A police department in suburban Dallas has issued an apology to a family from Little Rock, Arkansas, after erroneously pulling over their Dodge Charger and detaining them with guns drawn.
The Frisco Police Department has issued a statement describing how an officer on its force accidentally entered incorrect license plate information, leading the police to believe the car was stolen and the occupants might pose a threat.
The police did not hesitate to accept full responsibility for the terrifying mix-up that impacted a mother, father, and several minors.
In a press release addressing the events of July 23, the error occurred when an officer entered the family’s license plate information into the system as she ran the information through her system when observing the car leaving a hotel parking lot.
She mistakenly typed the plates as being from Arizona instead of Arkansas, leading to an inaccurate registration result. As a consequence, officers were led to believe that the vehicle might have been stolen, and there was a possibility that the individuals inside the car could be involved in the theft. This misunderstanding transformed the routine traffic stop on the Dallas North Tollway into what was perceived as a “high-risk traffic stop.”
Police bodycam video shows that at least one officer had his gun drawn from the beginning of the arrest. He also shouted at them, telling them they might get shot if they were to move.
The driver’s husband tried to reason with one of the officers, informing him that he is a basketball coach and the family — the couple and their son as well as a nephew — is on its way to “a basketball tournament.”
As he speaks, his son can be heard crying.
According to CNN, the footage captures him saying, “I got conceal carry … Y’all put a gun on my son for no reason.”
Eventually, a Frisco police sergeant arrived, and after they conferred and looked at the information they had, the officers realized a mistake had been made.
“We made a mistake,” said Frisco Police Chief David Shilson in a prepared statement. “Our department will not hide from its mistakes. Instead, we will learn from them. The officer involved quickly accepted responsibility for what happened, which speaks to integrity.”
Shilson mentioned that he has already spoken with the family and comprehends “why they’re upset.”
In the bodycam footage, the father expressed his distress over the incident, describing the experience as “terrible” and stressing how it could have resulted in a disastrous outcome for them. He even turned away from the police, visibly overcome with emotion, tears streaming down his face.
According to TikToker Demi Janale, she was the driver during the traffic stop.
“It’s just I can’t make sense of it. And why my son was treated that way. Why he was not treated as a child? It’s not OK. And I thank God that we were not physically injured, but we have suffered a lot of mental and emotional trauma from this,” she continued. “I’ve cried so much today I don’t know if I have any more tears to cry. Every time I see the video of my baby, I just can’t believe it. I feel like this is a very bad dream.”
The chief said the incident does not reflect the high standard of service that he believes his “officers provide on a daily basis.”
When talking about his conversation with the family, he said, “I apologized on behalf of our department and assured them that we will hold ourselves accountable and provide transparency through the process.”
