This YouTube video has gone viral showing Jeremy Drew, 12, confronting a police officer in Vegas about his illegally parked motorcycle. The officer parked illegally to buy a soda and Jeremy Drew asks him why he felt that he could park illegally and asked for his badge number. The officer refuses, even though all officers are supposed to allow citizens to see their name and badge number.
Drew asks the officer “Is there a reason for you to park on the sidewalk? Is it like an emergency or anything?”
The officer simply does not respond to which Drew adds “Can I see your badge number?” The officer asks him why he is asking for the badge number and Drew replies “Uh, because I have the right to.”
The officer replies: “You do? Are you a junior lawyer?”
Drew answers “No, I just want to see your badge number. Uh, can I please see your badge number?” The officer then rides away.
I am not aggrieved about the illegal parking for the officer. Officers are in fact allowed to park illegally in carrying out their duties (though soda stops are not exactly part of the thin blue line image). However, the officer did violate the rules in refusing his badge number and Drew was correct that he had a right to see it. More importantly, at a time when citizens are increasingly passive in the face of a burgeoning police presence in our society, this 12-year-old boy showed remarkable courage. He stood his ground even when the officer compounded his violation in refusing to show his badge by asking for identification from the boy. The youngster responds “I’m a minor. I’m Jeremy Drew.”
Yes, you are. And I think it is pretty cool to be Jeremy Drew.
“@SlingTrebuchet
1, May 8, 2013 at 6:45 am
He’ll be taken into state care as his parents are obviously unable to teach him to respect his betters.
In the meantime, he should be very careful not to break any bylaws.”
Did you seriously just say “his betters”? Think about the words you use before you use them. This POS Cop is NO better than anyone else which is the point of the whole thing. The cop seems to think he is better which leads to him thinking he is above the law. People like you just prop up the theory that they are better and allow them to run wild.
By law isn’t a law enforcement officer required to identify himself when challenged? By Federal Law?
This young man has good manners. He is also impertinent.
Anyone has the right to ask to see a badge number but it is up to the policeman to decide when and if he will comply with the request. Even YouTube does not override that element.
If young Jeremy, or anyone else, wishes to report a police violation he is certainly free to do so. He is not, however, empowered as a citizen to upbraid police authority. I’d say both Jeremy and the policeman demonstrated unusual restraint in this instance. In that regard, the incident is instructive to us all.