The video may be graphic for some audiences and includes explicit language that has been omitted.
LONGVIEW, Texas (KETK) – A video from Longview showing a group of men taunting police officers began to go viral Monday night.
The incident started with a traffic stop leading to the group mocking the officers repeatedly, ranging from their physical appearance to their jobs as cops.
It appears the situation began when a black man was pulled over in a neighborhood. It is not clear from the video why the traffic stop was initiated.
None of the officers retaliated from the taunts and it did not appear that any arrests were made during the incident.
Below is a list of taunts that were repeated over the course of the video:
“You a h**””Imma drop your a**”B**** a** n****”They gonna need the whole department””Where you going Oompa Loompa?”
The video comes during a time of heightened protests against police brutality and systemic racism after the death of George Floyd while in custody in Minneapolis back in May.
Through a one-on-one interview, Longview Police Chief Mike Bishop applauded his officers for handling the situation with poise and professionalism.
What I saw was some great composure on he part of the officers, I saw professionalism and I saw them execute the training that they’ve had to deal with those types of situations.
Chief Mike Bishop
KETK News reached out to the NAACP for comment, who said in a statement:
“With regards to the police interaction video in Longview posted on Instagram, it is clear that the individuals here were wrong, and that the police acted professionally and appropriately.”
Longview NAACP member
The organization also said that “the many people professing to defend the police also do themselves no favors by sharing this video. They are the same people who choose to routinely ignore instances of police misconduct, particularly against African-Americans. In this case, they have decided to perpetuate negative stereotypes of African-Americans It is an old dog whistle and sadly still too common.”
Pastor LaDarian Brown from the Parkview Baptist Church in Longview said in a statement of his own:
Of course I know all of the officers in that video. I have known almost every single one of them since they began their careers at Longview PD, and can say without fear of contradiction that they are ALL good upstanding individuals. With them being good people, I can also say they are ALL also great police officers. This is a group of officers show what many officers have to endure while simply doing their jobs while doing it the right way. I applaud their restraint, self-discipline, and professionalism.
Pastor LaDarian Brown
It is unknown what led to the beginning of the confrontation. Longview city officials have yet to comment on the video.
Full Statement from NAACP
With regards to the police interaction video in Longview posted on Instagram, it is clear that the individuals here were wrong, and that the police acted professionally and appropriately.
It should also be noted that the individuals here did themselves no favors by posting the video.
Having said that, the many people professing to defend the police also do themselves no favors by sharing this video.. They are the same people who choose to routinely ignore instances of police misconduct, particularly against African-Americans. In this case, they have decided to perpetuate negative stereotypes of African-Americans It is an old dog whistle and sadly still too common.
It is further distressing that people who profess to be community and civic leaders in Longview choose to participate in this racial stereotyping by sharing this video. All while pretending that George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, Breonna Taylor, Atatiana Jefferson, and countless others never existed and don’t matter.
Well, they do matter. Black Lives Matter.
At the end of the day, the people who shared the video want to make this about a battle between the police and the African-American community. It is not. There is love and respect for police officers who do their jobs well. But a community should not be fearful when dealing with the police. Sadly, the African-American community experiences this fear in too many cases.and this problem needs to be addressed.
Full Statement From Pastor LaDarian Brown
I have viewed this circulating Instagram video multiple times. Of course I know all of the officers in that video. I have known almost every single one of them since they began their careers at Longview PD, and can say without fear of contradiction that they are ALL good upstanding individuals. With them being good people, I can also say they are ALL also great police officers. This is a group of officer’s show what many officers have to endure while simply doing their jobs while doing it the right way. I applaud their restraint, self-discipline and professionalism.
On the other hand! This group of people that they were dealing with DO NOT represent neither me nor any of us that are trying to move in a progressive direction. And honestly it pissed me off the level of ignorance that was displayed. Progress cannot productively be accomplished with this type of behavior. To point your finger in another man’s face is BEYOND disrespectful. I really hate the fact that “we” hate for the “N” word to be used towards our people yet it was used Lord knows how many times in this video. If the mission of this video was to make the police look stupid, the mission FAILED terribly. All it did was show this small group of people acting a DAMN fool (inserted intentionally).
Furthermore, the racial comments are just as wrong. There is no need to lump all of Black America together for this group is not US. Most of us do not act in this behavior, but I feel that goes without saying. In my personal opinion many of those comments came from people that no matter how black people act you would still make such ignorant, racial, and divisive comments. Please not at a time like this none of this is needed, nor is it helping our current climate.
In conclusion, if wrong is done I believe I have proven that I will be one of the first to call it out. That’s on either end of the spectrum. How about EVERYBODY just do the right thing? Despite race, color, political affiliation, sexual orientation, or religious belief (if any at all) we all have a part to play in bridging this entire community together.