The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

A TAXI driver is seeking legal advice after being “humiliated” by a junior police officer.

Lamorn Rolle said a routine ticketing event for obstructing traffic turned into his vehicle being searched for alleged suspicion of drugs and firearms because of a comment he made to the officer.

He was driving downtown on June 19 with ten American tourists, he said.

Insufficient parking space prevented him from properly parking when a guest asked to stop at Scotia Bank.

An officer who pulled Mr Rolle over asked him to show his licence and insurance.

Before showing the documents, he apologised to the officer for holding up traffic.

Mr Rolle said he told the officer he and his guests would take care of the ticket.

“He turned around and called some police officers from over by Gucci to come over to give me this ticket,” Mr Rolle recalled. “So, I noticed the young lady started to write up this ticket.

“I said, officer, I’m not signing this ticket if another police is writing this up. I said how this get like this, you're supposed to be writing me up, where is your ticket book? I said you are a corporal, big corporal, you ain’t got no seniority. When I told him this, I think it flared him up.”

Mr Rolle said the officer then ordered him out of his bus.

“He started to push his hands into my vehicle to open up my door,” he said. “And I pushed his hands back. I said you know what, before this escalates to more, let me come out the car.”

A video from one of the guests captured the incident, showing the officer searching Mr Rolle and patting him down while other officers stood by.

At one point, Mr Rolle screamed: “I have guests in my car.”

“I don’t care who in there,” the officer responded.

Eventually, the tourists were forced to leave the van so officers could search the vehicle.

“They were outraged they couldn’t believe this little stoppage at a traffic stop that they thought they were just going to get a ticket escalated into this,” Mr Rolle told The Tribune. “And they told me that if I need any assistance reach out.”

Mr Rolle said the officer wanted to humiliate him.

“I'll be seeking legal advice on how to go about this and to bring some awareness to the police force on the mishandling of drivers,” Mr Rolle said.