cop standing outside my passenger side window with his gun drawn. He yells for me to roll down the window and then yells, “What are you doing? You could have run me over!” And I said, “Well I couldn’t see you because of the light and I’m by myself…” Showed him I was just reading an email while NOT driving — per the law. But the reality is: to him it looked like I was fleeing. To me it felt like I was being attacked… It could have all ended terribly. I know someone who lost their life to a cop in this very same way 10 years ago. Exhale.

When I got to my hotel I called the NY State police to complain. I watch enough TV to know that there had to be a lapse in protocol here. I mean, no lights… no identifying themselves as cops before they approached the car… The officer I spoke with on the phone gave me a lot of party line crap about how the officers are worried about their safety too and how their job is to assists motorists in trouble… Fine. I get all that. But they did nothing that would indicate they were law enforcement officers. She ASSURED me that I just didn’t see their siren lights. And I ASSURED HER BACK that she wasn’t f–ing there and that those lights were the first thing I looked for. Why would I want to unnecessarily be scared out of my mind?

Bottom line is this could all have been avoided if they had on their red and blues… I am beyond thankful it played out the way it did. But I do feel as if I’ve become a member of a new club — the “F” the police club. Like far too many people I know, I now know what if feels like to be looking at the ‘business end’ of a policeman’s gun. I was way too young to identify with this song when this song came out, but now I kinda do:

Pardon the language… but surprisingly there’s no radio edit available for “F*** Tha Police.”

Moving on… In honor of my new member status I was thinking maybe I should bring back my Jheri Curl…

Or at least buy some 40’s and learn how to play dominoes.

Have any of you ever had any really bad/scary encounters with the police? Exhale.

7 thoughts on “F the Police indeed…

  1. ListenToLeon

    As I mentioned on Twitter, I had an officer draw his gun on me before, too. There were people around, and I was doing everything he asked, so I had a feeling he wasn’t going to use it. I even said “Is that really necessary?”

    It didn’t occur to me until after the situation was resolved that I was one nervous finger twitch away from being shot, like Oscar Grant and so many others before him. THAT’S when I realized just how helpless I was in that situation.

    Oh yeah, nice jheri curl photo! I actually had this as my profile picture on Facebook yesterday: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs689.snc4/62958_434878208557_752228557_5381299_2349482_n.jpg
    .-= ListenToLeon´s last blog ..Black Dynamite First Look Stills from the Adult Swim Animated Series =-.

  2. The Law

    First of all, why didn’t you call 911 to verify the police indeed were behind you. I will agree they were in wrong by not using the red and blue lights. He was probably checking on you to make sure there was nothing wrong.

    NIce attitude – and you wonder why there is racism

  3. Erin


    The Law:

    First of all, why didn’t you call 911 to verify the police indeed were behind you. I will agree they were in wrong by not using the red and blue lights. He was probably checking on you to make sure there was nothing wrong.

    NIce attitude – and you wonder why there is racism

    First of all, let me say this: I don’t wonder why there’s racism at all.

    Next, thanks for reading and posting, but nowhere in this post did I mention the officer’s race. I assume you’re assuming he was not black. If my assumption is correct, then yours would not be.

    And next I didn’t think to call 911 because I was frightened. And blinded. Kudos to you if you believe that would have been your first reaction in this situation. And lastly, but certainly not least, I’m a stand-up comedian. Just wanted to make sure you got that. Since you’re here, check out some of my other videos.

  4. Beckie

    Glad you’re ok. I would have had the same reaction you did. Police make mistakes; and most of the time they don’t admit it. And very often the mistakes they make are fatal or at least extremely harmful to the public. That wasn’t the correct procedure that cop used. If cops would own up to the truth, some of these “mistakes”, they could be remedied through better training and accountability measures. Scary stuff.

  5. Grace

    This kind of crap is part of what makes people not trust the police. My friend got pulled over and ticketed for speeding when an unmarked police car tail-gated her. She had no idea it was the police and was scared and unable to pull into the other lane so she sped up and then he used a loud speaker to make her pull over. It’s disgusting. I’m glad that you called the station to let them know. I wonder if there is another place to log police complaints–an unbiased place.
    .-= Grace´s last blog ..Blog Reading-Comments- How do you do it =-.

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