Police review video of Northern California officer pulling gun on man recording him
By Veronica Rocha - Los Angeles Times
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cDy3tUy4Io
A Northern California police department is reviewing a video showing one of its officers pulling a gun on a man who was recording him on his cellphone.
The video, posted on YouTube, shows a Rohnert Park Public Safety officer driving toward Don McComas as he's filming. As McComas moves in closer to record the license plate number on the officer’s police SUV, the officer stops, gets out and tells McComas to take his hand out of his pocket.
McComas replies: “No sir, I’ve done nothing. I have done absolutely nothing. No.”
The officer removes his gun from his holster, speaks into his radio and says, “Seriously.”
McComas responds, “Put your gun down, really?”
The video shows McComas backing away as the officer motions the gun toward him.
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McComas repeats he did nothing wrong and tells the officer not to touch him.
When McComas asks why the officer stepped out of his vehicle, the officer responds, “You taking a picture of me. I am taking a picture of you.” The officer then asked whether McComas was “some kind of a constitutionalist or crazy guy or something like that.”
“Why are you doing this?” the officer asks McComas, who responds, “Why are you sitting here with your gun on me? This is why I am doing this. To protect myself from you.”
McComas was not detained or arrested.
As the officer walks away, he tells McComas, “Go ahead, have a nice day and put it on YouTube. I don’t really care.”
Rohnert Park Mayor Amy Ahanotu and City Manager Darrin Jenkins said in a statement that an internal review will be conducted to determine if the proper protocols were followed.
“We’ve been made aware of this matter, and we are taking it seriously,” they said. “We understand the concerns that have been raised by our community and others and we want the public to know that your trust in law enforcement in our city is a top priority.”
McComas said he was in front of his home and hooking his boat to a trailer when he saw the Rohnert Park Public Safety officer drive into his neighborhood.
The officer, he said, made a few turns before stopping to face McComas. The officer did nothing but point at McComas and his home, McComas said.
McComas became concerned, so he pulled out his camera and started filming.
“The arrogance he showed me shouldn't come from an officer of the law,” he said. “They should de-escalate, not escalate or provoke.”
