A local mother said a recent traffic checkpoint was not handled properly when her son said an officer was not only unprofessional but told him to get rid of his Roll Tide license plate frame as well.
Truvander Kennedy appeared before the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to share her concerns following a traffic safety checkpoint conducted by the Yazoo City Police Department on Washington Street.
“During the checkpoint, my son had his information out, which we have trained him to do, to provide to the police officer,” Kennedy said. “Being a mother of two young black males, we try to prepare them as much as possible. In getting his information, the police officer who approached him told him, ‘next time, you wait until we tell you to get it.’”
Kennedy said she felt the communication between the officer and her son was “petty,” but she said she did not feel that commentary should have been said by the officer.
“And the officer told him that next time, make sure you have this off your tag,” Kennedy added, holding a Roll Tide (University of Alabama) license plate frame. “My son immediately took it off. But as the cars roll down the street in front of my house, I see Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Jackson State and my alma mater Valley. We have all these tags on the back of our cars. Everybody says they want to live in Madison, but they have rules. I don’t mind abiding by rules, but I want us to be more consistent. If we are going to antagonize one young male…let’s do it for everybody.”
Kennedy said consistency should be followed by local officers. She admits the issue could be considered “petty” since there are other more pressing issues within the community.
“Last week, I hit the floor as if we were in Afghanistan because someone came down our street shotting as if they were in Afghanistan,” she said. “I called the police department about what happened with my son, and they told me that they were in training. But I still don’t think that is the proper communication. I wanted to bring this to you because I was offended. You are going to tell my child ‘don’t have your stuff ready.’ Please tell them there is a better way to do that.”
