"Cuff 'em!"
-
Matt Mooney feels Brighton police owe him a huge apology. The 33-year-old says he was handcuffed at Donelson Park in front of his 6-year-old daughter Sunday afternoon after police told him he violated the state’s social distancing guidelines.
Mooney told the FOX31 Problem Solvers he refused to provide his identification to three police officers because he was confident he wasn’t doing anything unlawful by playing tee-ball with his wife and daughter at the park.
“She's like, ‘Daddy, I don't want you to get arrested.' At this point I'm thinking, 'There's no way they're going to arrest me, this is insane.' I'm telling her, ‘Don't worry, Daddy's not going to get arrested. I've done nothing wrong. Don't worry about it,’ and then they arrest me."
Former Brighton City Councilman Kirby Wallin recorded much of the incident on his cellphone, where you can hear his voice narrate the scene.
“He’s being taken by the Brighton police for playing softball with his daughter in an empty park," Wallin said.
In an interview with the Problem Solvers, Wallin said, “I find it hard to believe with all the things going on in our communities, the only way to resolve a situation like this was to handcuff a father in front of his daughter.”
The sign at Donelson Park said “Closed” but in smaller print reads, “in groups of no more than 4 persons, parks remain open for walking, hiking, biking, running and similar activities.”
Mooney was just there with his wife and daughter. He said it was the officers who were violating social distancing guidelines.
“During the contact, none of the officers had masks on, none of them had gloves on, and they’re in my face handcuffing me, they’re touching me," he said.
Mooney said he was released after spending about 10 minutes in the back of a patrol car but said he still deserved an apology.
“If we're going to go ahead and start arresting people for no reason in front of their 6-year-old daughter, you're just going to cause more problems later on," he said.
-
Yes, it was over-reach, but refusing to give your identity to police is not the smartest move either. Everybody's on edge here.
It was handy that "Former Brighton City Councilman Kirby Wallin" coincidentally just happened to be there to record the whole thing.
Proud supporter of Plan 2525. Everything you think, do and say will be in the pill you took today.
-
@Doctor-Phibes said in "Cuff 'em!":
Yes, it was over-reach, but refusing to give your identity to police is not the smartest move either.
I agree, and that is the problem. Even in regular times, if you are an adult at a park with lots of kids, I think even then someone would ask you what you are doing there. Not giving identification is not the best answer.
I understand people who say "that they do not have to, my rights say that I don't have to etc. etc"
But, sometimes common sense is more important.
-
The daughter learned a valuable lesson I'm sure. When the only other person in an otherwise deserted park is a former councilman videoing you playing softball, it pays to be difficult with the police if you want to get on the news.
-
@taiwan_girl said in "Cuff 'em!":
@Doctor-Phibes said in "Cuff 'em!":
Yes, it was over-reach, but refusing to give your identity to police is not the smartest move either.
I agree, and that is the problem. Even in regular times, if you are an adult at a park with lots of kids, I think even then someone would ask you what you are doing there. Not giving identification is not the best answer.
I understand people who say "that they do not have to, my rights say that I don't have to etc. etc"
But, sometimes common sense is more important.
I was stopped by a couple of jackasses outside Federal Center a couple of months ago. I was taking pictures, and they thought that since I was near a federal building (FEMA), that was illegal, and they had a right to confiscate my camera. (These were dweebs who worked there, not security.) Security guy shows up, tells me not to go anywhere, gets a LEO. Fine by me. I explain to the officer that I don't have to state my business, or give ID, or really anything at this point because I'm not breaking any laws. But I did show him everything I was taking pictures of and explained exactly what I was doing. I also showed him my ID without handing it to him.
I didn't have to do any of that, but it did go a long way towards him getting bored with me. That was enough and he let me go. Also told the assholes who stopped me I was right.
