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JCSU workshop teaches ‘What to do when confronted by police'

By Greg Suskin, wsoctv.com
By Greg Suskin, wsoctv.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The shocking video of an officer shooting an unarmed man in the back in North Charleston, South Carolina is causing more than outrage. It's also leading some police departments to boost efforts to reach out to the community with an important safety message.

It may seem like common sense to hear a police officer talk about doing what he or she tells you to do, but for many people it's not that simple.

On Friday, students at Johnson C. Smith University had questions for police.

If they're pulled over, should they reach for their license before they're asked to? Should they ever get out of their cars? Can they ask questions about why they were stopped? What should they do if they feel they're being mistreated?

Police officers at JCSU said those are things they should be teaching, especially now, in the wake of several tragic incidents involving police shootings and African-Americans.

During the class offered by campus police, JCSU students pretended to be stopped by an officer learning what to do, and what not to do.

Campus police want to drive their safety message home because everyone has seen the eyewitness video of an officer in North Charleston shooting an unarmed black man in the back.

The police chief at JCSU, Debra Duncan, does not like the damage these incidents have done to the reputation of police officers and the eroding respect for the job.

"I'm very angry and I'm angry because it makes us all look bad and that's just sad," Duncan said.

So when her officers came up with the idea to educate students on campus about how to encounter the police, she told them to go for it.

"We need to do something, and let people know why we're here and what we expect from them and what we don't expect," she said.

Certainly, officers don't expect people to run like the dash cam video from North Charleston that shows Walter Scott doing moments before he was shot and killed.

Officers at JCSU said that act led to Scott's death.

Channel 9 talked to black students including Aaron Clark who said he doesn't believe police are protecting him.

'We're intimidated,” he said. “We feel as if we're not being protected at all. We feel like our life is in danger. If an officer tells me to do something though, I'm going to do it."

Others students like Shayla Cartwright said police officers often have a wrong impression of young people, considering them to be defiant by nature.

"When they approach young people they have stereotypes,” Cartwright said. “’Oh, I should be on guard.’ When most of the time, that's not the issue."

Students expressed some of those concerns at Friday's workshop.

Officers told them they can go a long way toward staying safe if they just follow instructions, without attitude.

"Comply, comply, comply," officers said.

JCSU campus police said they want as many students as possible to attend their class. They hope to make it part of student orientation.

Below is a list of what to do and what not to do, provided by the JCSU Police Department, for reference if you are ever stopped:
 
If you are stopped by the police while in your car:

  • As soon as you notice the police emergency lights, pull your vehicle over to the right and stop immediately.
  • Remain in your vehicle while the officer approaches. Do not attempt to get out of your vehicle or approach the officer. Exiting your vehicle may be perceived as a threat.
  • Keep your hands easily observable, preferably on the steering wheel where they can be easily seen by the approaching officer. Reaching under your seat or into your glove box are actions that will cause the officer concern that you may be reaching for a weapon.
  • Give your license and proof of insurance to the officer if asked to do so. Most officers will not provide a specific reason for the stop until they have received your license and proof of insurance, to avoid debating the reason for the stop prior to acquiring this necessary information.
  • If you wish to inquire as to why you were stopped or offer an explanation, do so before the officer returns to his or her vehicle.
  • Answer all questions honestly. Information pertaining to prior arrests or traffic violations is easily verified via the police dispatcher.
  • Do not become argumentative, disorderly, or abusive. If an officer has already written a ticket, it cannot be voided at that time. If you believe that you have been unfairly treated, DO NOT make that argument on the side of the road. Your best alternative is to carry your protest to Traffic Court.
  • Whether an officer issues you a ticket or gives you a warning is entirely up to their individual discretion. Your conduct during the stop may influence the officer's decision.
  • Don't be offended. Most citizens already realize that law enforcement is a difficult and dangerous profession. For these reasons, police officers tend to be extremely cautious. They may seem standoffish, impolite, or offensive to students who may not consider such precautions necessary.


 
If the police approach you on campus or on the street:

Innocent individuals are often offended or angered, or both, because an officer detains them for questioning. Although the delay might be inconvenient, the officer believes there is a reason (reasonable suspicion) to stop you and ask questions. Most of these stops are not officer-initiated. The most common reasons that cause an officer to stop someone are as follows:
 

  • You might be one of only a few people walking around in the vicinity of a crime that has recently occurred.
  • Your clothing might be similar to that worn by the perpetrator of a crime.
  • Someone may have called the police complaining about your presence or that you look "suspicious."
  • Someone may have pointed you out to the officer.
  • You might be acting in a manner that the officer considers "suspicious."

In all police encounters:

  • Avoid making sudden movements (for your wallet, into your coat, toward your waistband, etc.) until you have informed the officer of your intention to do so and the officer has said it's okay.
  • Do not carry weapons (real or otherwise) or even joke about having a weapon on your person.
  • Remain calm and avoid being argumentative. If you are uncooperative and refuse to answer reasonable questions, the officer is likely to become more suspicious and the encounter will probably last much longer than necessary.
  • Comply first, then you may seek an explanation from the officer or the officer's supervisor later.

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