Dear Readers,
In the last edition, I wrote a little bit about my “high risk traffic” stop on Sunday, February 1, 2015 by the Lansing Police Department. I can truthfully say that I am still traumatized by the entire situation. I thank God that I came out of it in one piece. I did comply fully and at no time questioned the stop.
I was minding my own business driving towards 496 around 2:00 pm. I knew that there was a police SUV behind me but I thought they could not possibly be after me. There were no sirens and I thought they were after someone else and I was just in the way.
I actually passed the police officer and smiled because I thought it was someone that I knew. Little did I know, he was probably calling for backup.
I am getting a copy of the video because I feel like I need to see what happened before I write something solely based on my recollection.
I find myself questioning the actions of the day. I find myself exploring the “what-if’s”. Finally after two weeks, I am no longer having nightmares. I wonder if that is because I have exhausting days. I am also testy.
I am still rattled by the experience. Even as I write this, the prospect of reliving it makes me queasy.
I would like to say the my initial police officer I saw driving is a black male. He was also the one who frisked me. I was so upset when he asked me if I knew why they stopped me. I felt so violated and still do today.
I was so disturbed that he asked me a question that he more than likely knew I did not have the answer to.
After what seemed like an eternity, he told me that they got a report of a black male in a green/grey Tahoe who was brandishing a shotgun with a scope on it.
It was very surreal. I will let you know that as the days go by, I feel more isolated by the fact that I had such a good relationship with the police department and now I feel this intense feeling of “untrustworthiness”. I do not look like a male. With the amount of fire power that was there, I wondered who was out looking for the alleged gunman.
As a policeman’s daughter, I have to have respect. Please note that those onsite did apologize profusely and were extremely professional. However, my nightmares have been absolutely horrific and apologies do not take away what happened.
I will write more in depth once I see the videotape and get some more information. I do not want an intense situation that impacted me negatively to do any further damage.
Thank you for your patience.
Love people,
Rina Risper
This column was printed in the February 22, 2015 – March 7, 2015 edition.
