This happened about a month ago; it is back in the news because the ACLU is taking up his case. The UMass Amherst chancellor (who FWIW is not white) said that campus security has been training in “threat profiling”, and going out to investigate when the anonymous tip came in was part of their protocol. Honestly, that part of the story is OK, schools (especially public universities) are under increasing pressure to do something about campus security, though I can’t think of any cases where campus shooters have been black; they seem to be profiling the wrong race here. In any event, it would be interesting to hear campus security try to explain why the questioning lasted more than 10 seconds. It should have been: “Sir, can we see your ID? OK, that’s fine, sorry to bother you; can we help you with the stuff you’re carrying, it looks heavy?”
(I’ve had that on occasion – except for the offer to help carry – and I’m an old white guy that looks like the stock image of a professor; it isn’t a big deal, as it is one reason we carry IDs.)
Exactly. My expectation isn’t everyone knows everyone. Even though that is sort of a thing here in New England. It really isn’t difficult to descalate the situation.
It seems like the last line of the article was cut off - the one that reads: “UMASS police then arrested and charged the person who made the false police report. He/She has been charged with making a false report, wasting police time, racial harassment, and disorderly conduct” (because it seems like they tack that last one onto any arrest).
The way I interpreted it was that there wasn’t a question of whether he worked there at that point; their questions seemed focused on determining whether he’s a disgruntled employee turned mass shooter.
I did not assume they spent 30 minutes trying to ascertain whether he was an employee. That, of course, doesn’t change the fact that it’s still completely unjustified and appalling,
Some of it maybe racism, but a lot of it is probably ass-covering. If they don’t respond and something does happen, they get the blame. It’s the same reason that security measures can only ratchet up. No matter how absurd, it’s risky for a public figure to come out against them because if something does get wrong, they’ll get the blame.
I do understand this. It is a sad reality. I much prefer the Adam Savage line: “I reject your reality and substitute my own.” Mine would be a lot less horrible.
That’s happened. (10 years before, and I might have been on that floor.) But they sure missed a lot of red warning flags compared to walking funny (and black).
Give it a name; it’s just yet another excuse for not changing an inefficient and highly flawed system that conveniently happens to support the White male supremacy.
It only becomes a big deal if it is used to harass, as seems to have happened in this case. As the police were security for a major public university, and not members of a metro police force, it is likely that there will be a credible investigation into what happened, with considerable scrutiny not only from the supervising administrator but also from students, faculty, his union if he’s in one of the several bargaining units on campus, federal granting agencies (U Mass has been awarded a variety of grants with the stated purpose of promoting diversity), not to mention the lawsuit he’s bringing via the ACLU.
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