“I once had a partner.”
“At first, I thought he was someone to be relied upon. I thought he was a friend. The most important thing in a partner was that they had your back, above all else. The more I got to know him, the more the façade dropped, and the real guy revealed himself. But no time more than the one I’ll remember forever.”
“We were patrolling a neighbourhood in the higher value end of the city when my partner, Chad, he spots a man driving a little slowly in a nice black Mercedes. He flips on the blues and pulls him over, telling me he caught a look at the guy, and something weren’t right.”
“In the vehicle is a black male, early forties, wearing a sharp business suit and tie. He does as Chad asks, gives him his details – licence, registration, but asks why he’s being pulled over.”
“Chad should’ve given him an explanation, went back to the patrol car and checked his details.”
“But how dare this mother fucking guy ask him a question, right?”
“So, Chad makes him step out of the vehicle.”
“The man doesn’t like his attitude.”
“They argue about the man not following orders the peace officer has given him – like to get on the wet ground, on his knees, and put his fucking hands in the air.”
“Chad decides to pull out his baton and force the man, smacking him to the ground violently with multiple blows.”
“It doesn’t look like Chad is gonna stop.”
“So, I pull him away and ask him what the fuck he thinks he’s doing.”
“Chad tells me that this uppity nword thinks the law doesn’t apply to him and he’s gonna teach him a fucking lesson, right there in the street.”
“This is long before body cams and vehicle recordings. This is back in the day when peace officers were trusted with your lives.”
“The man begs for his life; pleads with us. He lives on this street but only recently moved in. He was going slow to try and find his home. All he wants to do is make it home to his wife and newborn child.”
“Chad, angry that this nword procreated, starts laying in the boots. He’s gonna kill this poor guy right in front of me.”
“I draw my weapon.”
“I aim it at Chad.”
“I demand he stop assaulting this poor man and back the fuck off. Chad refuses, so I shoot that mother fucker in the shoulder. Down he goes.”
“The victim made it home that night.”
“I made it home that night.”
“Chad didn’t.”
“I know you’ve been in this position before, Luther. I’m sure you’re heading into Forever wondering if you’re ever going home again. I’m a cop and you’re black, so you have every reason to believe that. You don’t have any reason to trust that there are good cops out there in the world who only want to do the right thing. You’re afraid you’re not going home again.”
“But you will.”
“Just like that night – just like on Monday, I’m not Chad.”