Even After Doing All This, California Police Still Defend Their Colleague

By: Daniel Peterson

Statewide--A trendy Facebook video featuring a California officer holding one unarmed passenger at gunpoint for approximately 10-minutes at a traffic stop is attracting outrage from the community. However, the Campbell Police department is defending the incidence.

The unidentified officer recently pulled the vehicle over for speeding. But as he was searching for the registration documents, things went horribly wrong. According to the driver’s statement, the officer, and the passenger complied with police orders, but the footage features the tense moments after the officer pulled out his gun and trained it on passenger’s head.

“Why are you still holding the gun at me, bro? Please why are you still pointing that gun at me, though?” the passenger can be heard saying. “Record this sh-t. Why are you still holding your gun at me, brother? My hands are just right here.”

“I understand,” answers the officer.

“No, you’re not understanding,” the passenger insists.

As per the police department, the passenger—who’s male—started reaching under his seat as the driver was searching for her registration and license, prompting the cop to draw his gun.

“Unfortunately, that passenger’s unexpected movements towards the bottom of the seat made the officer to sense a threat and draw his weapon,” said Gary Berg, Campbell Police Capt.

The officer emphasized on pointing the gun on the passenger, waiting for the backup to arrive there before he could lower the weapon.

Police added defending the cop’s actions that the passenger really apologized for the misunderstanding.

“We also understand that it isn’t comfortable for anyone to be held at a gun point, irrespective of whether it’s a police officer,” read the cops post police. “Unfortunately, the duration of time that this cop’s gun was drawn was much longer than it should be, based on his location. But In the end, the police officer explained to the passenger of the vehicle about his actions and why he pointed the gun at him. The passenger later said that he understood why it occurred and apologized to the officer. The driver as well as the passenger were given citations and were released.”

However, the passenger, known as “Feo Mas” on Facebook, shared the video footage to the social media with the caption: “CAMPBELL OFFICER IS A B—-! (He) pulled out a gun because I reached for paperwork which he had asked for.”

Although the department says they’re aware of that video and the response to it, they claim the cop’s body camera footage gives additional context.