Cops Apologize for Mistakenly Detaining, Handcuffing First Black Judge on B.C. Supreme Court
Source: Newsweek
Christina Zhao 9 hrs ago
Canada's Vancouver Police Department has apologized for mistakenly arresting the first Black person to be named to the Supreme Court of British Columbia.
Selwyn Romilly, 81, told CBC News that five police officers approached him while he was on a morning walk at around 9:45 a.m. local time Friday. "They said that they got a complaint about someone fitting my description, and before I could say anything, they told me to put my hands behind my back and they shackled me with handcuffs," he said.
Romilly insisted that he did not have a gun in his hand or on his person. "Here you haveat 9:45 a.m., near to Third Beach where you have lots of peopleyou have a black guy ... shackled in handcuffs and people passing by. I found that most embarrassing," he said.
Officers informed the retired judge that he matched the description of a 40-50 year old Black suspect and handcuffed him for "officer safety." The cops removed the handcuffs after Romilly told them he was a retired Supreme Court judge.
Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/cops-apologize-for-mistakenly-detaining-handcuffing-first-black-judge-on-bc-supreme-court/ar-BB1gLYNx?li=BBnbfcL
Retired B.C. Supreme Court Judge Selwyn Romilly
Hulk
(6,699 posts)So it doesn't matter who he is😞
TheBlackAdder
(28,189 posts)multigraincracker
(32,674 posts)Hope they made sure there was a crime reported and not just a report of a suspect. When ever they stop someone they need a follow up to see if there was a report and what that report actually was.
SunSeeker
(51,550 posts)They couldn't just frisk him quickly to make sure he has no weapons? Do they think an 81 year old is going to beat them up? Did he show ANY aggression or pose ANY threat?
All they saw was his black skin. That's all they needed to humiliate the man, instead of just talking to him and asking for ID.
TheBlackAdder
(28,189 posts).
Something that will NEVER happen.
.
onetexan
(13,037 posts)"Fits the description" - this is their license to harrass, intimidate & kill people of color.
raccoon
(31,110 posts)LittleGirl
(8,286 posts)sarge43
(28,941 posts)oasis
(49,379 posts)FakeNoose
(32,634 posts)And yet they had to cuff him for "officer safety"?
Oh my Lord, where did they get their police training - in the USA?
Aussie105
(5,383 posts)Not every black person is an easy target for intimidation.
Actually, apology rejected - a follow up about the 'complaint' that led to him being detained needs to be made.
Legit or made up? Who made the complaint, and what was the complaint about?
Five cops, old guy needs to be handcuffed for their 'protection'?
More like, for their entertainment! And bragging rights in the po-po lunch room.
Ligyron
(7,632 posts)In some places he's a been shot dead instead of just handcuffed.
Yeah, I'm looking at you America.
On a lighter note: I see they have to wear silly outfits in Canada, just like in the UK, in order to dispense justice.
OK, well at least he doesn't have to put on one of those ridiculous wigs too
Jedi Guy
(3,185 posts)I had to go traffic court over a ticket, and the judge was wearing the full robes plus the wig. I felt like it was a bit overkill for, you know, traffic court. Equally as amusing was one fellow who referred to the judge as "Your Worship" instead of "Your Honor." I guess he was going for the Han Solo vibe.
Bev54
(10,050 posts)but they do not wear wigs, that is only in the UK. This is stop in Vancouver is disgusting and will be one more reason for Vancouverites to dislike their police force. There has been some trigger happy police as well as racist tendencies that do not go over well in a very liberal city like Vancouver.
Jedi Guy
(3,185 posts)OldBaldy1701E
(5,126 posts)Do you still refer to judges as 'beaks'? I know that is an old phrase...
Ligyron
(7,632 posts)Because Id be the wrong person to answer that question, sorry.
pamdb
(1,332 posts)Nice to know were not the only ones.
The Jungle 1
(4,552 posts)Say nothing and see where it goes.
JohnSJ
(92,187 posts)The Jungle 1
(4,552 posts)However there would be risk.
COL Mustard
(5,897 posts)WTF? Here they'd have found some reason to arrest the dude, after they tasered him.
llashram
(6,265 posts)on POC for racists worldwide. Sad actually for me to see just how reviled and feared POC are worldwide. Not that this is something new. Just the open hate of white people who are racist. The RW wants a race war/class war to be able to install their final oligarchy so the rich and powerful can be lords again over the "unwashed masses".
onetexan
(13,037 posts)PatSeg
(47,419 posts)How threatening could he appear? And I seriously doubt he looked like a 40 year old. Just very lazy racial profiling, any black guy will do.
Fiendish Thingy
(15,601 posts)A neighborhood probably filled with Karens.
If hed been strolling on the East Side of Vancouver, nobody would have cared.
Bev54
(10,050 posts)which would be like walking in Central Park in NY city.
left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)What if he was just some average guy?
twodogsbarking
(9,739 posts)Did they think he would outrun them? Apparently.
Iggo
(47,552 posts)Worried2020
(444 posts).
W
monkeyman1
(5,109 posts)mahina
(17,647 posts)Are you kidding me? How traumatizing is that? How terrible for all of us.
Rotten apples , rotten branches of rotten trees have got to go!
Start with signed agreement not to do anything like this kind of stuff and as soon as its broken they are gone, liabilities on them. Then it will stop.
Make them buy insurance personally!
Raine
(30,540 posts)who would've thought it could happen anywhere else.
Mysterian
(4,587 posts)Great work, KKKeystone KKKops!