RACIAL PROFILING ALIVE AND WELL IN TORRANCE CALIFORNIA

Profiling Alive and Well, in Torrance CA July 30,2013

Today I experienced something first-hand that was not only embarrassing but unacceptable.  After living in the Redondo Beach area for 26 years, I am writing this article to complain about the status quo of Torrance Police Department.   I am a 60 year old Caucasian woman in an interracial marriage, with a mixed family.  I was being driven by my sister-in-law (a 40 something year old Black women) to a 12:30 p.m. appointment in Torrance at 235th and Crenshaw, to have therapy for my shoulder.  While driving at the speed limit in the flow of traffic, at 12:15 p.m. along Del Amo Blvd. headed South, a Torrance Police Officer, traveling North, pulled a U-Turn and proceeded to follow us.  Three blocks later, he pulled us over and when he approached the car, he stated, “please put your hands up where I can see them” to my sister.  At this point, we both placed our hands up, and when he got to the car, he stated, “Oh not you” directed at me.  He then proceeded to explain that we should understand why this was necessary.  He proceeded to ask us where we were going and my sister in law explained that she was taking her sister-in-law to therapy.  He proceeded to tell us he had stopped us because our “third brake light” was not working and then asked for the driver’s license, registration and insurance, while questioning if she had any tickets or warrants that he should be aware of. 

Not only was this totally unacceptable, but infuriating.  He proceeded to run a check and discover that all information was correct and valid, and then returned her license and sent us on our way with a warning.

This is blatant prejudice and racist profiling.  When this police officer made the U-Turn, he had already decided he was going to stop us.  When he started following us, there was no reason other than my sister-in-law was black.  When he stopped us, it was an excuse.