So, a thing happened the other day while minding my own business. I walked out of an establishment in the Montgomery County Pike Road area and noticed someone about to back into my vehicle. As anyone would have done, I proceeded to yell at the vehicle to stop. The driver of the vehicle an older White woman did not like it. She stopped the vehicle with sufficient space for me to walk between the two vehicles. I proceeded to enter my vehicle, the woman opened her door and leaned out of her vehicle. She began to speak to me in a very disrespectful and derogatory tone. Mind you she was still in the position where her vehicle had stopped in close proximity to mine. The woman stated, “I have mirrors”. She called me out of my name. At this point, a heated exchange occurred. She slammed her door and backed into my vehicle – hitting it. Also, please note that she had a backup camera on the vehicle as well.
The authorities were called. I articulated the account of the events and that I believed this woman had hit my vehicle intentionally. The first officer (a white male) continued to state that he believed me. Yet he could not prove the intent or what was in her mind. - A second officer (a black female) arrived on the scene, and I articulated the same account of events. Yet this time, the officer replied, “Yes it sounds like”. The male officer stated to the female officer that this was an accident and that no incident report was needed.
The completed report was written from the perspective of the lady who hit me. Despite the fact, that I was the victim. The report was not indicative of the full facts. When questioned about this, the male officer asserted there would be no incident report just a private property accident report. The report stated that the woman’s foot slipped and caused her to hit my vehicle. There was no mention of the heated exchange or that she hit my vehicle after the exchange occurred. This omitted fact was important and provided information that suggested this was more than an accident.
While the officers were writing the report the woman continued to laugh and wave at me from her vehicle. I felt this was to further antagonize me and to fuel the situation. I indicated to the woman who hit me that she was racist. She continued to deny this assertion. Yet, there was no other reason I could fathom for such outlandish behavior. I kept my composure, but I was highly upset and shocked that the situation occurred to begin with.
To add fuel to the fire, there was a witness to the account - an employee who worked for the establishment. However, the individual’s name was left off the report. The male officer was asked why was specific information disregarded. I was advised, “There wasn’t enough room on the form - only the facts were recorded”. I asked him how discretion played into all of this. He continued to state he could not prove what she was thinking and cursing me and calling me out of my name was not a crime.
This account of the situation was unsatisfactory to me. When I got off work that afternoon, I went to the police station to make a complaint on the officer and to press charges on the woman for criminal mischief - neither occurred. I spoke to two different supervisors with no avail. The first supervisor advised that he would review the video from the officer’s camera. He contacted me that evening to let me know and I quote, “My officers did their job – there was no crime. I suggest you contact your insurance company". Again, I was not satisfied with this response. I went back the next day with the same complaint and asked to speak with another supervisor. This time the supervisor stated, “If he was willing to change the report what would I do with the information?” He further asked, “If I would go and press charges on the woman?” I replied, “Yes”. At that point, he stated, “There was nothing he could do – there was no crime and the report was a courtesy”.
Now anyone who knows anything about me - knows I love my Brothers in Blue. I have worked within the criminal justice field for nearly 25 years in various roles including as a certified law enforcement officer - so the procedures of the male officer and the responses of the supervisors did not sit right with me. The outcome of the situation was not what was desired. Nonetheless, I will have to come to terms with the facts that our officers are provided a great deal of leeway and discretion in the performance of their duties, and as citizens when we feel we have been wronged we may not see it from their perspective. Despite this realization, I felt as a citizen, I should be able to make what is believed to be a valid complaint and hold someone accountable for a crime. Whether there was visible damage or not - the hitting of my vehicle devalued it. The law stipulates that it is not the significance of the damage, but the act of intentionally damaging someone’s property that constitutes a crime.
This was one of the times I was really at a loss. I felt wronged by the woman and not heard or seen by those who are paid to protect the public. I had done my due diligence. Now I had to just put it in the hands of the Lord - knowing He alone can right the wrong. The word of God says, “The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm (Exodus 14:14 NLT). There is so much going on in the world. People are inherently good and evil. No one can say what will or will not happen. We can only conduct ourselves, pray, and give it over to Jesus - the ultimate judge. My peace was shaken for a minute but at the end of the day, I know my God is just and no devil in hell will steal my joy!
The Katrice Factor
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