The over-the-top paranoia inflicting police forces these days could not be more evident than in a video posted to Facebook Wednesday by a Wisconsin man named James Wells.
After being pulled over for a missing front license plate, the Racine Police Officer refuses to let Wells reach into his glove compartment for his drivers license and proof of insurance – resulting in her ticketing him for providing no proof of insurance.
Wells, who is sitting in the drivers seat, talking into the camera during the traffic stop while the cop is in her car writing up his tickets, states the following:
> “When she came to the car and she asked if I have a drivers license, I said yes, I have to look for it though its in my glove compartment. She said no, I don’t know what you’re reaching for, do not reach for it.”
Wells explains that the officer said the same thing when he told her that he would need to reach for his insurance paperwork, tacking on a $10 ticket for not having proof of insurance.
How can a police officer collecting revenue for the state by writing tickets, not even have to bother pretending to allow someone the chance to prove their innocence?
The officer returns to the car as he is speaking and he addresses her:
> “This is the racist cop that is giving me a ticket because of the fact that I don’t have a front license plate and I got insurance that she did not want me to reach for and I have a license that she did not want me to reach for because she’s scared of me because I’m a black man and she’s very scared.”
> “This is the kind of cop that will shoot you right here. This is the kind of cop that will shoot you!”
The cop attempts to get Wells to provide a fingerprint on a notice for him to appear in court, since she was too paranoid to allow him to reach into his glove compartment for his drivers license.
“You’re not touching my finger,” he says. “You had the chance to get my license, you asked me not to grab it.”
“No, you were reaching all over for it,” she responds.
“What do you mean, reaching all over, this is my car,” he says. “What am I going to reach for, a Bible? My books? What am I going to reach for? ”
“You are very afraid,” he continues. “You should not be a cop. You cannot do this job. You are not good at what you do. You are very afraid.”
“I will not give you my index finger.”
Realizing she was not going to get him to provide a fingerprint, she asks him to remove a cover he had on his license plate, claiming it was illegal.
“I don’t have to take off my cover,” he says. “You lost your dang gone mind, I don’t have to take off the cover of my license plate. That ain’t nothing but a ticket, you can see through it perfectly.”
Eventually, likely after noticing that he is recording, and refusing to comply with her nonsense any further, the officer tells him to have a good day and walks away, proving once again why the camera is your best defense against officers like her.
Following the massive violation of his rights, Wells to the police department to voice his concerns and file a complaint, but was told the stop was justified because of his missing front license plate.
Ironically, when Wells walked outside, he noticed the chief of police, Arthel Howell, also does not have a front license plate.
