The Jackson Township Police Department is reviewing a traffic stop captured on video after the driver, a Black man, accused two officers of racially profiling him as he left his apartment complex to buy groceries.
The driver, Jamal Holmes, said in a Facebook post that officers drove past him while he sat in his parked car talking on the phone at the Westlake Mews residential development, then began following him after he pulled out to drive to BJ’s Wholesale Club to pick up groceries for his son. He posted the video he recorded of the encounter on June 2, and it has since circulated widely online.
In the footage, the first officer explains what drew the officers’ attention.
“When we drove by in the Mews, we just saw you; I was a little concerned, it looked like you were reaching down, just like hiding your face when we came by. You’re wearing a sweatshirt in 80-degree weather,” the officer says.
The officer also points to a handicap placard in Holmes’ car and says residents of the development had complained about people parking in handicap spaces.
Holmes challenged the basis for the stop on the recording.
“So you’re conducting a traffic stop because you’re trying to say I look suspicious … while I’m walking out of my own apartment,” he says. “Why? Because I’m Black and it’s 80 degree weather?”
Holmes repeatedly asked the officers to call a supervisor, saying he was entitled to speak with one before stepping out of the vehicle. “By law, if I request that you call your supervisor, you’re supposed to call your supervisor before I get out of the car,” he says, as the officers direct him to exit.
More than two minutes into the recording, one officer notes that the car’s inspection sticker had expired in May. The officers continued to tell Holmes to get out of the car as he continued to ask for a supervisor.
“You’re gonna get locked up for obstruction,” one officer says.
Holmes said he knew his rights and would speak with a supervisor once one arrived. The two sides argued before an officer pulled him from the car and told him he was under arrest. The video ends there.
In his Facebook post, Holmes wrote that after the recording stopped, officers pressed him against his car and twisted his arms, aggravating a back he said holds screws and rods from a spinal fusion two years ago. He wrote that he was taken to the police station, where he asked for a medic and eventually spoke with a supervisor.
When he asked the supervisor what about his clothing made him appear suspicious, Holmes wrote, the supervisor did not answer and told him the expired inspection was the reason for the stop. After the supervisor watched the video, and after emergency responders said Holmes would be taken to the hospital, he was told he was being released, he wrote. He said he later underwent an MRI to check the hardware in his spine. Holmes said he was released without being processed and told a summons would be mailed to him.
Police Chief Mary Nelson said in a statement posted to the department’s Facebook page that the department was aware of the video.
“The Jackson Township Police Department takes all allegations of discrimination seriously,” Nelson wrote. “We are aware of the concerns that have been raised and are reviewing the matter in accordance with our policies and procedures. A thorough and impartial review will be conducted to ensure all relevant facts and circumstances are considered.”
Video courtesy of Facebook/ViBin Mall
I’m with the Jackson police officers in this incident. I think they handled themselves both professionally and in accordance with the law. Just because this arrogant black driver alleges racial profiling doesn’t make it as such. The driver was combative and was looking for a fight and the fact he was recording on his phone tells you where was looking for this to go. He could have very easily had this whole thing over in minutes had he obeyed the police officers and probably he would have been on his way but he chose otherwise.
They pulled him over for no reason.
Then proceeded to ask him to get out of the vehicle. FOR NO REASON!!
There is no world in which this is ok.
At the end of the day he was required to obey the commands of those officers. If he felt he had a case against those officers then there’s a time and place for that but when those officers asked him to step out the car he was legally required to do so,. He didn’t have a problem handing over his driver’s license without making a fuss, he could have stepped out of the car without a fuss too.. This is on him and he should be held accountable..
Let’s look at this from a legal perspective, it’s an officer tells you to get out of a car at a stop, the supreme Court has ruled that you must get out of the car for the officers safety. But on the other hand, there needs to be probable cause or articulable suspicion of a crime that was committed in order to make a traffic stop. At the time of the traffic stop, the officer knew of no crime that was committed. Only after he made illegal stop did he notice they expired tag. Which means not just Will he be able to very easily fight that, He can also file a complaint against the officer etc.
