Would the cops have been called if he had been white?

[cyclonefence]

Rayshard Brooks had fallen asleep in the drive-through line at Wendy's, forcing other customers to drive around his car, which sounds dangerous. Someone called the cops. What I want to know is if an effort to wake him up was made before the police were called--I imagine he was honked at, but did anyone--another customer, an employee--come out and knock on his window? We saw that it wasn't easy to wake him up from the cop's camera, but he was not belligerent or even annoyed. If someone had been able to wake him so he could move along in the line, he'd be alive today.

When so many black men were being killed by cops in incidents that began with a traffic stop over a burned-out light bulb, or failing to signal a turn, again, a situation that could have been handled in a non-threatening way led to someone's unnecessary death.

I understand that Mr. Brooks was drunk and should not have been on the road, but he was able to pass the road sobriety tests, failing only the breathalyzer. I understand that the cops were following the rules by trying to bring him in to sleep it off in a cell.

If Mr. Brooks had been white, considering that he passed the road sobriety test, would he have been allowed to drive himself home--seeing that he was already trying to sleep it off--escorted by the cops, and given a warning?

[jmg257]

1. Likely. A person passes out behind the wheel in a drive-thru, chance are cops will be called.

And doubt if the cops would/should have let such person drive home. THEY are then responsible for what happens next.

I know I wouldn't let them drive themselves.

[PTWB]

2. I think cops get called on people who drive drunk and pass out behind the wheel.

I think that happens regardless of their Race. It’s what happened after they were called that is suspect.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

3. It happens.

Don't get the idea that interactions with cops are all fun and games for white people.

Is it even worse for African Americans? Absolutely!

You're not even allowed to sleep in a vehicle in many parts of the country. There's videos of white people trying to escape the bondage of property taxes by living in vans, for example, and being super-wary of getting caught doing it. (With some people dealing with cops at their van doors.)

If they were spending MONEY at an RV park or something, that would be "legal". Parked along a deserted road in the boonies? Can't do that! They have to spend the moneeey.

[Hoyt]

4. Don't have an issue with calling police on anyone passed out in a drive-through. Now, what happened

when the police got there, is a different story.

[soothsayer]

13. I do. Call an ambulance.

You don’t need police for this.

[FreeState]

16. It's likely the police would come with the ambulance

It’s likely the police would come with the ambulance - there was physical property involved. Even without the car they may have showed up from an ambulance call (I passed out at a restaurant once a s the manager called an ambulance and the cops showed up too).

[tritsofme]

19. Um...and what? Tell the dispatcher they better not send any officers?

I mean...come on.

[jmg257]

21. Are we normal people so ignorant that we would not recognize a person passed out

Behind the wheel of a running car, in a drive thru, may be DWI?

When did we become so naive?

And those cars weaving as they drive down the highway - bees?

Or are we saying DWI is ok now?

[Tom Rinaldo]

5. Maybe. Sometimes whites call the police on other whites for shoddy reasons. But...

...it IS significantly more likely to happen when there is a black man involved. And maybe the cops would have decided to arrest a white man in a case like this for DUI, rather than calling a cab for him or whatever, but it IS significantly more likely that they wouldn't cut that type slack for a black man.

What a cop would virtually never do though is shoot a fleeing white in the back under any circumstances remotely like what happened with Rayshard Brooks.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

6. This homeless guy was killed when he turned his back.

Sleeping in a tent on public property where he wasn't allowed.

He grabbed a knife, apparently, after a cop fired a flash-bang toward him. He wasn't close to the cops and he only got shot and killed as he then turned his back to them.

Being poor is the biggest "crime" in this country imo.

[Tom Rinaldo]

12. Yeah, if you go meta it comes down to who is not viewed as a fully worthy human being

People of Color, the poor, the homeless, sexual minorities, in some cases political dissidents, the mentally ill etc. Or in other words, those deemed to be second class citizens by those who see themselves as "belonging". All at greater risk.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

14. Yes, and it has been getting worse imo.

Republicans have basically pushed for a "police state" for many years, with some Democrats going along with it.

The more selfish among the wealthy only really "need" the military and police from the government, in their minds. The libertarian, Koch Brothers kind of agenda.

It's short-sighted, of course. Everyone benefits from better infrastructure and sense of security, even them in the long-run.

[dsc]

7. A good friend of mine in AA had exactly that happen to him

he fell asleep in a drive thru and cops were called, he got hauled off to jail. He is white. I will say in an open carry state I wouldn't dare approach another driver's car without their knowledge and permission.

[unblock]

8. I did in a similar situation

I saw an unconscious man (white) in the driver's seat of a car, keys in hand, door wide open. Motel parking lot, middle of the afternoon. Not clear if he had just arrived or was about to leave.

Couldn't wake him, no snoring, couldn't get a pulse. This was before I became an emt, I didn't try hard enough.

Called the cops. Didn't know if he needed medical attention or just needed to be prevented from driving when he woke up. Either way, thought it right to call the cops.

They came and were much more aggressive about a waking him up, and calmly escorted him into the motel. He was obviously very, very drunk.

[MiniMe]

9. I think they would have been called, the bigger question is would the cops have cuffed him?

That was when the trouble started. There was absolutely no reason to cuff him IMHO

[jmg257]

11. Unless of course he's being arrested. Which he was. cuffed & searched

Before he goes in the car - where he sits behind you.

[soothsayer]

15. So don't arrest someone sleeping in their car

[jmg257]

17. Agree 100% -As long as they're not passed out and DWI - wouldnt think of it.

[Ms. Toad]

27. He wasn't sleeping in his car in an innocuous location

which might suggest he recognized the problem and had stopped to sleep it off.

He was sleeping in his car in the drive-through lane. Police had to bang on his window, open his door, and shake him to wake him up.

That is different than arresting someone merely sleeping in their car (at a rest stop, or in a parking place, for example), and represents a much more serious problem.

[BannonsLiver]

25. He was being arrested for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated

Actual Physical Control (APC). When people are arrested they are handcuffed.

[Tech]

10. I had a roommate get arrested for public intoxication in the 80's, he had fallen asleep

outside a gas station. He was white in his twenties and we lived in Texas. I think the question should be would a white person have been shot and killed for running.

[Ms. Toad]

18. I would hope so.

I have friends whose families have been wiped out by drunk drivers. I have zero tolerance for impaired driving. Any cop who would escort a drunk driver home should be fired. Period.

Driving them home -fine. Letting them call someone -fine. Charging them with drunk driving -absolutely.

Shooting them? The co-op should not only be fired, but charged criminally.

[Evergreen Emerald]

20. Yes. Is is very common.

Drunk drivers often pass out behind the wheel of the vehicle in the drive thru. Police are called no matter what the gender or ethnicity of the driver.

Drunk driving is dangerous and kills many innocent citizens. That is why police are called and that is why drunk drivers are arrested.

[jcgoldie]

22. probably so

White PE teacher and head football coach at my HS was arrested for DUI passed out in a fastfood drive thru... then he was fired but nobody shot him.

[BannonsLiver]

24. He didn't pass the field sobriety test.

That’s why they were cuffing him.

[pnwest]

26. Yes. Full stop. Cops would have been called

if he was white.

Waking him up to get him to move on would put other people’s lives in danger, and after all the drunk driving education we’ve learned since MADD, no one would want anyone drunk enough to fall asleep in the drive -thru to continue driving.