Princeton Police Release Video of University Professor's Arrest

Princeton, NJ -- Princeton Police has released a copy of the video in the weekend arrest of a black Princeton University professor by a white Princeton Police officer.

In the video, Imani Perry, a professor of African American Studies at Princeton University, says she didn’t know her license was suspended, or that there was a warrant issued for her arrest.

She also said she never got a ticket in New Jersey or Pennsylvania.

She said she recently changed her address, but hadn’t notified the State of Pennsylvania. The officer also tells her it’s police protocol to handcuff anyone who’s being arrested.

A copy of the video, provided by Princeton Police, is attached to this post.

Perry first mentioned the video would be released in a tweet earlier this week.

“The @PrincetonPolice have said they will release video of my arrest. I don’t know what to expect besides greater backlash…,” Princeton University Professor of African Studies Imani Perry posted on Twitter just after 3 p.m. Wednesday afternoon.

Perry was arrested on Saturday morning on an active warrant issued by the Princeton Municipal Court.

She was allegedly going 67 mph in a 45 mph zone on Mercer Street when an officer pulled her over and subsequently arrested her because of two unpaid parking tickets.

She was released after posting $130 bail, but has complained about the way she was treated by police after her arrest.

Following the arrest, she was critical of her treatment by police in an essay she posted on Facebook titled ‘My Encounter With Princeton Police and the Aftermath.’

Princeton Police have asked the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office to investigate its handling of the investigation.

Princeton Police have maintained they followed proper protocols in the arrest, and the town agreed, saying it will investigate whether a person should be arrested for a parking ticket at all.