'Police state'? Michigan cops defend stopping black man for walking with his hands in his pocket in the snow [video]

Greg P. | 9:19 AM on December 02, 2014

Many on Twitter are outraged and crying “racism” after multiple media outlets reported on Brandon McKean and his encounter with a white police officer from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office in Michigan. Here’s how The Independent, for example, framed the story:

Black man stopped by white police officer for walking down the street with his hands in his pocket while it was snowing

Sounds bad, right? According to The Independent, McKean posted the video of his encounter to YouTube with the salacious title, “Police state_ Why are your hands in your pockets_.” Here’s a link:

https://twitter.com/DeanCavanagh23/status/539460554348167168

“Police state.” And here’s a small sample of the outrage at what had allegedly been done to Mr. Mckean:

https://twitter.com/aayanmlf/status/539760429098995712

@Independent Racism in pure sense..

— Steve Alayon (@_Stevez_) December 2, 2014

https://twitter.com/rfoley274/status/539747835512909825

https://twitter.com/Se_Burgeys/status/539748642274684928

But the officer was also filming the encounter. Here’s what the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office had to say about what they claim McKean edited out of his version of events, via their Facebook wall:

There has been a great deal of discussion on the internet about a deputy talking to “a man with his hands in his pockets.” Unfortunately, this issue demonstrates one of the disadvantages of social media. Often times, individuals share things without knowing the facts and in some cases promote a specific agenda unrelated to the reality of the situation. Shocking that the internet does not tell the full picture or people use this for an agenda-right? So, here is the whole story.

The video that was posted was an edited version of the whole situation and cut out the Deputy fully explaining as to why 911 was called on him, and ended with this person agreeing that the police should respond. The 911 call received by the Oakland County Dispatch Center originated from a nearby business that had been a victim , as well as its employees, of seven robberies. The caller and his employees were concerned about the individual who had walked by the front window of the business five or six times, while looking inside with his hands in his pockets. Fearing for their safety, the business dialed 911 and the Deputy responded.

In the unedited version of the event, the individual stated that if he had called the police on a suspicious person, he would expect the police to respond, check the area, and talk to the suspicious person being called about. The Deputy did not detain or pat down the individual and considering the nature of the call responded in a very restrained and professional manner.

We will continue to take each and every call seriously at the Sheriff’s Office and hold our Deputies to the highest standards and expectations of public service.