A double park job started a heated exchange between a Baltimore City Police Sergeant and a man on a panel to keep police in check.
The officers body camera caught the 52-minute exchange.
During it the officer said he came up behind Marvin McKenstry flashed his lights and signaled for him to keep moving because he was double parked.
The officer said McKenstry stayed put and stuck his arm out and waved the officer to go around him, that’s when the traffic stop started.
“Let me get another unit up here he’s refusing to give me his license and registration on camera and now he’s picking up his phone,” The Sgt. said. “Hang up your phone and give me your license and registration sir, it’s not a request it’s a lawful order.”
McKenstry is the chair of the Civilian Oversight Task Force.
The five-person board was picked by Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh and formed because of the federally mandated consent decree.
McKenstry and the rest of the board are charged with improving relationships with police and citizens
McKenstry refused to give the officer his license and registration over 60 times, telling him to arrest him because he wasn’t doing anything wrong.
“I mean If that’s what you feel like you need to do arrest me,” McKenstry said in the video.
The officer responded by saying he didn’t need permission to do his job, just his license and registration.
Eventually the officer goes to his car to write up 4 tickets totaling around $500 in fines, the biggest a $290 fine for willfully disobeying a lawful order of a police officer.
Before bringing the tickets to McKenstry the officer tells another officer there are several citations he can use, including arresting him on criminal charges.
“I heard him screaming about he has no idea who I am. That’s right that goes in my favor because that proves that I tread everybody the same because I have no idea who he is. Doesn’t matter who he is.”
In a statement Baltimore Police Commissioner Darryl De Sousa said:
"The Sergeant did a good job in a tough situation. He didn't want to make an arrest and he was very patient. This is a situation that officers encounter on a regular basis," said Baltimore Police Commissioner Darryl De Sousa. "We are working with Mr. McKenstry to continue to improve upon police and community relations. We hope that this encounter can be used as a positive training tool to help build relationships."
The Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police asking Mayor Pugh to reconsider Mr. McKenstry's suitability as chair of the Community Oversight Task Force. You can read the full statement here.
Here is the response from the Mayor’s Office.
"All citizens, regardless of rank, office or status have an obligation to cooperate with our law enforcement officers. This was an unfortunate occurrence that could easily have been avoided."
