PO-PO, driving while Black in Forest Park [FP]

Thursday I watched a Forest Park police officer arrest Clarence Davis, a Black motorists at approximately 12:45 PM. The arrest happened on Randolph ½ block east of Des Plaines, 50 feet from Davis’ destination, the bridal gown consignment shop. He was going there to pick-up a print order.

At the time a police officer told me that Davis was initially stopped for a bad brake light. The incident report says Davis was initially stopped for not wearing a seatbelt. Davis was arrested because his both the vehicle’s license and his driver’s license were suspended. The vehicle belonged to Davis’ employer; Davis says he was unaware of the vehicle’s registration being suspended.

During the arrest the officer used a taser on Davis multiple times. While pressed against his car Davis told me that the officer had made Davis "shit" himself. Davis requested I tell the owner of the consignment shop he was being arrested.

The Forest Park Police Department held Davis until approximately 5 PM. He was not allowed to wash himself and sat in his own feces for hours. His pants and shoes were removed and he was given paper pants to wear.

When Davis was released he did not receive his pants or shoes back. He had to walk barefoot across Forest Park to get assistance. When Davis asked to file a complaint the officer refused to explain the complaint procedure to Davis.

The officers who wrote the incident report fabricated at least part the report. They claim that Davis deliberately defecated to make managing him more difficult.

Based on the police providing two different reasons for initially stopping Davis—both rather flimsy reasons to stop a vehicle anyway—I suspect the incident is a textbook case of racial profiling.

The fact that a simple traffic arrest escalated into a violent situation reflects poorly on the training of the officer involved.

Forcing an offender to sit for hours in his own feces is simply a human rights violation. Davis wasn’t intoxicated and seemed pretty calm for a guy who was getting shocked with a taser. Destroying his clothing and forcing him to walk barefoot is reprehensible.