VIDEO: On-Body Camera May Disprove Racial Profiling Claim Against Oakland Offic
A black Oakland firefighter said he was the victim of racial profiling when a white city police officer kept his hand on his gun while temporarily detaining him and his two sons at a fire station, mistakenly believing he might be a burglar.
The Aug. 15 incident traumatized his sons, said fire Engineer Keith Jones, 43, of Oakland, who filed a formal complaint with police internal affairs and the Citizens' Police Review Board.
"I do feel racism played a part in this case, just by the treatment of my kids," Jones told the San Francisco Chronicle Wednesday. "He was in the same crouched position, ready to pull his gun."
But Oakland police officials said the officer's response was "within policy," and they released a video from the officer's city-issued chest camera that appeared to contradict some of Jones' account.
In the video, Jones can be heard telling the officer, "I respect what you're doing" and, "It's not a problem."