Viral video shows police officer in Ely admitting pulling over driver because 'you're a black male'
Watch a video report from ITV Anglia's Elodie Harper
A video in which a police officer justifies stopping a driver in Ely because he's black is 'being examined' by Cambridgeshire Police.
The video was shot five years ago, but the family of the driver has released it in the wake of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
In the video, the officer tells the driver: "The reason I stopped you is - when you came out of The Barns [a road in Ely] - no offence to you, you’re a black male, I’m not going to lie to you."
The driver then accuses of the officer of racism, to which the policeman responds: "The reason I stopped you, and I’ll explain if you let me finish, in this area we have number of drug dealers - I’m not saying you're a drug dealer - that come up from other areas that don’t live anywhere around here."
A clip from the video (we have blurred the face and distorted the voice of the officer involved):
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The video has been seen over 85,000 times on Facebook, and Cambridgeshire Police Chief Constable Nick Dean said he "can understand why such a video clip would be concerning, especially with the current events surrounding the death of George Floyd."
He added: "Here in Cambridgeshire we have been and are committed to strengthening our ties with every community.
"With regards to this particular incident, I want to be clear that it was filmed in Ely more than five years ago and we do not believe that any formal complaint was ever received in relation to the officer’s actions. The circumstances surrounding this incident at the time are being examined.
"I want to reassure you that I am committed to ensuring all officers and staff act with the upmost integrity and professionalism."
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Speaking to ITV Anglia on Monday the driver, who has asked to remain anonymous, said he couldn't believe what the policeman told him.
He said: "How do you stop someone because they’re black then tell me they’re not racist.
"With everything that's going on now, I thought that now is definitely the time to put the video out there and let people know that it is actually happening here."
However, he has not called for the officer involved to lose their job, but instead said training is needed across the police.
He added: "In my eyes I'd like officers to undergo proper training to do their job properly. I wouldn't like to see anybody lose their job, because I understand what it's like to be jobless and not bring in money, so I’d like them to undergo proper training and deal with humans as they’re supposed to."
Full transcript of the video:
Police officer
The reason I stopped you is - when you came out The Barns - no offence to you, you’re a black male, I’m not going to lie to you.
Driver
So it's racism [why] you stopped me
Police officer
I’m not saying that at all, the reason I stopped you, and I’ll explain if you let me finish, in this area we have number of drug dealers - I’m not saying you're a drug dealer - that come up from other areas that don’t live anywhere around here.
Driver
I live here.
Police officerYou might know that but I don’t because I've never met you before. The reason I’ve stopped you is because I haven’t seen you before and I’ve been a local officer for a long, long time here. So I’ve turned round and then when we came out to Kings Avenue your car had disappeared.
Driver
I hadn’t disappeared because I saw you in the mirror actually.
Police officer
We saw you go up Kings Avenue and we went up Kings Avenue and we couldn’t see your vehicle so whether you went down a side street or not I don’t know. For me that seems a little bit strange, I drive past a car and then sometimes it disappears. You might have just been going to see a friend, I’ve got no idea because I don’t know until I stop and ask. Then we’ve done a little bit of a drive round that estate, we’ve then seen your car again on Kings Avenue, and that’s why we’ve pulled you over, just to see what you’re up to basically. I’m not accusing you of being a drug dealer, I’m not accusing you of being a criminal, but if I don’t stop people how can I do my job.
Driver
But you stopped me because I’m black though, is what you did.
Police officer
Yeah, but not because I’m racist, but because in this area we have a number of people that come up to this area that are young black males that deal drugs.
Driver
So if I was white you wouldn’t have stopped me.
Police officer
No I stop lots of white people.
Driver
But if I was white you wouldn’t have stopped me.
Police officer
Yes I would have done.
Driver
You would have stopped me if I was white? Even though I drove past you...
Police officer
If you’re accusing me of being a racist...
Driver
I’m not accusing you of being a racist, I’m just asking you a question. If I was a white person and drove past you, you wouldn’t have turned around and come after me would you?
Police officer
Maybe not today but I stop more white people than I ever stop black people.
Driver
You’ve just proven it - if I was white and I drove past you, you wouldn’t have turned round, but I’m a black person that drove past you, you turned round.
Police officer
I’ve explained to you why I’ve stopped you - I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t stop people that commit crimes in these areas - and we have young black males in this area that come from outside of Cambridgeshire that deal drugs, I’m not suggesting that you do that, but that’s why I've stopped you because we don’t have many young black males in this area.
Driver
You didn’t have to stop me, you could have checked my details, you could have seen I'm the only driver insured on here and you could have seen that I live round here.
Police officer
No that’s the registration number on the car that doesn’t mean the same person is driving it that is insured on it.
Driver
Ok, understandable fair enough.
Police officer
I’m not a racist but I’m doing my job. I understand why you might think I am, but we don’t get many young black males in this area. My colleague was running your details through the computer system when I pulled you over but I've got no issue and you wanted me to explain why I’ve stopped you, and I’m telling you the truth. I could’ve lied to you and made it up couldn’t I, but I’ve told you the truth because I don’t think I’m being racist, I’ve stopped you for a reason and explained why.