Letters to the Editor: Beverly Hills police’s treatment of a Black man jaywalking was ‘unacceptable’

To the editor: Based on various media reports, including in the Los Angeles Times, the Beverly Hills Police Department’s presence at James Jannard’s estate on Valentine’s Day seems reasonable (“Jaylen Brown video sparks furor over how Beverly Hills police treat Black people,” March 6). I understand why Celtics star Jaylen Brown is offended and I empathize with his feelings of yet another Black man being singled out for law enforcement scrutiny. Yet, the number of city code violations — cars parked in the wrong direction, people blocking a driveway and more — likely warranted enforcement.

Salehe Bembury’s encounter with the Beverly Hills Police Department is a wholly different and unacceptable act of what appears to be a deliberate attempt to humiliate and demean a Black man. It’s a far too frequent occurrence. If I, a white woman, am stopped by an officer for jaywalking in Beverly Hills, one of several things will happen: I’ll be verbally reprimanded and warned to not jaywalk in the future; I’ll be issued a written warning; or I’ll be given a citation that carries a fine. What I will not be is patted down, made to put my hands behind my back and searched.

I’ve heard complaints about being stopped for “driving while Black.” This is the first time I’ve heard of someone being accosted by police for “jaywalking while Black.”

Teresa DeCrescenzo, Studio City