You know what’s a bad thing to tell the police?
“Hello, police? There’s a black person standing/sitting/talking/living (in other words, minding their own business) here, and I’m scared/uncomfortable/suspicious of why they are here (because I don’t believe black people belong in otherwise white spaces). Send help.”
DISCUSSION
Well, in the case of Philando Castile, saying”I have my properly licenced handgun in this car with me; don’t want you to freak out, Officer” was pretty bad.
Oscar Grant; “Why you gotta be grabbing people like that?”
Rekia Boyd; “What was up with that guy?” (Probably)
Freddie Gray, “Ugh. Police.” (Probably)
For Cameron Redus it was “Oh, your gonna SHOOT me?!”
Terrence Crutcher “It was just car trouble; I’ll just keep my hands up and slowly get you my registration.”
For John Crawford III it was, “It’s a toy!”
Sandra Bland, “No officer, I’m in my car, I don’t have to put my cigarette out.”
Eric Garner, “I can’t breathe...”.
Tamir Rice and Andy Lopez “???”
Stephen Clark; “?!” Botham Jean; “?!”
So whether you are polite, honest, mad, innocent, trying to get the fuck away from them, shopping, whatever, anything and nothing is the wrong thing to say to the police.