Christian Barmore, a defensive lineman for the New England Patriots, has suggested racism was at the heart of his recent traffic stop and arrest racism in Providence, Rhode Island.
Police officers stopped the professional football player and gave him a summons for operation of an unregistered vehicle, display of plates penalties, and driving with an expired license. After he was cited by Providence cops he took to social media and wrote, “I just experienced for the first time– five Providence cops being very unprofessional racism at its finest.” The message was later deleted.
The incident took place on Oct. 16 before 1 a.m. A written police report stated that Barmore’s windows on his Jeep Grand Cherokee were tinted. It also said that he had a plate cover on the temporary registrations, which caused them issues while reading the information. It says a police officer tried to pull the defensive lineman over, but claims that Barmore “slow rolled” police.
“This tactic is known to police by slowing down an interaction with police to hide any contraband or weapons. It should also be noted that the area is known for high narcotic usage.”
Police stated that when he did stop, he “had an attitude towards police” and handed them his paperwork “in an aggressive manner.” They searched his vehicle and claimed to discover an ash cup with what they say alleged to be a blunt and an unknown substance. They included that they found several tubes filled with marijuana.
Police stated that Barmore’s Jeep registration had expired, leading to his arrest.
A statement from the Providence Police Department was released regarding the traffic stop.
“The Providence Police Department takes all concerns from the public very seriously and with the utmost professionalism. In this particular case, the vehicle in question was found to be unregistered during a routine traffic stop, which is a violation of the law. The officer acted in full compliance with department protocols and state regulations. We understand that any encounter with law enforcement can be stressful, however, it’s important to note that officers are required to enforce all applicable laws, including those related to vehicle registration. We will continue to review the situation to ensure that proper procedures were followed and to maintain transparency with the public.”
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