I believe that I've been a victim of racial profiling by the sheriff's department.

Twice in the last six months I was stopped in after leaving the Kohl's Department store for absolutely no reason! The first was Black Friday after Thanksgiving. After leaving the store very early am, I was followed down McGinnis Ferry Road by an officer (it was dark out, and we were the only two vechicles on the road). At the first stop light we arrived at the officer got right up on my bumper. He then proceeded to put his lights on to put me over. As it turns out I didn't place my updated registration sticker on my vehicle. However, after showing him both my old registration and driver's license he proceeded to tell me that he wanted to 'make certain my vechicle wasn't stolen. Folks, I drive a '07 Chevy Uplander Van! Needless-to-say, I was dressed down with a football jersey on and sweat pants for my after Thanksgiving ritual. I'm also a bald blackman. The only one out that morning.

The second incident happened at the beginning of May. After leaving Kohl's around lunchtime midweek, I backed out of my spot close to the front of the store and drove up to the white line painted on the ground. I was facing Kohl's at this time, and came to a complete stop. As I started to pull out from there I noticed a Police Officer coming toward me from the left. He had a stop drawn on the ground so I preceeded to turn left since I had the right-of-way. He immediately turned on his lights which startled me. He then rolled down his window as I did since we were facing each other on the same side (both drivers sides). I tell him that I came to a complete stop. He says "you just cut me off"! I told him, "no, you had a stop sign" (drawn on the ground). He said "no I don't"! He was really trying to flex his authority and being a real jerk about being WRONG. He didn't admit he was wrong though and continued to lecture me about something before he let me go.

I was super angry at this point. As I drove to my next stop at Radio Shack I ran into a local mother and her interracial teenage son. After telling them about my incident (and to be careful) the mother told me that her son gets pulled over at least once a week! In the same area!!!

Wow, up until then I was thinking that it was just an isolated incident. I guess I was wrong!