And do yourself a favor, before you start arguing back, Google the laws
What I wrote in my comments is exactly the same thing as you just wrote, just without being obnoxious and trying to be Mr Know-it-all..
Wow, there must be a factory somewhere where they churn out people like you. Did you not hear the part where they mention the handicap placard hanging from the rear view mirror? That’s against the law. It’s a moving violation. It’s a perfectly acceptable reason to pull somebody over. And as far as asking him to get out of the car, New Jersey police are allowed to ask that of any driver at any traffic stop. So where the hell do you come off saying that it was for no reason?
Racist and unjustified stop by corrupt officers
Are you on crack my friend, I guess you did not see the same video I saw.
Well, that’s what a boot licker without brain cells would say. And there are plenty of them in this trash country.
You must be really respectful to an officer!
That is how to lower the heat on any police interaction!!
Agreed! but nevertheless the stop was unlawful I’m
We have to stand up for others when this happens, I promise if this was a jew everyone would lose it. This cop should be fired yesterday
The guy was driving with a handicapped placard hanging from his rearview mirror, which is a moving violation, and the officer mentioned the placard when he was explaining why he pulled the driver over. The officer also stated that he felt that the driver seem to be trying to hide his face, something that can be done easier wearing a hoodie which most people would not wear in hot weather unless they had another reason for wearing that hoodie. And trying to conceal your identity definitely constitutes suspicious behavior. The driver also had an expired inspection sticker on his car. The driver also tried to tell the officers that they were under a legal obligation to fetch him a supervisor and that he didn’t have to cooperate with anything until that supervisor arrived – all of which is completely wrong. The driver also tried to say that he didn’t have to get out of the car because it was a simple traffic stop, which is also wrong. By not getting out of the car at a traffic stop when the officers lawfully ask you to, that is definitely obstruction for which you may be charged. You want to stand up for somebody? Stand up for the cops who have to deal with clowns like this who think they know more that the cops do.
We have to explain why Black People wear hoodies in warm weather. Who cares, it is not a crime.
He was definitely looking for a fight and is hoping to sue and live off our taxes! Yes a hoodie in this weather is suspicious. Yes hiding your face when a cop passes can make them very nervous. They have been ambushed too many times. I don’t care what color you are. They probably couldn’t even see that when they first decided to stop him! If he would have answered normally it would have been a 2 minute discussion and have a nice day! He was waiting and hoping for a reason to try to sue. Stop giving $ to anyone who hides behind race or any other excuse if it’s not the true story
Normally that would be true, but it’s not a crime to be suspicious. An officer can’t pull you over for being suspicious. They must have reasonable calls or articulable suspicion that a crime was committed.. while the person was saying things that were wrong, for example that he’s entitled to a supervisor by law or that it doesn’t have to get out of the car, the stop itself was unlawful. Feel free to Google the laws.
Let’s look at this from a legal perspective, it’s an officer tells you to get out of a car at a stop, the supreme Court has ruled that you must get out of the car for the officers safety. But on the other hand, there needs to be probable cause or articulable suspicion of a crime that was committed in order to make a traffic stop. At the time of the traffic stop, the officer knew of no crime that was committed. Only after he made illegal stop did he notice they expired tag. Which means not just Will he be able to very easily fight that, He can also file a complaint against the officer etc.
And do yourself a favor, before you start arguing back, Google the laws
Geez, you gotta stop it. Obviously, you’re very anti cop. But if you were pro-law, you might know that it’s a moving violation to drive with a handicapped placard dangling from your mirror because it partially impedes your view of the road. And the officer mentioned the placard when he was explaining to the driver why he pulled him over. How’s that for legal perspective?
Honestly good for him!
They’re pompous pricks all pumped up with a gun.
I recently called the cops bec there was someone in a hoodie in a car and something didn’t look right, sure enough – it wasn’t!!!
Guy got arrested!! when something is off you gotta be alert
What does Mastronardy have to do with this guy? Why is he throwing his name?