By TNCP Staff
LANSING, MI – In many communities across the United States, young Black youths face frequent harassment and abuse at the hands of police officers. These boys and girls, some still in their early and preteens, are often unfairly targeted, stopped, searched, and detained by law enforcement. Racial profiling and the assumption of guilt cast an ugly shadow over their childhoods. Fueled by implicit biases, some officers view these children not as children but as dangerous threats or criminals in the making.
As a result, even minor interactions can quickly escalate into aggression, with police demanding compliance and obedience through intimidation and/or force. The prevalent bullying of young Black youths by police represents a disturbing crisis that requires urgent action.
NAACP Youth Respond
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Lansing Youth Council, an integral part of the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights organization, stands resolute against the recent disheartening incident that saw a 12- 12-year-old young man handcuffed after performing a simple act of taking out the trash. This alarming incident serves as a stark reminder that the fight for justice is far from over, and we demand accountability and meaningful change.
The boy, who says the experience was traumatic, told Good Morning America in an exclusive interview that he believes he was wrongfully detained. His father also expressed his concern about the issue and said that if his son was fearful for his life and ran, we may be reading a different story.
Reports emerging from the incident show that the young man was targeted solely based on his appearance, fitting a vague suspect description. The overzealous response, including the deployment of multi-ple police vehicles and a canine unit, is a harrowing example of excessive force and underscores the need for immediate reform.
Jazmine Yarborough-Blodgett, 12 years old, President of the NAACP Lansing Youth Council, passionately asserted, “We will not be silenced in the face of such injustice. Our youth council, representing the NAACP, is committed to holding those in power accountable. This incident is a disgraceful display of racial profiling, and it is our duty to demand justice, transparency, and the assurance that our community is safe.”
Youth Treasurer, Jackson McCurtis, 10 years old, added, “Unfortunate that this has happened. The police should have taken the time to hear the young man out.”
Gabriella Stephens, 11 years old, Youth Council Secretary, fervently added, “As young activists, we stand united in our belief that such policing practices have no place in our city or anywhere else. It is a fundamental right for every young person to feel safe in their community. We call upon law enforcement to undergo extensive training and establish open lines of communication to prevent future unjust confrontations.” Youth member Allen Williams, 10 years old, stated, “Sad this is happening to another youth.” Further, youth member Jude McCurtis, 10 years old, added sage advice, “The police should have gone to the door to verify the young man’s story.”
The NAACP Lansing Youth Council urgently calls upon Lansing Police Chief Ellery Sosebee to attend a youth council meeting where our concerns about this distressing incident will be addressed. This is an opportunity for the police department to engage with the community and to outline proactive measures to prevent such incidents from recurring. As of printing, the NAACP Lansing Youth Council has stated they have not received a response.
The youths hope to raise awareness through social media campaigns, circulate petitions demanding accountability for abusive officers, and plan peaceful demonstrations to protest racism and brutality.
They firmly believe that through dialogue, understanding, and action, we can create a more just future for Lansing and beyond. This incident has left a lasting impact on the victim and our community, and we are steadfast in our resolve to fight against discrimination, injustice, and oppression.
Harold A. Pope, President of the Lansing NAACP, made a statement about the issues with the incident. Pope expressed concern that cases of “mistaken identity” like this are still occurring and highlights that the officer reportedly drew his weapon on the child. He calls for these types of incidents to stop happening and says the NAACP is glad the family is seeking legal counsel.
The NAACP youth leaders argue that lasting change requires young people like themselves to get involved and speak out. Though often dismissed due to their age, these passionate students prove that today’s youth will not wait silently while their peers are wrongfully targeted. The council provides an empowering space for young Black activists to join together in the fight for justice.
The NAACP Lansing Youth Council currently meets every second Saturday at 10 am on Zoom. You can also find this information at NAACPLansing.org/calen- dar.
Lansing Police Department Replies
This is the response from the Lansing Police Department’s Facebook page on Thursday, August 11, 2023:
“We are aware of a video circulating social media. We want to provide some background information on this unfortunate misunderstanding.
On Thursday afternoon, our officers were investigating a string of Kia thefts, including a specific one reported on the 3600 block of W. Jolly Road, with multiple suspects. A witness described a suspect as wearing neon shorts and a white shirt. A responding officer saw a subject matching this description and attempted to make contact, but the subject fled and ran west into the nearby apartment complex. A different officer was in the area and saw the young man pictured in the viral video wearing a very similar outfit and made contact with him. The initial officer was able to respond and clarify the young man in the video was not the suspect who fled earlier. Once this information was obtained, the young man was released, and officers continued to search the area. We are including pictures of both individuals. We have blurred both photos to protect the identities of the subjects.
Community relations is a top priority for us as a department, from top down. Our hope is we can put this unfortunate case of “wrong place, wrong time” behind us and continue to represent the community that we serve.”
Facebook Community Members Express Concern
Facebook poster Diana Arnold, “Was the description saying it was a child? I’d like to see our officers get additional training on how to interact with kids, elderly, or special needs citizens.”
Please see the second statement from Lansing Police Department Chief Ellery Sosebee posted later in the afternoon at 4:30 pm:
The officers of the Lansing Police Department are working very hard to address the recent car thefts plaguing our city. In doing so, yesterday officers detained a young man who was wearing similar clothing and in the same apartment complex as an accused car thief who fled from officers on foot. When the officer made initial contact, it was near a trash bin, but was after he had disposed of any garbage. The young man was then released to his father when eliminated as the accused. The command officer on the scene made contact with the young man’s father and explained the situation, and apologized for the misunderstanding. I have reviewed the incident and can confirm the officer who contacted and detained the young man was respectful and professional during his investigation. It’s unfortunate that incidents like this occur but through communication and sharing of information, we can help people understand the whole story. We understand that something like this has an impact on all parties involved.
As the Chief of Police, I want to apologize that this incident had such an effect on this young man and his family. I’m asking for the community to consider all the facts of the situation before making a judgment. The relationship with our community has been and will continue to be a top priority for the Lansing Police Department. Others had a different response to the second Facebook post from the Lansing Police Department
Facebooker Jeff Ozzy Ozzald stated, “Thank you for taking the time to address this. It’s terrible that in addition to the absolute and real dangers of your jobs you have to capture and neutralize misinformation on the dreaded social medias but I think it’s VERY important to try. Truly Appreciate your efforts keeping our streets safe. Peace and love to our LPD and indeed, ALL of our first responders.”
The 12-year-old and his family have legal representation, as shown in the interview with Good Morning America.
