- Arizona police stopped a Dodge Charger Hellcat driver for tire chirping his muscle car.
- They handcuffed him within four seconds of exiting the car and promptly arrested him.
- Now, that driver, a police officer in Chicago, is suing the Tempe PD for discrimination.
Jalen Woods is a police officer in Chicago and he’s suing the Tempe, Arizona Police Department for violating his civil rights. He says that officers targeted him for being a black man while driving a Dodge Charger Hellcat Redeye. The department says that he revved the engine and squealed the tires. And that’s its justification for arresting the man seconds after pulling him over.
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A copy of the police report spells out why officers thought they should arrest Woods. “While the vehicle was stopped in traffic and continuously revving the engine, the rear tires began to create a squealing noise for approximately 1-2 seconds.” That’s right, two seconds of squealing noise sent this man to jail.
The Charges Didn’t Stick
The city prosecutor dismissed the case later saying that there wasn’t a likelihood of conviction. “I feel like I was targeted and discriminated against because of my skin color,” Woods said to ABC 15. “They didn’t believe that I could be a police officer. “They picked the wrong person. They picked an officer who knows his rights, who knows the law.” It’s unclear what will happen with the civil case but we’ll keep an eye on it.
Setting aside issues of discrimination based on race, this whole incident still seems completely absurd. Bodycam footage shows the moment when Woods drives by the Tempe PD. Not only is he not creating any sort of smoke from his tires, but he’s in the midst of an intersection and turning.
Nothing about the video indicates in any way that he “had engaged in an exhibition of speed.” On top of that, when his brake lights become visible, they’re clearly illuminated. The statement from Tempe PD about the situation only adds to the absurdity.
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“The Tempe Police Department strongly denies the false allegations in the Notice of Claim submitted on behalf of Officer Jalen Woods. There was no discrimination against Officer Woods, for his race or any other reason. He was treated no differently than anyone else.”
What Are We Even Doing Here?
So, in essence, the Tempe PD seems to indicate that it’s looking to arrest people who chirp their tires while otherwise peacefully driving through intersections. Let’s just assume that this all actually took place before the video begins. Arresting him within seconds of detaining him for a simple moving infraction seems quite excessive. I chirp the tires on my Ford Flex without attempting to several times a month. I suppose I need to avoid Tempe, AZ at this point.