(AllHipHop News) The controversial “Stop-And-Frisk” policy being used by law enforcement agencies has come under scrutiny once again after video of an aggressive police stop in Philadelphia emerged recently. Two unidentified men were approached by 25th District officers after the two merely spoke to someone on the street.
[ALSO READ: Judge Orders Reforms To Stop-And-Frisk Policy]
“You don’t say hi to strangers,” an officer identified as Philip Nace tells the two pedestrians. His partner then adds, “not in this neighborhood.”
One of the men is then pushed against the police vehicle as the other tapes the incident with his cell phone. The cop orders that the phone be put away, but the man continues to record apparently without the officer’s knowledge.
As the phone continues recording, one of the officer’s can be heard saying, “I’ll split your wig open.” The officers then claimed that the men were “under investigation” which caused one of them to reply that he felt he was being harassed for no reason.
The cop then asks the man “how do you know what we know?” and mentions that he could have received a radio call for a robbery suspect who fits the man’s description.
“Why don’t you shut up! Everybody thinks they’re a f**kng lawyer, and they don’t know jack s**t,” yells the officer at one point. The officers later claim the two men were seen jaywalking, and accused one of the them of “weaken the f**king country” and “freeloading.”
“We train our officers to conduct lawful stops, and we continuously address this issue where necessary to provide the best service to the citizens of Philadelphia,” said police spokesman Lt. John Stanford.
Philadelphia Police Department’s Internal Affairs is investigating the incident. The department says the investigation and not the video will determine if the officer’s “acted appropriate in all aspects of their job.”
The Pennsylvania chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is monitoring the Officer Nace stop and other Stop-&-Frisk situations in Philadelphia.
[ALSO READ: If Only Billionaires Were Stopped and Frisked…]
Listen to the entire incident in the video below.