[Aquaboy]

I ran across this article by chance today. It makes interesting reading if you're stuck inside.

I Was Racially Profiled in My Own Driveway - The Atlantic

[NewJeffCT]

old issue, but if you look at it from the cop's point of view, I can understand what happened from his side as well.

Response from the West Hartford chief of police on the issue.
Facts And Focus Don't Point To Profiling - Hartford Courant

[Aquaboy]

Thanks, Jeff.

[AmyBergquist]

Doug's a neighbor. This was appalling.

[htfdcolt]

I think this incident resulted in a new law recently where officers cannot go after certain types of (potential) violators outside their jurisdiction

Doug Glanville's Continuing Conversation On Race - Hartford Courant

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by AmyBergquist

Doug's a neighbor. This was appalling.

Why was it appalling? If you look at the facts, the police were contacted about solicitors in the neighborhood and the individual matched Doug's description. Yes, the officer was presumptuous. He should have explained the nature of his investigation and when it was unfounded, offered an apology before walking away. Other than that, there is really nothing appalling here.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

I think this incident resulted in a new law recently where officers cannot go after certain types of (potential) violators outside their jurisdiction

Doug Glanville's Continuing Conversation On Race - Hartford Courant

That's always been the case. Never has a municipal patrol officer been able to enforce misdemeanor laws outside their jurisdiction unless the violation first occurred in their jurisdiction. Felonies are different - a municipal officer can and is expected to detain for a felony in progress anywhere in the state of CT.

[JayCT]

The West Hartford officer was investigating a complaint from a resident of West Hartford who said there was a black man going door to door asking about shoveling driveways. Door-to-door solicitation is against a town ordinance in West Hartford so the police had to investigate this. While this incident happened in Hartford, it is not unreasonable for police to go outside of their town limits to pursue someone. The thing that is disturbing is that the officer should have explained himself and apologized for bothering the black homeowner. That is just poor policing on the officer's part. If he had explained it, I am sure the homeowner would have understood the questioning. Jay

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

That's always been the case. Never has a municipal patrol officer been able to enforce misdemeanor laws outside their jurisdiction unless the violation first occurred in their jurisdiction. Felonies are different - a municipal officer can and is expected to detain for a felony in progress anywhere in the state of CT.

If it's always been the case, why the need for the new law then? If you read the article, "The legislation passed in response to the incident bars a police officer from crossing a municipal border to investigate the possible violation of a municipal infraction"

[NewJeffCT]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

If it's always been the case, why the need for the new law then? If you read the article, "The legislation passed in response to the incident bars a police officer from crossing a municipal border to investigate the possible violation of a municipal infraction"

if you read what kidyankee said closely, there was a piece in there about the misdemeanor first occurring in their own jurisdiction. Since it had happened in West Hartford first, it was technically okay for the officer to cross into Hartford (and, I believe these homes where Glanville lives are right on the WH border, no?). The new law prevents crossing the border even if there was a violation in their own jurisdiction first.

Agreed, though, that the officer should have explained himself clearly up front and there likely would have been no issue.