Alabama Pastor Refuses to Cooperate with Police, Gets Arrested

This incident is a textbook example of why police departments are struggling to keep and hire cops.

The NBC News, headline reads: “Black Alabama pastor arrested while watering flowers files lawsuits against police.”

An ABC News headline was more provocative and the article seemed written to enflame: “Watering while Black: anatomy of a pastor’s Alabama arrest.”

Anyone taking these headlines at face value would be rightly shocked, even enraged—if that’s what happened. But it didn’t. Instead, the pastor exploited the racially charged political environment and blew the incident into something it didn’t have to be, reflexively blaming the cops for racially profiling without evidence.

A neighbor reported a suspicious man in her neighbor’s yard and called 911. In the video, the officer respectfully asks, “Hey, man, what are you doing?”

He said he was “Pastor Jennings.” He lived across the street and was there to water the flowers.”

The officer said, “That’s cool. Do you have I.D.? Jennings said, “Hell, no. I ain’t giving no I.D.”

That clunk you just heard is where Jennings chose to change the nature of this incident.

“Please, don’t do this to me,” the officer says. “There’s a suspicious person in the yard, and if you don’t want to identify yourself…”

Jennings interrupted saying, “I don’t have to identify myself….”

Alabama law disagrees. People are required to show investigating officers their identifications. Cops are not psychic.

To make matters worse, when officers speak with the neighbor who called 911, she says she now recognizes Jennings. “He should be there watering their flowers. This is totally my fault.”

If Jennings had simply provided I.D., which the officers are obligated to confirm, or they’re not doing their jobs, this would not be a thing. Instead, Pastor Jennings is suing the officers for violating his constitutional rights—while doing their duty.

Where do I sign up to be a cop?

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Steve Pomper

Steve Pomper is an author, freelance writer, and retired Seattle police officer. During his career, he served as a field training officer, on the Community Police Team, and as a mountain bike patrol coordinator. He’s written five books, including The Obama Gang and De-Policing America, and he is a contributor to the National Police Association and a freelance writer for The Tatum Report.

Originally from New England, he’s a Boston sports fan. He now lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife, Jody, a retired firefighter. He enjoys spending time with his adult kids and three grandchildren.